"I was in my early 20s. I had just become a mum and didn't understand it," she says.
"I had all these questions. What is a woman? Is this it? I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing." With poetry, she adds, "you can say a lot of things and it's so therapeutic".
Just writing poems was not enough, however; Chisakula wanted to share her stories. She was inspired to write spoken-word poetry - a genre written to be read out loud and performed when she heard I Will Wait for You by Janette...ikz, an American spoken-word poet.
Now, she is spearheading efforts to expand the spoken-word scene in her homeland, Zambia. In 2017, she cofounded Word Smash Poetry, a movement for young creative activists across southern Africa.
In her own award-winning work, she uses poetry as a tool for activism, focusing on issues including women's rights, African identity and mental health.
"I believe in the beautiful persuasion that art brings to the table," she says. "Art is a form of protest that leaves no blood. It can be peacefully done but a strong message can be communicated artistically."
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 19, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian Weekly.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 19, 2024-Ausgabe von The Guardian Weekly.
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