Mythology/Story Tellers

[Baba Ahmed]

{There are over 45 Afrikan nations listed, and of 26 pgs of bibliography that I counted over 200 books with over 20 remaining pages of listings I stopped counting. I saw relatively few recognizable Afrikan names of authors. The book: A Dictionary of AFRICAN MYTHOLOGY. Its said to include 400 selected myths out of thousands available. Which isn't a large number, considering the fact that there are thousands of ethnic groups in the Afrikan Continent. The information is very interesting to me. My question is: what's your views? On any part of the preface posted. Let it all hang out. We can handle it.}
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Mythmaker as Storyteller

"All mythmakers depend on story. Who would understand the nature of religion must start with story. It is story that contains within it the deepest-held beliefs, the hopes and fears, dreams and nightmares of a people. If the storyteller is the guardian, the repository, of the past, he/she is also its interpreter, always in the process of revising history, recasting our notions of origins, and so it is that, within the context created by the storyteller, the past and the present are constantly in a process of becoming, the world of the storyteller a churning cauldron of images that, worked into form, become a momentary means of establishing union between the present living generation and all generations that have preceded it. Nor are the stories that comprise the myths of a people merely fables, explanatory tales, children's versions of complex adult themes. In a rich and enormously complex way, story is the religious system of a people.

It is not a means to understanding, not a path to God; rather it is the means whereby humans, as members of audiences, move to oneness with God.

That is the effect of myth, and that is why we humans will not let stories go. They are our means of communing with our deepest beliefs.

So myth is not simply the story behind the ritual, myth is the ritual, is the essence of religious faith. The fantasy elements, the "irrational" elements, of myth are at the center of an artistic activity that has the effect of joining the emotions of the audience---for story is always and primarily, if not exclusively, a process of feeling---to the images of the past, those images conjuring up the emotions and then joining them to the past. The enormously complex performance aspects of storytelling, the art of the storyteller, is the key to understanding the meaning of myth."

[Baba Ahmed]

This reply is more for a up bump than anything else. A suggestion is offered, tho. To expand one's receptivity and consider this as we apply this view not for religions, but also in c/w social, economic & political ideologies. That is, does any of them appear with elements of "Myths."

[Akyeame Kwame]

the evil krakkka that wrote the book is a senior overseer up here in the same department of the plantation i'm at...extremely evil...

AK

Originally Posted by Baba Ahmed

{There are over 45 Afrikan nations listed, and of 26 pgs of bibliography that I counted over 200 books with over 20 remaining pages of listings I stopped counting. I saw relatively few recognizable Afrikan names of authors. The book: A Dictionary of AFRICAN MYTHOLOGY. Its said to include 400 selected myths out of thousands available. Which isn't a large number, considering the fact that there are thousands of ethnic groups in the Afrikan Continent. The information is very interesting to me. My question is: what's your views? On any part of the preface posted. Let it all hang out. We can handle it.}
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Mythmaker as Storyteller

"All mythmakers depend on story. Who would understand the nature of religion must start with story. It is story that contains within it the deepest-held beliefs, the hopes and fears, dreams and nightmares of a people. If the storyteller is the guardian, the repository, of the past, he/she is also its interpreter, always in the process of revising history, recasting our notions of origins, and so it is that, within the context created by the storyteller, the past and the present are constantly in a process of becoming, the world of the storyteller a churning cauldron of images that, worked into form, become a momentary means of establishing union between the present living generation and all generations that have preceded it. Nor are the stories that comprise the myths of a people merely fables, explanatory tales, children's versions of complex adult themes. In a rich and enormously complex way, story is the religious system of a people.

It is not a means to understanding, not a path to God; rather it is the means whereby humans, as members of audiences, move to oneness with God.

That is the effect of myth, and that is why we humans will not let stories go. They are our means of communing with our deepest beliefs.

So myth is not simply the story behind the ritual, myth is the ritual, is the essence of religious faith. The fantasy elements, the "irrational" elements, of myth are at the center of an artistic activity that has the effect of joining the emotions of the audience---for story is always and primarily, if not exclusively, a process of feeling---to the images of the past, those images conjuring up the emotions and then joining them to the past. The enormously complex performance aspects of storytelling, the art of the storyteller, is the key to understanding the meaning of myth."

[Baba Ahmed]

Gotcha!

asante sana....

A problem exists: who of our folk are publishing works on this area? Or is it a vital area? My purpose is to get "religious" folk who depend on "Scripture" and who follow literally their books to take another reading with the wisdoms of Traditional Afrikans included.

Suggestions my yunggun brutha?

Baba Ahmed

[Akyeame Kwame]

Originally Posted by Baba Ahmed

Gotcha!

asante sana....

A problem exists: who of our folk are publishing works on this area? Or is it a vital area? My purpose is to get "religious" folk who depend on "Scripture" and who follow literally their books to take another reading with the wisdoms of Traditional Afrikans included.

Suggestions my yunggun brutha?

Baba Ahmed

it is a serious area...i find that krakkkaz such as this little ewok lookin thing just study the structure and characteristics of the stories and could care less about the content...they then recycle the structure that resonates with Afrikan people just infused with their own content designed to destroy Afrikan people...

...this is a good idea...if yr looking there's an anthology of Afrikan literature by courlander...the dictionary is a decent reference piece but just stripped of all its content just leaving behind the skeleton...stay Black 2 da Nth!!!

AK

[Baba Ahmed]

Originally Posted by Akyeame_Kwame

it is a serious area...i find that krakkkaz such as this little ewok lookin thing just study the structure and characteristics of the stories and could care less about the content...they then recycle the structure that resonates with Afrikan people just infused with their own content designed to destroy Afrikan people...

...this is a good idea...if yr looking there's an anthology of Afrikan literature by courlander...the dictionary is a decent reference piece but just stripped of all its content just leaving behind the skeleton...stay Black 2 da Nth!!!

AK

Do u mean "A Treasury of African Folklore...?" Yeah I got one thinking 'bout Grandchilren mainly. Something struck me 'bout the name. Did a brief search & came "face 2 face" wid a krakkka! Who's entire career's been studying and writing 'bout us! Even Vudun and Haitians. See, I'm kinda lazy in my critical reading efforts. I'm old bruhman and damn near tired out from battling through the mazes of EuroCentric writers white & Black! And admit that Mama Marimba's classic set a fire to me brain and spirits with the conceptual bustout frame of Asili, Utamawzo & Utamahoro plus her telling me how to approach Yurugu, its easier to peep the enemies.

FLASH! Just heard Dr. Runoko announce he's leading a trip to Brazil in Nov. to celebrate Zumbi fest, etc. No way I'll make that but... somebody here might be interested.

Another one I have is The HERO with an AFRICAN FACE Mythic Wisdom of Traditional Africa by Clyde W. Ford. Per usual he used work of Leo Froenibus but says: "When possible, I have turned to native African authors for their views on the mythic traditions of their cultures, and they have confirmed my belief that we are justified in analyzing these myths beyond the appeal of the story, that the mythmakers indeed intended more." I know many here don't need more of such info; but some do. Some probably do not see it as worthwhile.... dat's cool. I just hope we learn to at least work better together. A whole lotta invisible barriers separate us as a people born, reared and scuffling here.

Well watoo ma boori, my yung bruthas.... be Black inside Blackness...

Baba Ahmed

[Akyeame Kwame]

Originally Posted by Baba Ahmed

Do u mean "A Treasury of African Folklore...?" Yeah I got one thinking 'bout Grandchilren mainly. Something struck me 'bout the name. Did a brief search & came "face 2 face" wid a krakkka! Who's entire career's been studying and writing 'bout us! Even Vudun and Haitians. See, I'm kinda lazy in my critical reading efforts. I'm old bruhman and damn near tired out from battling through the mazes of EuroCentric writers white & Black! And admit that Mama Marimba's classic set a fire to me brain and spirits with the conceptual bustout frame of Asili, Utamawzo & Utamahoro plus her telling me how to approach Yurugu, its easier to peep the enemies.

FLASH! Just heard Dr. Runoko announce he's leading a trip to Brazil in Nov. to celebrate Zumbi fest, etc. No way I'll make that but... somebody here might be interested.

Another one I have is The HERO with an AFRICAN FACE Mythic Wisdom of Traditional Africa by Clyde W. Ford. Per usual he used work of Leo Froenibus but says: "When possible, I have turned to native African authors for their views on the mythic traditions of their cultures, and they have confirmed my belief that we are justified in analyzing these myths beyond the appeal of the story, that the mythmakers indeed intended more." I know many here don't need more of such info; but some do. Some probably do not see it as worthwhile.... dat's cool. I just hope we learn to at least work better together. A whole lotta invisible barriers separate us as a people born, reared and scuffling here.

Well watoo ma boori, my yung bruthas.... be Black inside Blackness...

Baba Ahmed

htp Baba,

Mama Marimba's critique of universalism is good in peeping these krakkkaz...sounds like a spinoff of campbell's hero with a thousand faces...

as with anything else, i am always wary of european interpreters...(as u can c by my signature)...whenever possible i always return 2 the source...

AK

[Baba Ahmed]

Originally Posted by Akyeame_Kwame

htp Baba,

Mama Marimba's critique of universalism is good in peeping these krakkkaz...sounds like a spinoff of campbell's hero with a thousand faces...

as with anything else, i am always wary of european interpreters...(as u can c by my signature)...whenever possible i always return 2 the source...

AK

Ase! Ase! Ase!

In the beginning all was BLACK!