“Let Black Girls Be”: The (Insta)poetry of Upile Chisala and its resistance to coloniality of being

Abstract

ABSTRACT The production and circulation of poetry on social media has gained critical attention over the past decade. Known popularly as Instapoetry, this digital literary phenomenon has been celebrated in the Global North for increased printed poetry sales and changing readership patterns. Little has been written about Instapoetry from the Global South despite its popularity amongst black women readers and sharers, especially in South Africa. By offering a Southern analysis of the poetry and Instagram profile of Malawian storyteller and instapoet Upile Chisala, grounded in decolonial theory, this paper suggests that the oft-cited criticism against Instapoetry as “not poetry” fails to acknowledge its location on “the other side of the line.” Chisala’s poetry is an example of post-abyssality: it draws attention to the abyssal line and seeks to overcome it. The paper argues that Chisala’s call to voice and self-love is a “re-humaning” ethic that is useful for challenging coloniality of being. Her poetry therefore contributes to reimagining the being of black women and girls.