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<\/a>And at last year\u2019s festival, performers did use puppets, resulting in an edgy performance that lives up to Victoria\u2019s funky reputation. But don\u2019t be mistaken: while some of the methods may seem a little out there, there\u2019s a reason that spoken-word audiences are expanding, and Peters says it\u2019s because\u0118the poets speak from a place of truth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reason that spoken word really connects with audiences is because it is immediate, it\u2019s very visceral, and it\u2019s very interactive,\u201d she says. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of this feeling of being in the moment with the artist and responding as an audience to each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
The spoken-word audience is very diverse, says Peters. The festival also draws people from other disciplines, joining forces with the local dance and improv communities, who will be featured in the shows throughout the fest\u2019s events.<\/p>\n
Then, for the fest finale, the poets write and perform a full show together in one day, using all of the new experiences and creative tools they\u2019ve gained throughout the week. The result of this collaboration has Peters mesmerized.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always magical. It\u2019s just something that I never film; I feel like its un-filmable, it\u2019s something that can only happen in that moment,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s for that audience and it\u2019s for those artists.\u201d<\/p>\n
2015 is the fifth year of the fest (which will have Toronto\u2019s Brendan McLeod as the poet of honour), and to celebrate they\u2019re bringing back some all-stars. These poets have gone on to tour Canada, as well as being recognized nationally.<\/p>\n
One of the poets returning to the festival is 20-year-old Chimwemwe Undi. She was a part of the Winnipeg Poetry Slam Team and is the communications director for Voices, Ink., a youth poetry project.<\/p>\n
Undi was introduced to spoken word through a club at her school and late-night YouTube visits; however, she\u2019s convinced that she would have found her passion some way or another, regardless of having access to those resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t remember a time when I wasn\u2019t writing, and I\u2019ve been on stages in some form or another, musical theatre, classical music, speech, and debate, whatever, since I was about 10. My family is big on storytelling,\u201d she says. \u201cSpoken word seems like a natural progression from those things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Undi has been known to write about her experiences with immigration, religion, and, more currently, race, with all of the happenings in the news. But she believes that her words are only a component to spoken poetry and it\u2019s really more about the connection she makes.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than any message, I try to connect with people that are generous enough to listen to me. Spoken word is so much listening; it\u2019s holding space for other people, letting them say their piece,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Undi says she\u2019s very grateful to the people who listen to her, and, because of the connections she\u2019s established, it has allowed for success to follow, even at such a young age. But when asked for advice, she doesn\u2019t feel qualified to give it, mostly because she feels like she hasn\u2019t been doing anything long enough to know it\u2019s working, and partially because she eats ice cream even though she is lactose intolerant. However, she does think that self-expression is a key that can open many doors.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important to find a way to express yourself. It\u2019s necessary to recognize the importance of the voice you want to share,\u201d she says. \u201cYour thoughts and emotions are valid and deserve space in whatever conversation that\u2019s happening, and as long as it comes from a place with integrity, someone, somewhere will see the value in what you do. You\u2019ll connect with someone, and that\u2019s the only reason to do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n