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SPOKEN WORD POETRY

I discovered spoken word poetry through Def Jam on Youtube one afternoon when I was about sixteen years old. I was listening to The Roots, Jill Scott, Black Star. I clicked on a performance by Erykah Badu called "Fans, Friends and Artists must meet" and discovered there was something called 'spoken word poetry'. It felt like coming home. 

It took a few more years before I was brave enough to join Poetry Circle 020 in Amsterdam. Since then I've performed in Sweden, Brazil, Turkey, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and South Africa. My work has been published in 'En ze leefde nog', the Deep Times journal and Changing (dis)course, among other places. I've made the spoken word theater performance RAUW (v/v) with a powerful group of women under the guidance of Priscilla Vaudelle from LostProject. In 2021, I wrote a piece for the Climate March which was broadcasted to an audience of thousands in 44 locations throughout the Netherlands simultaneously.  

Wij zijn niet meer te stoppen - Klimaatalarm 2021 spoken word (ondertitels)

Wij zijn niet meer te stoppen - Klimaatalarm 2021 spoken word (ondertitels)

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Stand-Up Stories 2020

Stand-Up Stories 2020

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Trailer Rauw(v/v)

Trailer Rauw(v/v)

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Climate Tribe by Wicked Thoughts (2019)

Climate Tribe by Wicked Thoughts (2019)

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If I was - a poem by Maaike Boumans

If I was - a poem by Maaike Boumans

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En ze leefde nog (2018)

En ze leefde nog (2018)

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Remember - made by Shake! (2014)

Remember - made by Shake! (2014)

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'En ze leefde nog' compiles the wide ranging reflections of Charlotte de Raad (1994), Zeinab El Bouni (1990), Sandy Bosmans (1986), Mare Groen (1995), Maaike Boumans (1988) and Roziena Salihu (1994) on thoughts that so often go unspoken in life. Words that are so often swallowed. Growing up as a woman in a world that is still far from aware of its own prejudices requires a response. In a place where we still have to name diversity to convince ourselves of our multiplicity, life is anything but a fairytale.

bundel made by Rutger Burger

picture by Rutger Burger