!Bushwomen (South Africa)

Tereska and Laverne Muishond call themselves !Bushwomen, a name that, in their words, “reflects their pride in being descendents of the wise, humble, and spiritual indigenous people of South Africa – the Khoi, San and the Bushmen.” Originally from Bloemfontein, these talented sisters infuse their poetry with song and dance to create a stage performance that is filled with energy and passion.

Laverne's background is in singing and by the age of eight she was trained as a soloist. She had further musical training with the Bloemfontein Children's Choir and has travelled to Canada, the USA, Sweden, Belgium and Vienna . Laverne is a versatile singer whose repertoire ranges from classical and jazz to R&B and hip-hop and whose melodies have a distinct Afro- Soul inflection.

ereska was introduced to theatre acting at the age of six and instantly fell in love with the stage. She went on to study Drama and Theatre Art at the University of the Free State and has been involved in many theatre productions across the country. Tereska has been writing poetry for a number of years and, as a natural actress and storyteller, her writing “expresses her humanness, her joys and sorrows, and her passion for life, love and liberty.”

Both sisters are fluent in the language of dance and they use this form of expression to complement their stage performance. Their performances are honest,
 
 
 

Delinquent Tongue

 
My mother speaks a wondrous tongue
Its intonations and expressions I suckled from her breast
My father speaks the tongue of a proud Griqua man
Rich with wisdom and serenity but neither xi nor xe
 
My sister, though, speaks a foreign tongue
Beautiful to hear
Its sovereignty bragging in my ear
 
My beloved grandmother talks to me from her grave
She whispers softly, lovingly, tenderly
In a familiar tongue that makes me feel safe
I fear her words will soon reach me incoherently
 
See I too speak an alien tongue
Beautiful to hear
Its sovereignty brag, brag, bragging in my ear
 
Ashamed to speak my own
Afraid to make myself known
Despite feeling disjointed
Alone
 
Ag here Ma…
Ek word somtyds so moeg
Heeldag moet ek vissies spoeg
But just like the bible you held close to your heart
From Afrikaans I will never part!
   
all poems' rights remain with the authors