About Batsi
Spoken word artist & page poet
Batsirai Chigama is a name largely associated with spoken word in Zimbabwe. She also writes short fiction and has been published in several short story, poetry anthologies and magazines. She has travelled widely performing within the Southern African region and beyond.
Her two collections, For Women Trying to Breathe & Failing (2021) and Gather the Children (2018) have both won National Arts Merit Awards.
She is a co-founder of the Zimbabwe Poets Society which runs the Ipikai Poetry Journal.
Batsirai is passionate about organising arts events and runs the Harare Writer’s Open Mic and the Harare Open Mic sessions.
She partnered with Sembene Across Africa in the global drive to bring awareness to the work of the Father of African Cinema Sembene Ousmane, screening films in Harare. Batsirai has also assisted with organising the Short Story Day Africa workshop in Zimbabwe.
Her experience working with Pamberi Trust, an arts development organisation which was housed within The Book Café (an arts cultural hub which was based in Harare) expanded her knowledge in the arts, especially the organising and managing of events, leading to her working as the Local Artist Liaison Officer for one of the biggest festivals in Zimbabwe, Shoko Festival.
Career Highlights
Publications, Awards and Performances
Collections
- For Women Trying to Breathe & Failing (It’s not your fault), 2021
- Gather The Children, Ntombekhaya Poetry, 2018
Published Poetry
- Wild Imperfections, Penguin South Africa, September 2021
- Mentor Anthology for Students, The Global Poetry Consortium, The Birch Wathen Lenox School, 2021
- Almost Island, Monsoon 2021 Edition
- Cyphers, Ireland, 2019
- Traps, Zimbabwe Women Writers, 2015
- Women & The Global Imagination, Prairie Schooner, 2014
- XXX Nosside World Poetry Prize Anthology, 2014
- XXVIIII Nosside World Poetry Prize Anthology, Italy, 2012
- The Hummingbird Review, 2012
- State of the Nation – Contemporary Zimbabwean Poetry, Conversation Paper Press, 2009
- Defiled Sacredness – Mensa Press, 2009
- Visions of the Motherland – Mensa Press, 2009
- War against War, Mensa Press, 2009
Performances
- Off The Wall Poetry, Capetown, 25 April 2022
- Poetry for Women’s History Month, P+B Reads, April 2022
- International Virtual Poetry Festival, with Prof Rashidah Ismaili AbuBakr, May 2022
- Ledbury Festival, July 7, 2021
- SADC People’s Summit, August 2020
- Online Talk Party Ehalakasa(Ghana), 28 August 2020
- Global Poetry Festival, The Birch Wathen Lenox School and IWP, New York, August 2020
- Duke University, Iowa University, George Washington University, 2019, USA
- BIGSAS-Festival of African and African Diasporic Literature, 2018, Bayreauth Germany
- Harare International Festival of the Arts, 2018, Hivos
- Festival Literatas, 2016 Mozambique
- Bellagio, 2014, Italy
- CopenOpen, 2013, Denmark
- Blantyre Arts Festival, Sept 2011, Malawi
- Tambo Tambulani Festival, July 2011, Mozambique
- Poetry Africa Tour, UKZN, 29 Sept 2010
- SADC Poetry Festival, Gaborone, Botswana, 27-29 Aug 2010
- Hivos Poetry Cafe, HIFA, 28-30 April 2010
- Literary Evening with Owen Sheers, 23 Nov 2009
- Thubalethu Youth Festival Mar 2009
- Intwasa Arts Festival, Sept 2008
Short Stories
- Spring 2020 VOL 10 No.2, All Rise! University of Iowa, 2020
- Mapping Me A Landscape of Women’s Stories, Maymona Production Ltd, 2014
- When Silence Speaks, Crossing Borders Magazine Mavambo – New Beginnings, Crossing Borders Magazine
- Broken Wings, Crossing Borders Magazine
- Waiting Area 2 (Extract), Writing from Africa
Awards
- NAMA Outstanding Poetry Book, For Women Trying To Breathe And Failing, 2022
- NAMA, Outstanding First Creative Published Book, Gather The Children, 2019
- XXVIII Premio Nosside, Menzione Particolare, 2014
- 1st Runner-up, Stanza Digital Slam (Scotland), 2014
- XXVIII Premio Nosside, Menzione Particolare, 2012
- Young Female Artist Promoter Of The Year, JYWF, 2013
