West African Culture & Drama

1. West AfricanCulture & Drama “Anansi’s Rescue from the River”

2. Location http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Africa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana

3. Climate & Geography • Africa has vast climates • Undergoing climate changes • West Africa • Part Rainforest, part Sahel • Extremely wet and humid • Mostly brown except during Rainy season • High temperatures • Mainly flat land http://bptravel.tripod.com/yafrica.htm http://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/explore/rainforest/rainforest_overview_lo.html

4. Storytelling Characteristics • For entertainment and education • Passes on cultural stories • Emphasizes and supports the values of a people • Says who you are and what is special about you • Cultivates an attitude of thinking • Expresses humanity Arts Toolkit - Drama

5. West African Storytelling Forms • Oral tradition prevalent in African communities • Storyteller invites the audience to gather around and hear the story • Set beginning and ending • Audience is stationary (stays) • Informal gatherings of friends and family • “Big ol’ lie” and tells to entertain • People come and go

6. West African Storytelling • “Trickster” tales • One character outsmarts another • Most Anansi the Spider tales are this type • “Why” stories or Myths • Set in nature • Supernatural beings and heroes • How something came to be • “Why do mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears?” • “The Buzzard and the Monkey”

7. African American Storytelling Forms • Stylized verbal art • Found on street corners • Rap poems • Contemporary slang

8. West African Storytelling • Jali or Griots (Storyteller -Musicians) • Still tell stories today because they are responsible for teaching the stories to their people and making sure that they understand them • Tales about relationships within family, doing good without being told, getting along, responsibility • “Life of service” – helping others • Kwaku means Uncle (Village Elder) • Name of male child born on Wednesday • Important in Ashanti culture as the Uncle is responsible for nieces & nephews

9. Nana Yaa Asantewaa • Louisville, KY native • Graduated from University of Louisville • Received many awards & achievements • Traveled west African countries to study oral traditions & culture Gloria Bivens http://www.ket.org/cgi-bin/fw_louisvillelife.exe/db/ket/dmps/Programs?do=topic&topicid=LOUL010045&id=LOUL

10. Mama Yaa’s Performance • Carries cow tail switch (African tradition for storytellers) • Headress and clothing • Importance of singing, drumming, and dancing to communicate messages and retell stories • Plays balaphone • Ashanti people today are great artisans

11. Anansi the Spider Folktales • Father was the sky god • Ashanti, Nyames • Most Anansi tales are trickster tales • Our tale is a traditional West African Folktale/Myth • Myths explain how something came to be • Shows Anansi’s wisdom in “Anansi’s Rescue from the River”

12. Post Viewing Activities • List and describe how these elements of drama were used in the performance • Literary • Technical • Performance

13. Post Viewing Activities • What purpose(s) of drama did this performance meet? • Sharing the human experience • Passing on tradition and culture • Recreational • Artistic expression

14. Prose vs. Drama • Compare and contrast this performance, storyline and format to these books • “Anansi” by Gerald McDermott • “A Story, A Story” by Gail E. Haley

15. More Info • Explore Africa with Anansi • http://www.pbs.org/wonders/Kids/kids.htm • Why Anansi has Eight Thin Legs • http://www.africa.mrdonn.org/anansi.html • Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott (Caldecott Winner) • http://www.geraldmcdermott.com/index.htm