West AfricanWest AfricanCulture & DramaCulture & Drama

““Anansi’s Rescue from the River”Anansi’s Rescue from the River”

LocationLocation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana

Climate & GeographyClimate & Geography

Africa has vast climatesAfrica has vast climates Undergoing climate changesUndergoing climate changes West AfricaWest Africa

– Part Rainforest, part SahelPart Rainforest, part SahelExtremely wet and humidExtremely wet and humidMostly brown except during Rainy seasonMostly brown except during Rainy season

– High temperaturesHigh temperatures– Mainly flat landMainly flat land

http://bptravel.tripod.com/yafrica.htmhttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/explore/rainforest/rainforest_overview_lo.html

Storytelling CharacteristicsStorytelling Characteristics

For entertainment and educationFor entertainment and education Passes on cultural storiesPasses on cultural stories Emphasizes and supports the values Emphasizes and supports the values

of a peopleof a people Says who you are and what is special Says who you are and what is special

about youabout you Cultivates an attitude of thinkingCultivates an attitude of thinking Expresses humanityExpresses humanity

Arts Toolkit - Drama

West African Storytelling FormsWest African Storytelling Forms

Oral tradition prevalent in African Oral tradition prevalent in African communitiescommunities

Storyteller invites the audience to gather Storyteller invites the audience to gather around and hear the storyaround and hear the story– Set beginning and endingSet beginning and ending– Audience is stationary (stays)Audience is stationary (stays)

Informal gatherings of friends and familyInformal gatherings of friends and family– ““Big ol’ lie” and tells to entertainBig ol’ lie” and tells to entertain– People come and goPeople come and go

West African StorytellingWest African Storytelling

““Trickster” tales Trickster” tales – One character outsmarts anotherOne character outsmarts another– Most Anansi the Spider tales are this typeMost Anansi the Spider tales are this type

““Why” stories or Why” stories or MythsMyths– Set in natureSet in nature– Supernatural beings and heroesSupernatural beings and heroes– How something came to beHow something came to be

““Why do mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears?”Why do mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears?”““The Buzzard and the Monkey”The Buzzard and the Monkey”

African American Storytelling FormsAfrican American Storytelling Forms

Stylized verbal artStylized verbal art– Found on street cornersFound on street corners– Rap poemsRap poems– Contemporary slangContemporary slang

West African StorytellingWest African Storytelling

Jali or Griots (Storyteller -Musicians) Jali or Griots (Storyteller -Musicians) – Still tell stories today because they are Still tell stories today because they are

responsible for teaching the stories to their responsible for teaching the stories to their people and making sure that they understand people and making sure that they understand themthem

– Tales about relationships within family, doing Tales about relationships within family, doing good without being told, getting along, good without being told, getting along, responsibilityresponsibility

– ““Life of service” – helping othersLife of service” – helping others Kwaku means Uncle (Village Elder)Kwaku means Uncle (Village Elder)

– Name of male child born on WednesdayName of male child born on Wednesday– Important in Ashanti culture as the Uncle is Important in Ashanti culture as the Uncle is

responsible for nieces & nephewsresponsible for nieces & nephews

Nana Yaa AsantewaaNana Yaa Asantewaa

Louisville, KY nativeLouisville, KY native Graduated from Graduated from

University of LouisvilleUniversity of Louisville Received many Received many

awards & awards & achievementsachievements

Traveled west African Traveled west African countries to study oral countries to study oral traditions & culturetraditions & culture

http://www.ket.org/cgi-bin/fw_louisvillelife.exe/db/ket/dmps/Programs?do=topic&topicid=LOUL010045&id=LOUL

Gloria Bivens

Mama Yaa’s PerformanceMama Yaa’s Performance

Carries cow tail switch (African Carries cow tail switch (African tradition for storytellers)tradition for storytellers)

Headress and clothingHeadress and clothing Importance of singing, drumming, Importance of singing, drumming,

and dancing to communicate and dancing to communicate messages and retell storiesmessages and retell stories

Plays balaphone Plays balaphone – Ashanti people today are great artisansAshanti people today are great artisans

Anansi the Spider FolktalesAnansi the Spider Folktales

Father was the sky godFather was the sky god– Ashanti, NyamesAshanti, Nyames

Most Anansi tales are trickster talesMost Anansi tales are trickster tales Our tale is a traditional West African Our tale is a traditional West African

Folktale/MythFolktale/Myth– Myths explain how something came to Myths explain how something came to

bebe– Shows Anansi’s wisdom in “Anansi’s Shows Anansi’s wisdom in “Anansi’s

Rescue from the River”Rescue from the River”

Post Viewing ActivitiesPost Viewing Activities

List and describe how these List and describe how these elements of drama were used in the elements of drama were used in the performanceperformance– LiteraryLiterary– TechnicalTechnical– PerformancePerformance

Post Viewing ActivitiesPost Viewing Activities

What purpose(s) of drama did this What purpose(s) of drama did this performance meet?performance meet?– Sharing the human experienceSharing the human experience– Passing on tradition and culturePassing on tradition and culture– RecreationalRecreational– Artistic expressionArtistic expression

Post Viewing ActivitiesPost Viewing Activities

List and describe how these List and describe how these elements of drama were used in the elements of drama were used in the performanceperformance– LiteraryLiterary– TechnicalTechnical– PerformancePerformance

Prose vs. DramaProse vs. Drama

Compare and contrast this Compare and contrast this performance, storyline and format to performance, storyline and format to the book, “Anansi” by Gerald the book, “Anansi” by Gerald McDermottMcDermott

More InfoMore Info

Explore Africa with AnansiExplore Africa with Anansi– http://www.pbs.org/wonders/Kids/kids.htmhttp://www.pbs.org/wonders/Kids/kids.htm

Why Anansi has Eight Thin LegsWhy Anansi has Eight Thin Legs– http://www.africa.mrdonn.org/anansi.htmlhttp://www.africa.mrdonn.org/anansi.html

Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott (Caldecott Winner)(Caldecott Winner)– http://www.geraldmcdermott.com/index.htm http://www.geraldmcdermott.com/index.htm