Seekers — The Enchanting Song of the Magical Bird

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History/Anthropology—What is anthropology? Why? How? Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales: Forward and "The Enchanting Song of the Magical Bird."

  • Intro—
    • Where is Africa? What is Africa? How is Africa? <evaluate familiarity, misunderstanding, gaps in knowledge, interests>
    • Who is Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela? Why is Nelson Mandela? Where is Nelson Mandela <SA, 1918, Xhosa>? Is Nelson Mandela a hero? How so? <equality, shared riches of freedom, peaceful, generous, perseverant, left it better]
    • What is freedom? How is freedom? <apartheid/aparthood v. unity/equality [Anasi's 6 sons & the moon; artificial division divides us from the treasure]>
    • Foreward
      • In African culture, repeating something emphasizes it—"so small, so small, so small" means "very, very small."
      • With that in mind, signal if you understand this quote, "We do not really mean, we do not really mean, that what we are going to say is true." 
      • Do you predict this story will be fact <palm up> or fiction <hang loose>? 
      • What is a metamorphosis? 
      • Has everyone here played Telephone? Does the message subtly change throughout the course of the game? 
      • Do we want to hold winged stories back? 
      • "take some elsewhere and let some come back to me." —everyone take a moment with this quote—turn and teach with a partner, discuss what you think it means. 
      • Why to the children? Are children limited to a certain age group or, just like we all have a little bit of Anasi within, do we all still carry a flicker of that childlike spirit and hope? What might happen if we all came together and nourished these flames and each other across generational, territorial, genetic, etc. boundaries? Would we be weaker or stronger? 
      • Why does he want to ensure the survival of the Storyteller? Why does he want children to experience 'the magic of stories"? 
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