(Seychelles News Agency) - A fusion of words, mimes and music combined to make Seychelles' first poetry festival.

Launched last week as part of the activities to commemorate World Poetry Day, the festival under the title Bling Bling nod aims at promoting poetry, a form of art which is not as popular as other creative arts.

Seychellois Tony Joubert, who goes by his artistic name Raspyek, is a founding member of Bling Bling poetry -- an association which is behind the organisation of the event.

Raspyek says that it has taken five years to turn an idea into a poem fiesta and admits that it was not easy. He added that he is proud of this event which is using poetry to inspire and empower people.

(Top photo) participants in the one of the workshops. (Above) The main organiser Raspyek facilitating a workshop. (Salifa Magnan, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

Why the title ‘Bling Bling nod’, what does that mean?

“Your phone that rings, your door bell that blings blings, tears that fall and ring from the concrete ground, pleas and cries that keep ringing in your mind. The Bling Bling poetry is the sound calling people to poetry, and the nod is the salutation which poetry deserves,” explains Raspyek.

The poetry festival, which ran last Tuesday through Saturday, included workshops around poetry and its use in teaching, spontaneous poem recitals in different places, a romantic soiree with poems and a Bling Bling rock- a fusion of poems and music. 

Tony Joubert, who goes by his artistic name Raspyek, is a founding member of Bling Bling poetry. (Salifa Magnan, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

The festival also saw the participation of international poets from Swaziland, the Comoros, Madagascar, and Reunion.

Raspyek says that poetry has a bright future in Seychelles, and adds that the plan now is to have a festival every year in March to coincide with World Poetry Day.

SNA presents a series of photos on the poem recitals (Jude Morel, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY