Eric Onyango Otieno aka Rix Poet is a poet, a performer and artivist. He is the co-founder of Fatuma’s voice, a social forum that brings people together to discuss social issues. He describes himself as young and curious, a man who loves to see the world with the heart of a child. He loves literature, music, food, conversation, tea, and brisk walks. We had a chat recently about his craft, his faith and church.
As a poet and performer, what do you love more and why?
I live for the moments when people connect with my works. The magic and miracle of those moments is almost tangible.
Did you undergo any form of training prior to becoming a poet?
I was enrolled for a BA in communication at Daystar University but I could not make it past the first year due to family conflicts. My teenage life shaped me significantly. Writing provided me with an avenue to speak up about the things that were hurting me. I focused all my energy into writing. I began by writing music then ventured into writing poetry. The more I wrote, the more I felt whole. I am surprised that my poetry became what it is today because I never thought it would amount to much.
What form of preparation goes into your performances?
Surprisingly, I have written and performed my best poems on the eve of the performances. I can’t explain how it works but that’s how I do it. I guess I allow myself to come to the moment at my time of need.
Renowned poet Sylvia Plath once said that let me live, love and say it well in good sentences. She committed suicide sadly. In what ways did your words help you live past your suicidal tendencies?
There is so much more that kept me alive than expressing myself on paper. Writing played a significant role in my healing because it gave space to breathe, space that was sacred and pristine.
Given that writing is a lonely craft but performance is a boost to the ego, do you struggle to find your identity when you are not doing any of these? How do you deal with that?
I don’t struggle with that. Writing is like breathing to me. When I’m not doing it on paper, I spend time with people, working and listening to music. I am creating memories as I live life to the fullest.
Do you ever fear that you will be a disappointment at your next performance?
I am not afraid of giving a disappointing performance. I just show up with what I have. It is a miracle that I am still alive so I do not put too much pressure on myself. If the performance goes well, I lived. If it does not go well, there is no shame in that.
In a culture that is increasingly finding it hard to relate to the idea of sin and salvation, can poetry be the bridge between this world and the kingdom that Christ often spoke of?
It is not the work of poetry to do that. We need to be better listeners, better Christians, better friends and thinkers. Poetry can be a medium that stirs some but it cannot save anyone.
Art has been alienated or tamed by the modern church due to fears that it will lead many astray. What does the church need to do to make space for imagination?
God is an artist. If that is not a reason for the church to incorporate more art, I do not know of a better reason. There are forms of art that have been institutionalized by the church but it is hard to relate to these forms of art. This may be attributed to the fact most of these forms have been borrowed from Europeans.
Do you consider certain forms of art sacred and other desecrated? Why or why not?
I do not categorize art into such categories. Art is created by someone with a certain intent. It is our work as the audience to interrogate it, critique it or learn from it. Categorizing art interferes with this process.
In what ways does your faith influence your poetry?
My faith shapes my worldview. It shapes how I view situations and experiences and how I interpret them.
Are there instances in which you feel limited by your worldview?
I read somewhere that there are two dangerous things in the world: a mind that is too closed and a mind that is too open. I am open to learning and growing as a human being. I create out the limitations of my worldview at a particular point.
Christ said that you are in this world but not of this world. Do you find tension in living like that as an artist? How do you deal with the tension?
There is a tendency to look at artists through the lens of what they do rather than who they are. I am human being first then an artist. Being passionate about social justice and feminism does not always please everyone. I have learnt that tension is part of living. Nothing grows without tension. Many of my poems are created out that tension.
Whose works do you read? Why do you read them?
I love Maya Angelou, Thomas Sankara, Tupac Shakur, Ngugi wa Thiongo, Rumi, Marjorie Macgoye among many others because their works connect me to the earth. I read the Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls among other religious texts because there is a lot to discover in them.
Corazon Achieng 