The Quiet Roar: Bohlale ba Tau’s Journey from Poetry to Memoir

Through I Am Water and its companion soundtrack, Bohlale Lerato Masera-Sibanda — known as Bohlale ba Tau (Wisdom of the Lion) — is reshaping African storytelling with resilience, ancestry, and healing at its core.

Grounded in Rituals, Rooted in Story

In a modest room in Kempton Park, Bohlale ba Tau begins each day with meditation, affirmations, and the warmth of family life. These rituals ground her creative practice, infusing her work with intention and reflection. The rhythm of her children’s footsteps, the aroma of cappuccino, and the hum of daily life form the backdrop to her literary voice.

Her debut poetic memoir, I Am Water, mirrors the fluidity and resilience of its namesake, exploring themes of loss, identity, and belonging. While deeply rooted in African identity, her writing resonates universally, telling stories of courage, transformation, and the healing power of words. Through poetry and memoir, she offers not only her own truth but also a collective invitation to heal, remember, and redefine.

Emergence of a Poetic Voice

Robert Frost once wrote, “Poetry is a way of taking life by the throat.” For Bohlale, poetry became a lifeline during a childhood marked by constant movement across South Africa — from rural Limpopo to Gauteng’s townships and suburbs.

Born in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, she spent her early years moving between the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Limpopo. This constant shifting exposed her to diverse cultures and environments, fostering adaptability and empathy. Her upbringing was characterized by resilience and a search for belonging, themes that later defined her writing.

Her chosen pseudonym, Bohlale ba Tau — “Wisdom of the Lion” — is more than a name; it is a literary space carved out for voices of displacement, resilience, and hope. “The lion roars, but I’ve been roaring silently,” she reflects. Her poetry, both intimate and expansive, explores grief, survival, and the search for home. In her words, readers discover reflections of their own journeys, finding solace in the recognition that resilience is shared, and that the roar of wisdom often begins in silence.

A Memoir Rooted in Experience

I Am Water is more than a chronology of events; it is a tapestry woven from lived experience — love, grief, joy, and transformation. The memoir carries readers from the curiosity of childhood through the determination of motherhood, all deeply rooted in African womanhood and spirituality.

Through evocative verse, Bohlale explores identity and ancestry, illustrating how motherhood has deepened her commitment to healing and self-expression. Her words are not only personal testimony but also communal offering, affirming that storytelling is a tool of restoration.

The companion soundtrack, Bohlale ba Tau, translates her poetry into melody, extending her reach to audiences who connect more readily through music. “The music brings the poems to life,” she explains. In this way, her work becomes multidimensional — words, rhythm, and spirit intertwined. As her literary profile grows, she is not simply telling her own story; she is reshaping African storytelling for a new era, where personal truth and collective healing meet.

Foundations of Identity and Storytelling

The places of Bohlale’s youth were more than mere locations; they were initiations into new ways of seeing and understanding the world. The vibrancy of Alexandra township instilled resilience and a deep sense of community, while the upmarket Bramley offered the quiet space needed for creativity to take root.

An avid reader, she immersed herself in everything from Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys to encyclopaedias, sparking a literary consciousness that became her refuge. Storytelling was not only found in books but also in the cadence of family gatherings, where oral traditions carried wisdom across generations.

Now, as a mother, her writing has become a living legacy. “I write for my daughters, so they understand the strength and vulnerability that define us,” she explains. Her words are both inheritance and invitation, ensuring that her daughters — and her readers — inherit the courage to embrace identity and transformation.

Early Life & Background

Family was central to her journey. Her grandmother’s nurturing presence, her father’s encouragement, and the support of extended relatives gave her a strong sense of belonging. Yet at the age of twelve, she faced the devastating loss of her mother. This wound became both a source of grief and a spark of inspiration. Journaling and reading offered solace, helping her navigate the silence of loss and discover the power of words.

Her father and extended family guided her through this period, fostering resilience and a commitment to honesty. These experiences — both joyful and painful — later informed her writing, adding emotional depth and a dedication to authenticity that continues to define her voice.

Discovering Words & Storytelling

Her love for language blossomed in the quiet aisles of the Dendron library, a small town nestled in rural Limpopo. Surrounded by shelves of possibility, she discovered both escape and inspiration, cultivating a daily journaling habit that became a practice of self-discovery.

Her early influences were eclectic: Nancy Drew, the Sweet Valley series, Danielle Steel, and encyclopaedias fed her imagination and curiosity. Later, Steve Biko’s I Write What I Like crystallized her guiding principle: “I am what I write.” This declaration became a compass for her creative journey.

Other voices shaped her evolving identity as a storyteller and seeker: J.K. Rowling’s world-building, Maya Angelou’s truth-telling, Tupac Shakur’s defiant resilience, and the spiritual insights of Deepak Chopra, Eckhart Tolle, and Conversations with God. Each influence added a layer to her voice, helping her weave together literature, spirituality, and lived experience into a narrative style that is both deeply African and universally human.

Becoming a Poet & Author

Her poetic identity unfolded gradually, shaped by introspection and the need to give voice to lived experience. One of her earliest remembered poems, My Black Sister, explored themes of identity and solidarity, setting the tone for her lifelong engagement with resilience and belonging in post-apartheid South Africa.

For years, poetry remained a private practice — a journal of clarity rather than performance. She often questioned whether she could truly call herself a poet, believing her words were meant for contemplation rather than public expression. “I’m not a performing poet,” she reflects, “but my words are my roar.”

Ultimately, I Am Water became her declaration of authorship, a living testimony for her children. “I wanted them to know me in my own voice, not through what others say about me,” she explains. Writing became both her liberation and her legacy, inviting readers to join her on a journey of self-discovery and healing.

Style, Soundtrack & Influences

From the beginning, Bohlale envisioned her work as multidimensional, intertwining words, images, and music to create a holistic experience. The soundtrack accompanying I Am Water transforms her poetry into rhythm and sound, extending her reach to audiences who may not connect with written verse but resonate deeply with music.

Her writing style is both narrative and reflective, resisting easy categorization. Identifying herself as “African first,” she nonetheless aims for her work to connect across global divides and speak to universal themes. Influenced by figures such as Maya Angelou and Tupac Shakur, she infuses her poetry with authenticity, resistance, and hope.

The image of a rose breaking through the ground — a tribute to Tupac’s The Rose That Grew from Concrete — adorns her book cover, symbolizing resilience. Her writing reflects a steadfast commitment to truth and fosters an ongoing dialogue between self and society, contributing to her evolving voice as both poet and cultural storyteller.

Current & Future Projects

With I Am Water complete, Bohlale is now focusing on a genealogy project for her children, documenting their family ancestry and the meanings behind their names. This living family tree serves as both personal and collective legacy, preserving wisdom and providing her children with a sense of identity and continuity.

Her commitment to legacy drives her ongoing work, reflecting her belief that storytelling shapes both past and future. She remains dedicated to expanding African storytelling, ensuring that her voice — and those of her ancestors — endure.

Philosophy & Community

For Bohlale, community is foundational, serving as both source of strength and inspiration. Guided by the principle of Ujamaa (cooperation and support), she views art and society as inseparable. “Without community, who are we? Ubuntu cannot exist without it,” she asserts.

Her creative practice bridges individual and communal identities, offering solace to those who have felt unseen or displaced. Through poetry, memoir, and music, she provides readers with a sense of home. By centering community in her work, she affirms the enduring power of connection and collective resilience.

Personal Life & Quickfire Insights

• Daily routines: Meditation, affirmations, homeschooling, and creative practice
• Family focus: Central to her life; cherished rituals include sharing her husband’s cappuccinos
• Music & playlists: Favourite track — Beyoncé’s “I Was Here”
• Self-description: Identifies as “Wisdom”, embodying resilience, thoughtfulness, and growth
• Bookshelf highlight: Thích Nhất Hạnh’s Living Buddha, Living Christ
• Tea or coffee?: Enjoys both, but cappuccinos are her favourite indulgence; dreams of opening a tea shop
• Lifestyle values: Defined by intentionality, resilience, and a search for belonging
• Children: Homeschooling is part of her daily rhythm, blending education with creativity
• Typical day: Early mornings (often 2–3 a.m.) spent in meditation and gratitude before balancing writing, family, and work