Within Botswana’s evolving contemporary performing arts scene, few voices resonate with the clarity, courage, and emotional depth of Phodiso Modirwa’s. Recognisedas one of the standout poets to emerge in the 2010s, she is now preparing a return to the stage with her latest performance, Paths & Passwords. As Gaborone’s weather warms, the serene surrounds of The AgaMotseCentre will provide the backdrop for this highly anticipated production, which promises a blend of spoken word and captivating music, all carefully crafted to draw audiences into a reflective space.
At its core, Paths & Passwords offers an unflinching look at the femme experience. Modirwa describes it as “an exploration of how we navigate womanhood; our joys, our fears and our disappointments”, noting that it serves both as a joyous “celebration of who we are” and a rigorous “interrogation of our influences”. In its totality, the show illuminates the complexity of the common femme lived experience, while acknowledging that “womanhood is a site of many contradictions”. Through her verse, Modirwa eloquently highlights the exhausting tightrope women are often forced to walk – as evidenced in 2023’s Speaking in Code and 2024’s Crossing Roads. She speaks to the conflict of navigating “societal pressure to be strong yet considered a weaker gender”, alongside the impossible demand to be boundlessly nurturing, while simultaneously expected to “stand alone and do it all by yourself”.
Yet beneath these loud contradictions lies something quieter, though infinitely heavier. A central theme of the showcase is “the silence that gets handed down to us through generations”. Modirwa bravely confronts this inherited quietude, describing it as a protective shield that “we hold close when we are surprised, caught off-guard or visited upon by violence”. Society frequently praises women for their proficiency in this silence, eagerly labelling them as “easy to work with, unproblematic, peacekeepers”. However, Paths & Passwords poses a piercing and necessary question: at whose expense?
The antidote to this stifling silence, according to Modirwa, lies in our shared humanity. She reminds us that “nothing improves upon our humanity as people, like connection”. This deeply rooted sense of togetherness serves as “the only true password to our essence” – a key that grants permission to exist authentically and to move through the world with empathy and botho. By invoking this nationally celebrated philosophy, the production transcends individual experience and evolves into a communal healing space, where people of all genders may empathise with those walking and working through womanhood.
For those seeking an afternoon of transformative art to close out August, the 29th offers a performance not to be missed. Modirwa emphasises that the show is an “invitation to engage with the questions of our coexistence as individuals and communities”. Yet she cautions that audiences should not expect neatly packaged solutions, declaring, “there are no answers promised, no remedies to be prescribed”. It is simply a call to come, turn the lens inward, and reflect through poetry and music.
