Zizipho Bam is an award-winning poet celebrated for her exploration of love, longing, loss and healing. Inspired by the body and its experiences, she weaves personal stories into captivating works of art. Her acclaimed debut collection, Sunflowers For My Lovers, showcases her unique talent for reimagining narratives.
Bam’s performances have graced prestigious stages like Open Book Festival, The National Arts Festival and Poetry Africa, where she judged the 2023 National Poetry Slam Competition and the Standard Bank Staff Poetry Competition this year. Her creative ventures include co-curating and co-writing the Theatre of the Oppressed play, “The Pot of Pap at The End of The Rainbow Nation”, for Food Agency Cape Town.
A passionate advocate for community and artistic collaboration, Bam curates poetry events in Cape Town, including Slam City, a slam competition fostering camaraderie and healthy competition among poets in the city. She has also collaborated on stage with bands like iPhupho L’ka Biko and Kujenga, facilitating a conversation around their much-praised album, “In The Wake.”
Bam’s exceptional talent has garnered notable awards, including the 2020 New Coin Prize, the 2021 NewContrast National Poetry Prize, and the 2023 Thomas Pringle Award. Her self-published poetry collection is available at most independent bookstores nationwide. More about Zizipho Bam at www.ziziphobam.com.
Image by Tams Wilson
