Podcasts about eshu bumpus

Eshu Bumpus relates the fate of a lion that falls in love with a human woman.

As Eshu Bumpus explains, there are many stories about tortoises and hares (we bet you know one). This one has a lion in it, and some music too! j

Eshu Bumpus tells a musical tale that teaches us that sometimes the trickster doesn't go untricked.

Welcome to The Apple Seed! Some time filled with stories for you and your family. Since 2013 we've been bringing you tall tales, personal tales, fairy tales, historical tales and more. All kinds of tales, from all kinds of tellers. Stories have an amazing power: to bring people together. Sometimes they help us understand other people and their perspective. Sometimes they allow us to share experiences and build relationships. Stories are powerful tools when places in the correct hands and used wisely, and you're in good hands today. On today's episode, enjoy the following: "The Bundle of Sticks" by The Storycrafters from Straw Into Gold (2:33) Radio Family Journal: "Samwise Gamgee" by Sam Payne (13:24) The Daily Mix: "When You Reach Me" with Paul Ricks (18:25) "Short Snippets of Tall Tales" by Joel ben Izzy from How I Learned to Love Liver (26:34) "The Old Horse and the Bell of Justice" by Norah Dooley (34:47) "Animals Make a Waterhole" by Eshu Bumpus from Dancing Granny and Other Tales to Boogie to (39:34) "Ka-ulu the Strong" by Willy Claflin from The Uglified Ducky (47:28)

Welcome to The Apple Seed! Some time filled with stories for you and your family. Since 2013 we've been bringing you tall tales, personal tales, fairy tales, historical tales and more. All kinds of tales, from all kinds of tellers. Today's episode is full of fun tales to really get you in the dancing spirit. No matter how your day might be going, a good upbeat song and a little dance is always a good cure to lift your spirits. Whether you're a classicly trained ballet dancer, a self-taught pop-and-locker, or just like to bounce along to the beat of your favorite songs, moving along to the music is something we all like to do from time to time. We've got a great selection of stories for you today all about people who love to sing and dance. On today's episode, enjoy the following stories: “Dancing Granny (A Caribbean Folktale)” by Eshu Bumpus from Dancing Granny and Other Tales to Boogie To (2:47) Radio Family Journal: "Skyler's Drink" by Sam Payne (13:17) The Daily Mix: “To The Last Whale” with Don Shelline (19:46) “Elaina's Birthday Dance” by Sheila Arnold from Hands Wide Open (27:32) “Og Saves the World” by Mark Binder from A Holiday Present (47:10) “Now I've Gotcha” by Priscilla Howe from The Ghost with the One Black Eye and Other Stories (51:12)

A hard day's work can be very satisfying. Being productive is rewarding for many reasons, one of which is a sense of accomplishment. There are, however, times when being productive sounds tough. Sometimes you just want to relax and enjoy the day, maybe throw a party or two. That's not a big deal every once in a while. Everyone needs a day off here and there, but if it becomes an everyday thing it can become a problem. This is especially the case if you make someone else do all of the work. We have some stories today to help keep you motivated and some about those who weren't very motivated. We'll hear from tellers like Eshu Bumpus, Tim Lowry, Jim Weiss, and more. On today's episode, enjoy the following: “Poule and Blatte” by Priscilla Howe from Chickens! And Other Stories for Young Listeners (2:49) Radio Family Journal: "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd" by Sam Payne (16:00) The Daily Mix: “Quilts” with Bruce Walker (22:07) “Lion on the Path” by Eshu Bumpus from Dancing Granny and Other Tales to Boogie to (30:19) “How the Camel Got His Hump” by Tim Lowry from The Elephant's Child and Other Animal Stories (39:19) “Fishing for the Big One” by Donna Ingham from Our Boy C.Y. (And His Sweet Young Thing of a Wife) (46:53) “City Mouse & The Country Mouse” by Jim Weiss from Animal Tales (53:32)

On today's episode, enjoy the following: “Peace Song” by Sarah Malone from Holding up the Sky: Peace Tales for Kids (8:13) “Skoll and Hati, the Swallowers” by Susan Strauss from Wolf Stories (2:53) Daily Mix: The Emperor's New Groove by Cole Wissinger (6:44) “Lion in Love” by Eshu Bumpus from Lion in Love (9:22) “Amaterasu” by Joan Stockbridge (14:25) “Elk” by Laura Simms from Four Legged Tales: Animal Stories from Here and Away (2:20) Radio Family Journal: "Snake in the Grass" (5:00)

It's been a crazy year, the kind where we look for any source of joy and laughter we can to be relieved of daily stresses. Often times, that joy and laughter is found in the fascinating people around us. If you've ever people-watched in a park, or in the waiting room at a doctor's office, or at any family reunion, you know that this world is full of quirky, beautiful people. Their actions, ideas, stories, and perspectives enrich life, and make the hard times light-hearted with their authenticity. Today's stories will move us all to smile at the quirky and fascinating characters of the world. We'll hear stories of rascals that steal from others' gardens, talented game players with beautiful Jewish traditions, and magical beings that spin feathers into fine cloth. Each story will make us a little happier with the sway of its song and the energy of its teller. On today's episode, enjoy the following:"Spin the Dreidel" by Mark Binder from A Chanukah Present (7:30)In our first story, storyteller and writer Mark Binder, who was recently nominated for an Audie Award, tells a story of a young boy so talented at the game of spinning the dreidel that a man is willing to gamble all he owns – even the man's own daughter's hand in marriage – on a dreidel game against the boy. The young boy, having promised his skills would one day win him a wife, agrees to the match. Stay tuned to see who wins as Mark regales us with Spin the Dreidel, from his album A Chanukah Present. "The Boy Who Hated Latkes" by Mark Binder from A Holiday Present (4:54)In this next piece, we've got a second story from the great Mark Binder today, where he tells of his son who passionately hates latkes. Latkes are a potato pancake fried in oil, and to this day, Mark's son refuses to eat them. Listen in on the origins of his son's distaste for this delicious Jewish treat as Mark tells The Boy Who Hated Latkes, from his album A Holiday Present.  "Japanese Folk Story" by Brenda Wong Aoki from Timp 2017 (8:14)We've talked games, we've talked food, now we'll talk love and greed! Producer, playwright, and storyteller Brenda Wong Aoki tells the story of Su, a beautiful woman with a magical gift and a husband who doesn't know the origins of that gift. Su is able to fabricate beautiful cloth for her husband to sell, but when she makes the cloth, her husband isn't allowed to enter the room. One day, in a spurt of greed, Su's husband breaks this rule, and is bewildered by what he finds. Lean in close as Brenda tells her Japanese Folk Story, from the album Timp 2017.  "John the Rabbit/Wolf's Garden" by Lyn Ford from An Evening at Cedar Creek (13:40)Ohio-born storyteller and teacher Lyn Ford explores the story of John, a rabbit who longs to eat up whole garden. One day, John the Rabbit attempts to eat up Wolf's garden, but finds he must learn Wolf's musical password to enter the garden gate. Find out what exactly Wolf's garden gate password is as Lyn tells John the Rabbit/Wolf's Garden, from her album An Evening at Cedar Creek.  "Dancing Granny (Carribean Folktale)" by Eshu Bumpus from Dancing Granny and Other Tales to Boogie to (8:05) Award-winning storyteller and jazz vocalist Eshu Bumpus, regales us with a story of Anansi, a lazy trickster who just keeps getting pulled from his TV by a family who demands to be fed. Anansi devises a plan to start stealing from the garden of the neighboring granny by luring her with a perfect song to boogie to. Anansi starts singing a jig and gets Granny dancing right out of her garden long enough for him to raid it. But Granny won't take these tricks for long. Find out how she fights him off in Eshu's Dancing Granny (Carribean Folktale) from his album Dancing Granny and Other Tales to Boogie to.  Radio Family Journal: "Grandpa's Costumes" (5:16)It's been a fun hour getting to know all sorts of quirky characters, like sly rabbits and dancing grannies. All this quirkiness reminds Sam of a quirky character from his life. Here's another entry into his Radio Family Journal.     

In today's full, hour-long episode of the Apple Seed you heard a story from Eshu Bumpus, who  regaled us with another story of Anansi, a lazy trickster who just keeps getting pulled from his TV by a family who demands to be fed. Anansi devises a plan to start stealing from the garden of the neighboring granny by luring her with a perfect song to boogie to. Ths story contained snatches of a groovy song called "Dancing Granny." For today's APple Seed Extra, we thought we'd bring you the full vesion of the tune. Bet you can't keep your toe from tapping!

EXTRA **** "Dancing Granny" by Eshu Bumpus

Eshu Bumpus and I would occasionally see each in passing, say 'hi' and exchange pleasantries, but never really sat down and talked. I enjoyed his performances and he has a voice so easy to listen to and fall into. At Timpanogos in 2019, I did a key note and included a couple of stories in it, and Eshu had some comments on what I did. He opened my eyes to going even deeper with these stories, when I thought I already went deep! Eshu is thoughtful and thought provoking. I hope you get as much out of this conversation as I did, and enjoy it as much as I did. Peace, Simon Eshu's website and a link to the book he was talking about - the Palm-Wine Drinkard.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Palm-Wine_Drinkard   https://eshu.folktales.net/ 

On today's episode, enjoy the following: Radio Family Journal: The Princess and the Clone Trooper Daily Mix: Rachel Wadham discusses “Leilani and the Distant Sea” Story Spotlight: “The Peddler” by David H. Claunch on The Circus of Life (9:03) Storytime: “Wisemen and the Tiger” by Eshu Bumpus on Lion in Love (5:07) “Hanukkah in Chelm” by Joel Ben Izzy on Lights and Laughter (9:40) “Reaching for the Moon” by Jenni Cargill-Strong on Reaching for the Moon and Other Wisdom Tales (9:05)

On today's episode, enjoy the following: Radio Family Journal: Swamp Men Daily Mix: Rachel Wadham discusses “Beverly Right Here” Story Spotlight: “Wax Child” by Eshu Bumpus (12:17) Storytime: “Everyone's a Little Bit Different” by Bill Harley (3:52) “Why Do I Have That Name?” by Noa Baum (9:37) “The Crow” by Joe Herrington (9:00) “Beautiful As You Are” by Heather Forest (3:10)

On today's episode, enjoy the following: Radio Family Journal: Dumb Teenagers Daily Mix: Mark Wait discusses “Wonderful Baby” Story Spotlight: Mice Make Peace, and Why there are Bats by Dovie Thomason Storytime: Mice make peace + Why There Are Bats by Dovie Thomason Three Little Pigs by Eshu Bumpus on “Lion in Love” Bats by Bill Harley on his live album “Mistakes Were Made” I am the Batman by Bill Harley on his live album “Mistakes Were Made”

Why love history? Does history matter?   Welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Hi, I’m Robin the host and one of many history lovers at this great and groundbreaking podcast show.  Right now, you are at an exciting place to remember African American history, a peaceful place to reflect on the African American experience and a bold place to keep MAKING history every single day.     I’m so glad that you’re here so we can share in this journey together. History should be a shared experience. So, let’s get started.   Hello, habari gani, nangadef! As promised, I will explain these greeting a bit later in the show.     People often ask me why I love history. They say “it’s so boring!” “it’s pointless” and my personal point of debate: “it’s all lies anyway.”   Hmmm…I would love to say that none of those comments are true.  But let me just say that they’re not completely wrong either.  Or at least they don’t have to be.   In elementary and high school, I actually hated history.  Yes, it’s true that I was not always the history lover that I am today.  But, when I was younger I found history to be boring and I definitely didn’t get the point of learning about dead people and past events.   Then I discovered something: History isn’t about past events and dead people. It’s about events and people. As one of my favorite historians put it, “History is not about the past. No one ever lived in the past. They lived in the present. The difference is that it was THEIR present. Not ours. They were caught up in the living moment exactly as we are today. And with no more certainty of how things will turn out we have.”   History does talk about past events—but all (or the vast majority) of those events were people driven. They didn’t happen in isolation. People made them happen.  And those people are just like us today: Making events happen today.   So, why do people think that history is boring, pointless, or untrue? It’s mostly in the presentation. History is usually taught as a series or names, dates and death counts. That’s a pity because history is so much more. It is a story, it’s our story.    That’s why I love history; I have always been captivated by a good mystery, moved by a tender love story, excited by a dramatic adventure story or inspired by a story of victory or triumph.   Judging by the number of people at the movies or people browsing bookstores, I’m not the only one who loves a good story.   So ANYONE with a reasonable amount of curiosity or interest in people can love history. There is no end to the amazing stories. And history being made today and every day.   About history being a bunch of lies…well people can take a bit of “creative license” when retelling a story. But they can and do cross the line. There are definitely untruths in history and that is especially relevant for people of color. African American history has been retold in ways that, at best, diminish our contributions and, at worse, eliminate not only our contributions but also our very presence and significance in those stories. And that’s the very reason why we should learn history—so we can tell the truth. That’s the very purpose of rememberinghistory.com—to tell the truth of African American history, including the contributions, the victories, the defeats, the challenges, the struggles—whole range of the human experience.   On that note, let’s get started with the history or…the stories.   Let’s start with a few birthdays.       May 9 is the shared birthday of two history makers—white men, actually—who played an important role in African American history.  We will talk about one today and the other will be a surprise for next week’s show. You might think it strange to open today’s show by honoring a white person.  This is a show about African American history, after all. Well, this man’s work has been very influential in the African American community and actually on a global scale. I’m talking about the German philosopher, economist, historian, political theorist, sociologist, journalist and revolutionary socialist. I’m talking about Karl Marx who was born on May 9, 1818.   What importance does he have in African American history? Karl Marx believed in a classless, stateless egalitarian society, stating in his landmark book, The Communist Manifesto “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.” The Communist Party was the only political movement on the left in the late 1920s and 1930s to place racial justice and equality at the top of its agenda. In fact, As the Great Depression unfolded, the Communists launched intensive campaigns against lynching, evictions, whites-only trade unions, job discrimination in jobs and police brutality.    In the 1960s and 70s, the Communist Party in the US fought for civil rights, protested the war in Vietnam and demanded equal rights for African Americans and women. This was attractive to many Africans and African Americans. Many African and African American activists and leaders have also focused on fighting economic inequality as a primary cause.  And many Black civil rights activists, writers and scholars received support from the Communist party and joined the party though some eventually left it. Paul Robeson. Richard Wright. WEB Dubois. Langston Hughes. Ralph Ellison. Chester Himes.  I’m not trying to convince anyone to adopt Communism, but I do encourage having an open mind and learning the history. That’s what we’re here for.   If you questioned the relevance of Karl Marx in African American history, you definitely will NOT question the significance of the next person.  He was born on May 19, 1925.  Do you know who I’m talking about now? Of course, you do. Malcolm X or El-hajj Malik el-Shabazz as he was known at the time of his assassination at the age of 39. Malcolm (as I remember him) was a complex person who continued to evolve in extraordinary ways throughout his short life.   As a dynamic, charismatic and highly intelligent speaker and activist throughout the 1960s, Malcolm changed the way that Black people thought of themselves and their community. He started as a minister and national spokesman with the Nation of Islam. In 1964, after a life-altering pilgrimage to Mecca, he returned to the United States to found the Organization of Afro-American Unity. This Pan-Africanist organization was designedto fight for the human rights of African Americans. Malcolm was sadly assassinated in 1965. He is most remembered as fighting for the rights of African Americans “by any means necessary” but the quote that I think represents him more is when he said, “A race of people is like an individual man; until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its own history, expresses its own culture, affirms its own selfhood, it can never fulfill itself.” Happy birthday, Brother Malcolm!   May, 2018 marks the opening of a new museum.  Museums are a great way to learn history and I just love how museums are becoming more interactive and engaging.  No longer are they places to just see pictures hanging on a wall—no disrespect to pictures by the way—but museums are places to become immersed in period of time, an issue, an event or even a person’s life.  The museum that I’m thinking about does all of those things and more.  What is it? Here’s a hint: It is in Montgomery, Alabama and it showcases (rather, honors) more than 4,000 people.  Give that some thought and stay tuned for next week’s show when I tell you all about this amazing new museum.       Here’s an important date: May 17, 1954.     Brown v. Board of Education was decided by the United States Supreme Court on May 17, 1954.  This was one of the most important cases EVER decided by the Supreme Court. It declared that segregation in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14thAmendment of the United States Constitution. Argued by the renowned 46-year old civil rights attorney, Thurgood Marshall, who would successfully win 29 out of 32 cases that he would argue before the nation’s highest court.  Many people were excited about the Court’s decision to desegregate the public schools “with all deliberate speed” (that comes directly from the Court’s decision) but Southerners fought against integration in many ways. Some counties closed down schools rather than be forced to integrate. Others created different criteria to prevent integration. Some states even created all-white academies—some of them still exist today. The Pupil Placement Law segregated students by subjective standards like family background or special ability. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court  upheld these Pupil Placement Laws. Dr. Martin Luther King said that the Pupil Placement Law was almost as far-reaching in limiting integration as the Brown decision was in limiting segregation. Yet I gotta say that the Court’s decision was absolutely an absolute victory and a bold step in the fight for civil rights. Still segregation remained entrenched. Two years after the Brown decision, no Black child had attended school with a white child in 8 of the 11 former Confederate states.  Ten years after the decision, only 2.3 percent of Black children were attending school with white children. And today the resegregation of gripping school districts around the country. You can find more information on this topic at the rememberinghistory.com website.  You’ll see another example of how history does not stay in the past.     Now, we will end this section by remembering James Cone, the eminent religious scholar, philosopher and activist. Dr. Cone died on April 28, 2018.  James Cone is widely regarded as one of the most influential theologians in the United States. He wrote many landmark books including Black Theology & Black Power, A Black Theology of Liberation, God of the Oppressed, The Spirituals & The Blues and The Cross and the Lynching Tree. His books and speeches questioned the traditional teachings of the Bible, and made Christianity understandable and relevant to oppressed people.  He is memorably quoted as saying, “I wanted to speak on behalf of the voiceless black masses in the name of Jesus whose gospel I believed had been greatly distorted by the preaching and theology of white churches.” Dr. Cone will be greatly missed but also greatly remembered. In fact, I’m gonna remember his teaching in next week’s podcast show. So, I hope you’ll come back for the next show.   But no. we’re not done with this show yet!  Last week, I greeted you with Habari gani  and Nangadef.   Some Rememberinghistory.com  listeners will remember the Swahili greeting Habarigani from the December show when we celebrated Kwanzaa.  But what is Nangadef?  That is a greeting that I recently learned when I visited Senegal. Nangadef is a greeting in the Wolof language that asks “how are you?”  The traditional response is to say “Mangifi” meaning I’m fine. Why do I bring this up? I’m reflecting on my trip or rather, trips, to Senegal.  Travelling is a great way to learn about another culture, language and history. There was lots of all of this in Senegal!  One of the main reasons that I went was to visit the island of Goree.  Goree was an important part of the TransAtlantic slave (or, rather, people) trade for more than 400 years. This is where many people where held—after they had been captured—to be transported to Europe and the Americas where they would be enslaved. More than 20 million people passed through the ominous “door of no return” for the three-month journey that ultimately ended with their enslavement in America, Brazil, the Caribbean, England or another country. Twenty million people!  And, I learned that another 6 million people died either on the island of Goree or on the journey across the ocean.  I saw the small, dark rooms where the men, women and children (yes, men, women and children—not slaves!) were held for months awaiting the terrible journey. The rooms were overcrowded, small, dark and damp. People were let out of the room only one time per day to use the bathroom. I also saw the chains and leg-cuffs that were put on the people and the punishment room. It was chilling. I stood at the Door of No Return where people left the island and boarded the ships headed to enslavement in different parts of the world. Strangely, the island itself was beautiful: the water was clear and blue, the ocean air was crisp and fresh and the sun was shining. But this was the last view that (at least) 20 million people saw before going below deck and emerging in a new country to be sold into slavery.  Goree is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and I highly recommend visiting this important place. While I have read a lot about the transatlantic trade in people and the Isle de Goree specifically, I felt an emotional response when I actually visited the island. And I learned so much. So, I’m reflecting on the importance of travel as a way of learning and experiencing and FEELING history. Of course, there is a lot more to Senegal than the Island of Goree. And my guide took me to great places like the cemeteries where both Muslims and Christians are buried, bustling markets where local people are selling their products—not tourist products—but products for every day living like groundnuts, groundnut oil, shea butter, clothes, fresh meats and lots more. We passed on the animal reserves—I’ve got nothing against animals—but we had decided instead to visit the University of Dakar, which has 60,000 students. We weren’t able to sit in on a class but we visited some libraries, bookstores and an incredible exhibit by Cheikh Anta Diop who was a Senegalese historian, anthropologist, physicist, and politician. Dr. Diop studied the human race's origins and pre-colonial African culture. I’ve read his book, Precolonial Black Africa and The African Origin of Civilisation.  Those are both excellent perspective-changing books. And you can find them on the rememberinghistory.com website.     Finally, we visited Layen Mausoleum, which is dedicated to Saidi Limamou Layen, the founder of the Layen Muslim brotherhood. It is magnificent and remarkable for many reasons. Besides all of the gold and intricate designs on the walls and floors, women had to be dressed completely in white from head (including a white head covering) to foot. People were there to help you dress properly. When I saw myself dressed in that way, I was shocked. Not in a bad way though. I had never seen myself in this manner and it was mind-expanding.  No, I don’t always want to dress in that manner. But I realized that travelling can help you to see yourself and the world in a different way. And I was grateful for the experience.  So, my reflection for this week is that travelling can be educational AND fun.  And it is a great way to learn history. Try to leave the resorts and the beach, get off the bus, go for a walk, ask questions and be open-minded. Just take it all in.   Music It’s story time! Storytelling is a great part of the African American experience, given to us from African cultural traditions. I am pleased to present this story (or fable) written by master storyteller, Eshu. The theme is purpose. Let’s begin with taking a few deep, cleansing breaths to help us focus on this story and its important lessons. Take a moment to get comfortable. Now, breathe in through your nose then out through your mouth. Let’s begin. This story is called Anansi and his Sons. Written by master storyteller, Eshu Bumpus who has generously allowed us to use these stories. You can find more of his stories at folktales.net. Anansi and his Sons When Anansi's first son was born and Anansi and his wife, Aso were ready to name the child, the baby spoke up and said, "I have brought my own name with me. It is See Trouble." Their second son also announced his name in this way. He was Road Builder. Each of his six sons in turn announced their names in this way. There was River Drinker, Game Skinner, Stone Thrower and Cushion. Once, Anansi had to go on a long journey. On his trip, he found a big, bright, shiny ball. He was bringing it home, when he fell into the lake and was swallowed by a big fish. Anansi decided right then that he would give the bright shiny object to whoever rescued him. As time passed, and Anansi did not return home, his family became worried. See Trouble looked ahead to see Anansi inside the big fish. He told his brothers. Right away, Road Builder cleared a path through the forest for his brothers to follow. When they got to the lake, it was the thirsty brother's turn. River Drinker drank up all the water in the lake. There was the big fish at the bottom. Game skinner went right to work. He cut open that fish to let Anansi out. Anansi was still holding that bright, shiny object he had found. Suddenly a giant bird flew down and grabbed Anansi. It took him way up into the sky. Stone Thrower grabbed a rock and threw it. He hit the bird just right to make it let go of Anansi. Down, down Anansi fell, but he didn't get hurt because Cushion put himself in the way. Anansi landed softly. Anansi wanted to give the bright, shiny object to the son who had rescued him, but he couldn't decide who had done the most to help him. He gave the bright, shiny thing to Nyame, who put it up in the sky until someone could figure out which son deserves it the most. It is still there in the sky. You can see it tonight. The End. I hope that you enjoyed this story. It was short but powerful and enlightening. This story is about unity (or Umoja in the Swahii language) and how we can all contribute our skills, thoughts and feelings to help each other. Separately, we can be lost. Together, we can not just survive but thrive and grow. By the way, if you DID enjoy that story and discovered that history is not boring or pointless and that it can actually be interesting and inspirational, you might like to learn more—there IS lots more!Rememberinghistory.com is committed to bringing this information to you in a fun, educational and memorable way. I’m talking now about our Black History Kits. These kits are designed to teach history through videos, games (like crossword puzzles or word searches), fun quizzes, recipes and, yes, books, too.  These exciting kits will guide you step by step through learning different parts of African American history (like the slavery and reconstruction periods, Black power and activism and great achievements) as well as experiencing Black culture through making delicious recipes, listening to great music and reading African folktales.  Learning history should be fun. And these Black history kits ARE fun, educational and unforgettable.  There is lots to choose from for adults, kids and families.  I hope that you’ll look at them on the rememberinghistory.com website. And mention this podcast for a free gift! Now it’s time to come to wind things down. Let’s end by taking a few deep breaths to help you absorb and relax. In through your nose then out through your mouth. Again, in through your nose then out through your mouth. Last time, and let’s make this a big inhalation through your nose, then slowly release your breath through your mouth. That’s great. If you like, you can stay for a 2-minute guided meditation to help you relax. Learning history is fun and interesting and important. But it can also cause tension or stress and bring about difficult emotions. So, I welcome you to stay for the relaxation meditation that will begin immediately after this show. No pressure. And, if you don’t have time right now, you can always find this short meditation and other meditations on the rememberinghistory.com website. Thank you for joining us today at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history AND we’re making it. Every day! Bye for now. *****MUSIC*****    

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Habari gani,   I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com and I’m so glad that you’ve come back for this great and groundbreaking show. We’ve been doing something a bit different from our usual podcast show when we talk about different issues affecting the African American community, and discuss the great contributions of African Americans to their communities, the country and world. Today is a very special day because we are continuing with our celebration of Kwanzaa! We are already on day six of this uplifting and inspirational celebration. Today we will focus on the concept of Kuumba, which means creativity.   I’ll begin—as usual--by bidding you the traditional greeting of Kwanzaa in the Swahili language: Habari gani! If you’re just joining us, you’re very glad to have you with us and I would strongly urge you to listen to the 6 previous podcasts shows.   We learned yesterday that Nia or finding and living your purpose is founded on knowing your historical and cultural identity. And that your purpose should be a goal that contributes something great to your community or the world. It must be something larger than yourself and larger than the pursuit of money. I think of it as a “magnificent obsession.” If you haven’t heard the previous Kwanzaa podcasts, I strongly recommend that you do so. If you have any questions, please contact us at rememberinghistory.com website or the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook. Stay with us today—everyone is welcome around the Kwanzaa mat (the mkeka)—but please take time to listen to the previous shows.   Let’s prepare ourselves to begin to Kwanzaa celebration for the sixth day. Sometimes I take a deep cleansing breath before the celebration begins to quiet and focus myself. Perhaps you want to stand and do a few stretching movements. Just take a moment to get centered and ready to begin the celebration. Remember Kwanzaa IS a celebration but please also show respect for this solemn ritual.   Day 6: Kuumba (creativity)   Habari gani! Your response: Kuumba!   Let’s do it again: Habari gani! Kuumba!   Now please give me the Swahili greeting. (pause) Kuumba!   The 6th day of Kwanzaa falls on December 31st and it is an extra special day! As it is New Year’s Eve, the day is an especially festive day because it marks the last day of the calendar year.   On this special final day of the year, the home is specially decorated with traditional Kwanzaa colors of black, red and green. Special dishes are made for the family and guests. On December 31, families and communities hold a karamu which is a special feast, including readings, remembrances and a festive meal. The karamu feast may consist of traditional African dishes, as well as those featuring ingredients that Africans brought to the United States...sesame seeds, peanuts, sweet potatoes, collard greens and spicy sauces, for example. This celebration may be held at a home, church or community center.   The sixth day of Kwanzaa is Kuumba! Again, it means creativity. Everyone has a different vision of creativity so let’s ask what does creativity mean in the context of Kwanzaa?   Dr. Karenga thought of Kuumba as always doing as much as we can in the way that we can in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it.   Kuumba follows logically from the principle of Nia. (Nia means purpose which we discussed it yesterday). Kuumba is the commitment to expressing your creativity within the context of your purpose (your magnificent obsession). It is the commitment to leave the community and your world in a better position than when you came into them.   This principle was deeply rooted in ancient Egyptian culture. Creativity was considered both an original act of the Creator (or God) and a restorative act of God. There was a spiritual and ethical commitment and obligation to constantly renew and restore the legacy of the ancestors and the great works of history. This was considered as Ma’at, which we discussed in the first day of Kwanzaa called Umoja or unity. Each pharaoh saw his or her reign as a reaffirmation and renewal of the good, the beautiful and the right.   Creativity is viewed much differently in modern western culture, including African American culture. In that context, it is viewed as a method of personal and individual expression. Perhaps the missing element is the Nia, which links creativity to a larger purpose serving humanity. However, Kuumba is rooted in African philosophy and, therefore, is a part of African American heritage. Regaining and reconnecting with our historical and cultural identity is an essential step toward expressing our Kuumba and finding our Nia. These principles are, indeed, closely connected, both being dependent on learning and teaching African (and African American) history, culture and traditions.   For more information, return to the resources on purpose by WEB Dubois and Franz Fanon.   Now let’s prepare to light the Kwanzaa candles:   First, the Black candle (in the middle) is lit. Next we will light the red candle then a green candle. Then another red candle then a green candle. Finally we end with a red candle.   Take a moment to enjoy the beautifully lit candleholder (the kinara).   Not let’s read a story about the concept of Kuumba.   Just a short note. This story involves a *Griot (Pronounced Gree-Oh). A griot is a name for the traditional Storyteller and Historian in parts of West Africa. Let’s begin:   Anansi Writes a Song A lion named Simba was ruler of a small kingdom called Korro. A traveling griot* came to his village to give a performance. He played the Kora and sang stories about great men and women and the deeds they'd done. He sang about things going on all across the wide world. The king and everyone around enjoyed the music very much. When he was finished, the bard asked king Simba for a small token in exchange for his performance. Simba went into a rage! "You dare ask me for a gift!? You should be honored to have me listen! You should give me a gift!" Simba was so angry that he ordered his servants to give the griot fifty lashes. The griot returned home and told his friends what happened to him at King Simba's court. They were shocked and angry to hear of the meanness of the king. Anansi was among the friends of this griot and he decided to write a song to let everyone know how they felt about Simba. It went like this. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, He is fat and very flabby. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, He's a fool whose mane is shabby. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, his face is ugly, his teeth are few. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, He wrote the song with a very catchy tune and people all over the countryside began to sing it. Women sang it while they were cleaning clothes at the river. Children sang it during their games. Men sang it while digging yams. It was heard at dances and festivals. Soon it was known all over Africa. When the king heard the song, he sent for the griot he had mistreated and asked him, "Who has written this song about me?" "It was Anansi who wrote the song, but everyone sings it," responded the griot. "I will give you much money if you tell him to stop the song." Simba promised. But the griot refused saying, " A thing once it is done cannot be undone. You did not have to have me beaten, but you did. And now you cannot undo it. Anansi did not have to write the song, but he did. Now the song is alive among the people. It cannot be taken back." Anansi's song about Simba is still sung to this day. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, He is fat and very flabby. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, He's a fool whose mane is shabby. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, his face is ugly, his teeth are few. Simba the Lion, king of Korro. The End. KUUMBA — Creativity   If you like, you can discuss this story and what it meant to you. No pressure or demands. This is a time of sharing for those who wish to share. And a time of listening for those who prefer to listen. Now let’s fill and pass the unity cup (kikomba cha umoja). Everyone take a sip. Pause and reflect on the concept of Kuumba (creativity) and how you can bring more beauty and benefit to your world in your own special or unique way. Try to think of your special gifts and how they can be used to uplift humanity. Then blow out the candles. This concludes Day 6 of the Kwanzaa celebration. Again I want to thank Eshu Bumpus for providing this story about creativity. This story was written by Eshu who is an accomplished storyteller and expert on Kwanzaa. You might know that storytelling has strong roots in African culture as a method of teaching and transforming as well as entertainment. Eshu has a website called www.folktales.net. Thank you for participating in Day 6 of Kwanzaa with us. Remember to visit us on our Facebook page called Wiki History if you need more information or want to share your Kwanzaa experiences with us. We hope to see you tomorrow at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri. (Kwanzaa YEH-Noo ee-wah nah heh-REE). Happy Kwanzaa!

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Habari gani, I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com and I’m so glad that you’ve come back for this great and groundbreaking show. We’ve been doing something a bit different from our usual podcast show when we talk about different issues affecting the African American community, and discuss the great contributions of African Americans to their communities, the country and world. Today is a very special day because we are continuing with our celebration of Kwanzaa! We are already on day five of this uplifting and inspirational celebration. Today we will focus on the concept of Nia which means purpose.   I’ll begin by bidding you the traditional greeting of Kwanzaa in the Swahili language: Habari gani! If you’re just joining us, you’re very glad to have you with us and I would strongly urge you to listen to the 5 previous podcasts: the introduction to Kwanzaa podcast, the first day of Kwanzaa podcast (called umoja or unity), and the second day of Kwanzaa podcast (called kujichagulia or self-determination), day 3 of the Kwanzaa podcast which is called Ujima and yesterday, we did day four of Kwanzaa, which is called Ujamaa.   We learned yesterday that cooperative economics of Ujamaa) is a commitment to shared social wealth and working not only to help people that are disadvantaged or impoverished, but actually ending poverty itself. We learned that Julius Nyerere (who was the first president of Tanzania) was a strong advocate of Ujamaa or African socialism for his people and he was much beloved by them. Remember they called him Mwalimu, which is a name for a beloved and respected teacher. And you might remember that Dr. Martin Luther King fought against poverty and materialism, which he said created a sick society. He was a true radical. If you haven’t heard the previous Kwanzaa podcasts, I strongly recommend that you do so. If you have any questions, please contact us at rememberinghistory.com website or the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook. Stay with us today—everyone is welcome around the Kwanzaa mat (the mkeka)—but please take time to listen to the previous shows.   Let’s prepare ourselves to begin to Kwanzaa celebration for the fifth day. Sometimes I take a deep cleansing breath before the celebration begins but I always find some way to quiet and focus myself. Perhaps you want to stand and do a few stretching movements. Just take a moment to get centered and ready to begin the celebration. Remember Kwanzaa IS a celebration but please also show respect for this solemn ritual.   Day 4: Nia (Purpose)   Habari gani! Your response: Nia!   Let’s do it again: Habari gani! Nia!   Now please give me the Swahili greeting. (pause) Nia!   The fifth day of Kwanzaa is Nia! It means purpose. That’s a rather vague concept so let’s ask what does purpose mean in the context of Kwanzaa?   Dr. Karenga thought of Nia as building our communities together, maintaining them, and restoring them to greatness.   Nia is essentially a commitment to the collective vocation of building, developing and defending our national community, its culture and history in order to regain our historical initiative and greatness as a people. This requires an understanding that our role in human history has been and remains a significant one and that we, as an African people share in the grand human legacy that Africa has given to the world. We have the legacy of not only being the fathers and mothers of humanity but also the fathers and mothers of human civilization. It’s unacceptable that we who are the fathers and mothers of human civilization have been playing the role of cultural children of the world. The principle of Nia brings awareness to our purpse in light of our historical and cultural identity.   Inherent in this discussion of deriving purpose from our historical and cultural identity is the focus on generational responsibility. Franz Fanon (remember him from our discussion of self-determination/kujichagulia) poses this responsibility in competing terms by saying “each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission and then fulfill or betray it. He suggests that this “mission” should be framed within the larger context of the needs, hopes and aspirations of the people. He goes further to state that each of us is morally and culturally obligated to participate in creating a context of maximum freedom and development of the people.   Finally, Nia suggests that personal and social purpose do not conflict but rather complement each other. The highest form of personal purpose is, in the final analysis, a social purpose. And a social purpose is a personal purpose that translates into a vocation and commitment which involves and benefits the collective whole AND gives fullness and mean to a person’s life in a way that individualistic and isolated pursuits cannot.   According to the Nia concept, true greatness and growth can never occur in isolation or at another’s expense. African philosophy teaches that we are first and foremost social beings who reality and relevance are root in the quality and kinds of relationships that we have with others. WEB Dubois (a scholar who wrote the Souls of Black Folk) stressed education of social contribution and rejected vulgar careerism rooted in the sole pursuit of money. This reiterates that purpose is not to simply create money markers but to cultivate men and women capable of social and human exchange on a larger and more meaningful scale, men and women of culture and social conscience, men and women of vision and values that expand the human project of freedom and development rather than diminish it.   Wow, there is a lot of relevance and reflection for African Americans! Understanding our purpose from the perspective of a historical and cultural identity requires us to KNOW our historical and cultural identity. Yet this has been denied to us since the day that we were brought to the United States. African history is not taught in elementary or high school. It is available at the college level but, by that time, African American children have already learned many myths about the continent. These myths make African American children embarrassed or ashamed of their African roots. And this disinformation is difficult to override after it is learned.         So, the African American community is challenged with teaching African history, its greatness and glory and its cultural traditions to the next generation. Because with the historical and cultural identity, finding and pursuing one’s true and higher purpose is difficult and confusing.   It is important to pursue the highest and loftiest purpose that uplifts and develops the community and world. And this need not conflict with one’s personal (or career) goals. However, this can conflict with western philosophy that focuses on the materialistic and “me-first” goals of the individual over the development of the community. Yet this philosophy remains deeply present in the African American community though it is often disparaged. But, when considered with the other communitarian principles of Kwanzaa, it shows that our fates are connected. When one African is suffering, all Africans are suffering. And when any African American is suffering, all African Americans are suffering. African Americans have shown their understanding in this principle through their courage and efforts during the slavery period, the struggle for civil rights and the Black empowerment—political and economic--movements.  But the development of a purpose that is a true expression of one is based on knowing one’s historical and cultural identity. And African Americans are learning and teaching this as never before in our history. On that high note, let’s move to the next part of the Kwanzaa celebration of Nia.   But quickly let me just mention that I strongly encourage everyone to read Franz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth and The Souls of Black Folk by WEB Dubois. These are books to read again and again and keep in your library. Then pass them on to your children.   Now, let’s light another green candle.   We will light a lot of candles today so let me just say the order:   Black candle (in the middle) is lit first. Then the Red candle to the far left is lit Next the Green candle to the far right is lit Then the red candle farthest to the left is lit. Then (today) another green candle farthest to the right is lit. (pause)   Take a moment to enjoy the beautiful lit candleholder (the kinara).   Not let’s read a story about the concept of Nia.   The Name of the Tree  Once there was a terrible drought in the land of the animals. A kindly king came from over the mountain and planted a special tree. He told them that this tree would bear fruit all year round in any kind of weather. All they had to do to get the fruit was to speak its name. The name of the tree was Oowungalema. The animals thanked the kind old king and he returned to his own land, which was far over the mountain. The animals then sounded the Great Drum to call everyone for miles around. When all were gathered at the tree, the lion asked Anansi to speak the name of the tree. "I thought you were going to remember the name!" said Anansi. "I don't remember the name!" said the lion, "Someone must know it!" They asked everyone who had been there when the old king planted the tree, but not one of them could remember the name of the tree. They decided to send someone to ask the king for the name. They were all very hungry, so they decided to send someone fast. They sent the hare. The hare ran as fast as he could through villages, across the river, through the bush, over the mountain and straight to the court of the kindly old king. The king told him, "The name of the tree is Oowungalema." The hare ran back, repeating the name to himself as he went along. On the way home, he stopped at the river to rest and take a drink. The water was nice and cool. It felt good after all that running. The hare splashed around for a while to cool himself off, then he got out of the water and started back to the tree. When he got back, the animals all cheered. "Now we can have the fruit! " they shouted. Hare went up to the tree to speak the name, "Oomagamoomoo, no, oobapadoopa, Noomooogamooga" Try as he might, the hare just couldn't remember the name. "We have to send someone else." Lion said at last. So the springbok was sent. She ran all the way to the king over the mountain and tried to keep the name in her head all the way home, but coming through the forest, she tripped over a root and bumped her head. The name was lost again. Next they sent Leopard, but on the way back he started chasing a monkey who was teasing him. He forgot the name as well. Many others tried and failed until finally, the tortoise asked if she might go. Most of the animals laughed because the tortoise is so slow. "Give her a chance!" Anansi said, "She may succeed where the rest of us have failed." The tortoise went to her mother and asked, "What do you do if you must remember something very important?" Her mother told her to keep repeating it no matter what happens. So the tortoise set out on her journey. When she reached the king over the mountain, he said, "The name of the tree is Oowungalema." Tortoise kept repeating it over and over to herself all the way home. When the monkeys teased her in the forest, she only said, " Oowungalema." When she passed by the river and the sound of the water made her thirsty, she looked at the water and said, "Oowungalema." And when she got near her house and her children came running to her, she only said, "Oowungalema." Finally, the tortoise came to the tree. All the other animals were anxiously waiting. The lion spoke, "Tortoise, please speak the name of the tree." Tortoise said, "Oowungalema." At last, the animals were able to eat the fruit. Everyone was grateful to the tortoise who kept to her purpose where every one else had failed. The end. If you like, you can discuss this story and what it meant to you. No pressure or demands. This is a time of sharing for those who wish to share. And a time of listening for those who prefer to listen. Now let’s fill and pass the unity cup (kikomba cha umoja). Everyone take a sip. Pause and reflect on the concept of Nia (or purpose) and what you feel is your TRUE purpose in life. Try to think of it as something that is bigger than just you, something that can move and uplift humanity. Then blow out the candles. (pause) This concludes Day 5 of the Kwanzaa celebration. Again I want to thank Eshu Bumpus for providing this story about collective work and responsibility. This story was written by Eshu who is an accomplished storyteller and expert on Kwanzaa. Eshu has a website called www.folktales.net. Thank you for participating in Day 5 of Kwanzaa with us. Remember to visit us on our Facebook page called Wiki History if you need more information or want to share your Kwanzaa experiences with us. We hope to see you tomorrow at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri. (Kwanzaa YEH-Noo ee-wah nah heh-REE). Happy Kwanzaa!          

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Habari gani, I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com.   I’m so glad that you’ve come back for this great and groundbreaking show that will inspire YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history and culture. And today is a very special day because we are continuing with our celebration of Kwanzaa! We are already on day four of this uplifting and inspirational celebration. Today we will focus on Ujamaa.   So, I’ll bid you the traditional greeting of Kwanzaa in the Swahili language: Habari gani! If you’re just joining us, you’re very welcome but I would strongly urge you to listen to the 4 previous podcasts: the introduction to Kwanzaa podcast, the first day of Kwanzaa podcast (called umoja or unity), and the second day of Kwanzaa podcast (called kujichagulia or self-determination) and day 3 which is called Ujima.   We learned yesterday that collective work and responsibility (or Ujima) is a commitment to active and informed togetherness on matters of common interest. And we learned a powerful lesson that African freedom is indivisible, meaning that if any African anywhere is oppressed then all Africans are oppressed. If you haven’t heard the previous Kwanzaa podcasts, I strongly recommend that you do so. If you have any questions, please contact us at rememberinghistory.com website or the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook. Stay with us today—everyone is welcome around the Kwanaa mat (the mkeka)—but please take time to listen to the previous shows.   Let’s prepare ourselves to begin to Kwanzaa celebration for the fourth day. Sometimes I take a deep cleansing breath before the celebration begins but I always find some way to quiet and focus myself. Remember Kwanzaa is a celebration but please remember to show respect for the solemn ritual.   Day 4: Ujamaa (cooperative economics)   Habari gani! Your response: Ujamaa!   Let’s do it again: Habari gani! Ujamaa!   Now please give me the Swahili greeting. (pause) Ujamaa!   The fourth day of Kwanzaa is Ujamaa! It means cooperative economics. That’s a strange and curious term but what IS cooperative economics?   Dr. Karenga (remember he founded Kwanzaa) said that cooperative economics means to build our own businesses, control the economics of our own community and share in all its work and wealth.   It sounds like a complicated term but it is actually quite simple. Ujamaa (cooperative economics) is a commitment to the practice of shared social wealth and the work necessary to achieve it. Cooperative economics is built on the fundamental communal concept that social wealth belongs to the masses of people who created it and that no one should have more than his or her fair share. It is the principle and practice of shared wealth. I really like that the Kwanzaa principles are not just theoretical but require action and practical effects.   One famous African president strongly believed in Ujamaa. He was Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, following colonialism. Much loved by Tanzanians and the British, Nyerere (known to most people as Mwalimu, meaning teacher) was an African socialist who strongly believed in Ujamaa. He said, “Ujamaa is based on the assumption of human equality, on the belief that it is wrong for one person to dominate or exploit another , and on the knowledge that every individual hopes to live in a society as a free person able to lead a decent life, in conditions of peace with his or her neighbor.” Mwalimu (President Nyerere) told us that ujamaa is above all human centered, concerened foremost with the well-being, happiness and development of the human person.     Ujamaa also stresses self-reliance in the building, strengthening and control of the economics of the community. Mwalimu said that we must depend on ourselves and our own resources. Closely related to self-reliance is the respect for the dignity and obligation of work and appreciation for the value of work. Inherent in this belief is harnessing our resources and putting them to the best possible use. All of this is for the community and society at large.   A strong (though possibly not obvious) element of ujamaa is generosity. Generosity is thought to generate its own reward. An African proverb (in the book of Ani) says “small gifts return greater and what is replaced brings abundance.” And the Book of Ptah-Hoptep teaches “be generous as long as you live. What goes into the storehouse should come out. for the bread is made to be shared.”   This is an ancient African ethic of care and responsibility which forms the concept of shared wealth. This ethic is expressed in one of the earliest books—called the Book of Coming Forth by Day—which defines generosity as “one who has given bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, clothes to the naked and a boat to those without one.” In fact, many of the ancient writings in Egypt and other parts of Africa express the ethic of responsibility and shared social wealth. In modern philosophy, the concept of shared social wealth is not simply to be generous to the poor and vulnerable but ultimately to end their poverty and vulnerability so that they too can live a decent, un-deprived and meaningful life.   As African Americans, we can also think of ways to be generous. How can we help our communities? How can we work to end poverty? What is our vision of a shared social wealth?   Volunteering and donating money are both admirable and necessary to help others. But how can we envision an end to poverty in the African American community and on a global scale? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., while fighting for social justice, was also working for economic justice and an end to poverty.             Most people are not familiar with Dr. King’s attack on poverty as an evil pervasive in American society. His dream of a more free and democratic America and world morphed into a nightmare owning to the persistence of racism, poverty, militarism and materialism. (These are Dr. King’s words!) This is the Radical King that was committed to looking beyond race and instead looked to concentrations of economic power and pockets of economic weakness or deprivation. So, we can think and envision a world in which poverty no longer exists rather than accept that it is simply a fact of life. Like Mwalimu (Julius Nyerere) and Dr. King, we can envision a world based on shared wealth. For more information, refer to the book, The Radical King by Cornel West. This book shows the radical, intellectual and visionary that was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essential and eye-opening book.     Remembering Julius Nyerere in Tanzania. History, Memory, Legacy by Marie-Aude Fouéré If you’re interested in learning more about Julius Nyerere—and I hope that you are—this is a great introduction to this lesser known post-colonial African leader.   The Book of Going Forth by Day Yes, it’s a real book!   Let’s end the discussion about cooperative economics and move to the next step in the Kwanzaa celebration.   It is now time to light another red candle to the right.   It is now time to hear a Kwanzaa story about cooperative economics.     If you like, you can discuss this story and what it meant to you. No pressure or demands. This is a time of sharing for those who wish to share. And a time of listening for those who prefer to listen. Now let’s fill and pass the unity cup (kikomba cha umoja). Everyone take a sip. Pause and reflect on the concept of ujamaa (cooperative economics) and how you can work to help people suffering in poverty or other disadvantages. Try to envision a world without poverty. Yes, it’s possible. Then blow out the candles. This concludes Day 4 of the Kwanzaa celebration. I just want to thank Eshu Bumpus for providing this story about collective work and responsibility. This story was written by Eshu who is an accomplished storyteller and expert on Kwanzaa. You might know that storytelling has strong roots in African culture as a method of teaching and transforming as well as entertainment. Eshu has a website called www.folktales.net. I am so grateful that he has agreed to allow us to present his stories on this Wiki history podcast. Thank you for participating in Day 4 of Kwanzaa with us. Remember to visit us on our Facebook page called Wiki History if you need more information or want to share your Kwanzaa experiences with us. We hope to see you tomorrow at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri. (Kwanzaa YEH-Noo ee-wah nah heh-REE). Happy Kwanzaa!                

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Habari gani, I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com.   I’m so glad that you’ve joined us for this great and groundbreaking show that will inspire YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history and culture. I find history to BE inspirational, instructional and entertaining. And African American history and culture fit the bill in all of these ways. Personally, I hate boring stuff. So boring stuff is not allowed at rememberinghistory.com or at this Wiki history podcast show.   Did you remember the traditional Swahili greeting of habari gani? If you remembered, great. If not, it’s okay. Perhaps next time! Today we will celebrate the first day of Kwanzaa! If you’re just joining us, you’re welcome and I would strongly urge you to listen to the introductory podcast show on Kwanzaa. Stay with us today but, when you get a chance, I think that you will learn a lot about what Kwanzaa is, who started it and why it was founded in 1966. Always good to have background information.   I’m sure that you remember that there are 7 days of the Kwanzaa celebration, beginning on December 26th and ending with a special celebration on January 1st.   Before we begin, remember that you will need the Kwanzaa mat (the mkeka), the candleholder (kinara) and 7 candles (the *)—1 black candle, 3 red candles and 3 green candles, and the unity cup (the kikomba cha umoja).   I’m just taking a few extra minutes since this is the first day to make sure that you have the Kwanzaa objects needed for today’s celebration. But, you learn by doing, so let’s just do it!   Habari gani! Your response: Umoja!   Let’s do it again: Habari gani! Umoja!   Now please give me the Swahili greeting. Umoja!   Yes, the first day of Kwanzaa is Umoja! Umoja means unity. But what does unity mean?   According to Dr. Karenga, unity means “to strive for a principled and harmonious togetherness in the family, community, nation and world African community.”   Let’s think more deeply about the concept of unity. It is the first and foundational principle of Kwanzaa. Without unity, all the other principles will suffer. It is both a principle and a practice of harmonious togetherness, not simply being together. Unity has always been a cardinal virtue of both African societies. It was a foundation of ancient Egyptian life as the concept of Maat, which was harmony and balance on the natural cosmic and social level. It was also represented as a goddess called Maat. Among the Dinka (who today live in southern Sudan), unity is known as cieng, which is both morality and harmonious living together. In both of these ancient societies, one could not live a good life without living in harmony with the family and other members of the community.   Unity is also a practice, meaning to engage in positive interactions with others. Taking it a step further, the practice of unity is a form of active solidarity. So people develop a dependable togetherness that is born, based and sustained in action. Yet it’s important to remember that unity is a moral principle not a political device or slogan.   Unity as a principle and practice begins in the family. There must be harmonious living between brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. Families must share and act in unison. The family must reject harshness and practice gentleness, stress cooperation and avoid conflict. They must also be very attentive to things that would divide or create threats to togetherness. The family must be, as in African culture, the focal point of unity, not simply of siblings and genders, but also generations. Respect for the elders is one of the most important expressions of the family unit. Participation of elders in the daily life of the family benefits the young and old and links all the living, the departed and the yet unborn as a unit.     To conclude before lighting of the black candle is that unity requires equality, reciprocity and friendship. It also creates equality, reciprocity and friendship within families, communities and nations. Remember unity (or to use the Swahili term, Umoja) because is the foundation on which all the principles of Kwanzaa rely.   Unity holds a very special place in African American culture. When we were enslaved in America, we protected and supported each other even as we faced cultural, linguistic and religious conflicts. After slavery ended, we worked together to organize our labor and economic efforts, which were met with strong and violent resistance from the white community. But the concept of unity, which we brought with us from the continent, remained an integral part of our individual and collective consciousness. And its force was never welcomed in the United States.   The American government saw that unity among African Americans was dangerous. And there have been concerted efforts to undermine unity in the African American community. From the FBI’s attempts (under J. Edgar Hoover and others) to infiltrate Black organizations like the Black Panther Party, discrediting Black leaders like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X to injecting drugs like crack cocaine into our neighborhoods and separating Black families through imprisonment or job shortages, the attack on unity has been pervasive and persistent. Yet unity still persists in the African American community though it has taken different forms. And it is still as important as ever if we, as African Americans, are going to survive and succeed as individuals and as a people.   Because this concept is so important, I want to recommend three books. (Usually I recommend only one.) But you can find them all at rememberinghistory.com and on the Wiki History Facebook page.                     The first is:   The Cultural Unity of Black Africa: The Domains of Matriarchy & of Patriarchy in Classical Antiquity by Cheikh Anta Diop   This is a great book about the different cultures and ethno-linguistic groups on the African continent. Excellent history and examination of the cultural, economic and political situation in Africa. And Dr. Diop is a scholar in African history who has written numerous groundbreaking (and myth-busting) books on ancient and modern African history.   The Solution: How Africans in America Achieve Unity, Justice and Repair by Jay Morrison. This book provides the history of how African Americans have experienced unity, rejected it and how we’ve dealt with threats to unity. It also provides practical steps for individuals and communities to achieve and maintain unity.   3. The Willie Lynch Letter and The Destruction of Black Unity   This book by Willie Lynch describes how unity was attacked among the enslaved Africans. It is a chilling book that showed nothing happened by chance, coincidence or bad luck. No need to remember these three books now. You can find them on the website or Facebook page. It is now time to light the first candle. You will light the black candle in the middle.   It is now time to hear a Kwanzaa story about unity.               Anansi and his Sons When Anansi's first son was born and Anansi and his wife, Aso were ready to name the child, the baby spoke up and said, "I have brought my own name with me. It is See Trouble." Their second son also announced his name in this way. He was Road Builder. Each of his six sons in turn announced their names in this way. There was River Drinker, Game Skinner, Stone Thrower and Cushion. Once, Anansi had to go on a long journey. On his trip, he found a big, bright, shiny ball. He was bringing it home, when he fell into the lake and was swallowed by a big fish. Anansi decided right then that he would give the bright shiny object to whoever rescued him. As time passed, and Anansi did not return home, his family became worried. See Trouble looked ahead to see Anansi inside the big fish. He told his brothers. Right away, Road Builder cleared a path through the forest for his brothers to follow. When they got to the lake, it was the thirsty brother's turn. River Drinker drank up all the water in the lake. There was the big fish at the bottom. Game skinner went right to work. He cut open that fish to let Anansi out. Anansi was still holding that bright, shiny object he had found. Suddenly a giant bird flew down and grabbed Anansi. It took him way up into the sky. Stone Thrower grabbed a rock and threw it. He hit the bird just right to make it let go of Anansi. Down, down Anansi fell, but he didn't get hurt because Cushion put himself in the way. Anansi landed softly. Anansi wanted to give the bright, shiny object to the son who had rescued him, but he couldn't decide who had done the most to help him. He gave the bright, shiny thing to Nyame, who put it up in the sky until someone could figure out which son deserves it the most. It is still there in the sky. You can see it tonight. The end.   If you like, you can discuss this story and what it meant to you. No pressure or demands. This is a time of sharing for those who wish to share. And a time of listening for those who don’t wish to share. Now let’s fill and pass the unity cup. Everyone take a sip. Pause and reflect on the concept of unity (umoja) for a moment. Then blow out the candle. This concludes Day 1 of Kwanzaa. I just want to thank Eshu Bumpus for providing this story about Unity. This story was written by Eshu who is an accomplished storyteller and expert on Kwanzaa. You might know that storytelling has strong roots in African culture as a method of teaching and transforming as well as entertainment. He has a website called www.storytelling.net . I am so grateful that he has agreed to allow us to present his stories on this Wiki history podcast.) Thank you for participating in Day 1 of Kwanzaa with us. We hope to see you tomorrow at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri. (Kwanzaa YEH-Noo ee-wah nah heh-REE). Happy Kwanzaa!              

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Habari gani, I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com.   I’m so glad that you’ve joined us for this great and groundbreaking show that will inspire YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history and culture. rememberinghistory.com or at this Wiki history podcast show. Remember boring stuff is NEVER allowed at the Wiki History podcast show so get ready for exciting stuff today—the second day of our Kwanzaa celebration.   So, I’ll bid you the traditional greeting of Kwanzaa in the Swahili language: Habari gani! If you’re just joining us, you’re very welcome but I would strongly urge you to listen to the introductory podcast show on Kwanzaa and the show about the first day of Kwanzaa called Umoja, which means unity.   We learned yesterday that unity (or umoja) is the foundational principle AND practice of the Kwanzaa celebration so it’s important to learn about unity. Listening to our podcast show will help so I really recommend it. If you have any questions, please contact us at rememberinghistory.com website or the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook.   Definitely stay with us today but, when you get a chance, I think that you will learn a lot about what Kwanzaa is, who started it and why it was founded in 1966 and the importance of unity on which all the other principles are based. Always good to have background information. Knowledge is power.   Let’s prepare ourselves to begin.   Day 2: Kujichagulia (or self-determination)   Habari gani! Your response: Kujichagulia!   Let’s do it again: Habari gani! Kujichagulia!   Now please give me the Swahili greeting. (pause) Kujichagulia!   Yes, the second day of Kwanzaa is Kujichagulia! It means self-determination. But what is self-determination?   Dr. Karenga said self-determination is: To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.   This is a particularly important concept for African Americans. But first let’s go a little more deeply into examining the principle.   Self-determination (I will use the English word) is both a commitment and a practice. It demands that we, as an African people, define, defend and develop ourselves instead of encouraging others to do this for us. It requires that we learn, accept and embody our history and culture and commit to shape our world in our own image. It is also a call to bring our own unique perspective to the world and speak its truth to the world.   Self-determination is a fundamental part* of freedom and of being a free people. For that reason, we also want the world to reflect our truth and perspective, our image AND our interest. Before we are able to reflect this to the world, we must as individuals, develop a strong sense of self-awareness and self-acceptance.   The great Franz Fanon (who wrote the groundbreaking book, The Wretched of the Earth), has said that each person must ask himself or herself three questions:   Who am I? Am I really who I say I am? Am I all that I ought to be?   Yes, those are not easy questions, but they are important even essential to self-awareness and self-acceptance as a prelude to self-determination. They are not simply questions of personal identity, but more profoundly, they are also questions of history and culture. They are questions of understanding and accepting a collective identity.   Returning to the three questions.   Who am I? To answer this question requires the individual to know and live one’s history and to practice one’s culture.   Am I really who I say I am? To answer this question requires the individual to have an employ a level of cultural authenticity, discerning between what is merely appearance and what is fundamental, what is culturally rooted and what is foreign.     Am I all that I ought to be? To answer this question requires the individual to use ethical and cultural standards to measure individuality and personhood. To examine the quality of one’s thought and practice in the context of who they are at this time and who they want to be now and in the future.   These are not easy questions or self-examinations but they are important exercises to attain a full level of self-realization. They are important for exercising your rights to freedom. Freedom is not free and self-examination is one cost of it.   For African Americans, this is particularly important because self-determination was denied to us in the United States. As enslaved persons, we were denied EVERY type of power or right to live as free persons and to pursue a self-determined path. That also involved the denial of our African history, language, and culture. After the end of slavery, African Americans were STILL denied this right and power. We were given labels rather than being allowed to name ourselves. We were denied a proper education, the right to vote, the right to own property, to travel, to marry whom we chose, and many other fundamental rights to determine and shape our lives and our future. That is why the celebration of Kwanzaa is so important as it helps us to remember and connect with our heritage. And Carter G. Woodson founded Black History month (today called African American history month) for the same reason. He said, “If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.”   But the commitment to self-determination was ALWAYS present in Black people even after we first landed in America. (This is not a surprise since this concept is an integral part of African cultures.) So, we fought for freedom. We have fought for equality. And we fought to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves. (Dr. Karenga was right about that.) But the struggle continues. For rights and powers individually and collectively. Learning our history and culture is an important. Practicing our culture is important.   So that ends the discussion of self-determination (or kujichagulia—I felt the need to use the Swahili word, exercising my right to use my language of choice). Please remember to ask yourself: Who am I? Am I really who I say I am? Am I all that I ought to be? Ask yourself every day. And I strongly encourage you to read The Wretched of the Earth by Franz Fanon. He was a true warrior for freedom and self-determination of the African people. His book is life-changing.   It is now time to light the red candle farthest to the left.   It is now time to hear a Kwanzaa story about self-determination.   The Three Tests Once, long ago three tigers came to Africa. They went to the country of the animals and made this terrible announcement. "From now on, this land will be ruled by the Tigers. We are, after all, the strongest, fastest and wisest of all animals. Therefore, we are the only fit rulers." they claimed. A little mouse spoke up from the crowd, " But we have a council where we make our decisions together, we don't need or want any ruler." One of the tigers let out a roar so loud and fierce that the poor mouse started running and didn't stop until he was in the land of the humans. To this day, he lives in the houses of humans. Her cousin, the field mouse misses her terribly. The other animals didn't like the idea much either, but they looked at those tigers' big claws and sharp teeth and were afraid to speak. These tigers were even bigger than the lion. "We will collect taxes and we'll also change the name of this country. From now on, this will be Tigerland and you will call yourselves servants of the tigers." they said. Finally, Anansi spoke. "Great tigers, it is clear that you are strong, fast and wise, but just so that everyone will know for sure that you are stronger, faster and wiser than anyone else, let us have a contest." Anansi suggested. The tigers liked the idea, so Anansi continued. "Let us prepare ourselves, then tomorrow we will choose someone to compete against each of you." So the tigers left and the animals held a private meeting to discuss what to do. The next morning, the animals were ready. The tigers came to the council circle. The strongest tiger spoke first. "Who will compete against me?" he asked. "I will." said the tiny voice of the field mouse. The tiger laughed until he cried. "This will not take long." he said. "Who will race me?" roared the swiftest tiger. "I will." said the tortoise. "This is no contest at all!" shouted the tigers. Hare told the third tiger, " I must bring you to the home of the owl. She is the wisest of all creatures." "We will see," said the tiger. First was the contest of strength. The field mouse brought the tiger to a large clearing. They each stood at one edge of the clearing with one end of a rope. Between them was placed hundreds of big thorn bushes. When she gave a signal of two short tugs on the rope, the tiger was to start pulling. The loser would get dragged across the thorns. The tiger laughed at the little mouse and said that he was ready. She gave the signal, and the tiger began to pull. What he didn't know was that behind the field mouse, standing in the forest was a great bull elephant holding onto the rope. So while the tiger pulled on one end, the elephant pulled on the other. The tiger got dragged all the way through the thorn bushes yelling, " Ouch! OOOCH! Ouch! Ouch!" all the way. "If this is how strong the mice are, I would hate to see what the other animals can do!" he shouted.  Next was the race. The tortoise brought the fastest tiger to a five-mile stretch of road in the forest. At each mile marker, one of tortoise's cousins was hiding. (To the tiger they would all look alike.) When the race began, Tiger went zooming away, leaving the tortoise in his dust. As he was coming to the first mile marker, the tiger was laughing to himself. "How could a tortoise think he could outrun me?" he said. Just then, Tortoise came out from his hiding place behind the mile marker. "What took you so long, Mr. Tiger?" he asked politely. Tiger was shocked. "How did you get here so fast?!" he screamed. Tortoise didn't answer. He just slowly plodded off toward the next marker. The tiger zoomed past him and ran at top speed to the second mile-marker, only to find Tortoise sitting there waiting. "I really thought tigers were faster than this." he said, sounding very disappointed. "I'll beat you yet!" shouted the tiger as he sped to the next marker. At this third marker, Tortoise was sitting down playing a game of Mankala with Anansi and laughing about how easy the race was. Tiger couldn't believe his eyes. At the fourth marker, Tortoise was asleep, snoring loudly. Tiger sped by him so fast that he left the tortoise spinning like a top. Finally, tiger was racing toward the finish line. Tortoise was nowhere in sight. Tiger was running at full speed. Nothing could stop him now. Yet, as he got closer to the line, he noticed a little round thing sitting there. It must be a rock he told himself. But as he got closer, he saw that little head and those four little legs and he knew. Tortoise was already there! "It's impossible!" he screamed. But no matter how much he screamed, it didn't change the fact that Tortoise had won the race.  Now the hare was bringing the third tiger to the home of the wise old owl. But the hare kept complaining of stomach pains and said that he couldn't walk very well. "Can't you get someone else to show me the way?" said the tiger angrily. "I'm the only one who knows the way," whispered Hare, "It's a secret." Tiger was irritated. " Then you'll just have to ride on my back," he said. They rode on for a little while, but the hare kept letting himself slide off the tiger's back, so they weren't making much progress. "If you bring me to my house, I can get my saddle." Hare suggested, "That way, I won't slip off." So the tiger brought the hare home and let Hare put a saddle on him. "And if you let me use these reins," Hare continued, "I can steer you left or right without talking so much. I have a sore throat you know." Tiger agreed. Then the hare went into his house and came out wearing spurs and carrying a whip. "Wait a minute!" said Tiger, "What's all that for?!" "Oh I just wear these spurs for show." Hare said. " And the whip is so I can keep the flies off you while you're giving me a ride." "Okay," said the tiger, "But be careful." So they rode on, but not to the owl's home. They went right to the council circle. All the other animals were gathered there. When Hare came in sight of the other animals, he dug his spurs into the tiger's sides and snapped that whip against the tiger's backside and yelled "GITTY UP HORSEY!" That tiger went jumping and howling through the crowd looking about as foolish as a fool can look. All the animals laughed and laughed. The other tigers were so embarrassed that they pleaded with the hare to stop. The hare got off the tiger's back and took his saddle and reins. Those tigers agreed never to come back to Africa again. That's why, to this day, there are no tigers in the forests of Africa. And everyone got along fine in the land of animals with everyone as equals, no kings, no queens, no rulers. The End.       If you like, you can discuss this story and what it meant to you. No pressure or demands. This is a time of sharing for those who wish to share. And a time of listening for those who prefer to listen. Now let’s fill and pass the unity cup (kikomba cha umoja). Everyone take a sip. Pause and reflect on the concept of kujichagulia (self determination) for a moment. Perhaps consider the three questions: who am I? Am I really who I say I am? Am I all that I ought to be? Then blow out the candle. This concludes Day 2 of the Kwanzaa celebration. I just want to thank Eshu Bumpus for providing this story about self-determination. This story was written by Eshu who is an accomplished storyteller and expert on Kwanzaa. You might know that storytelling has strong roots in African culture as a method of teaching and transforming as well as entertainment. Eshu has a website called www.folktales.net. I am so grateful that he has agreed to allow us to present his stories on this Wiki history podcast. Thank you for participating in Day 2 of Kwanzaa with us. Remember to visit us on our Facebook page called Wiki History if you need more information or want to share your Kwanzaa experiences with us. We hope to see you tomorrow at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri. (Kwanzaa YEH-Noo ee-wah nah heh-REE). Happy Kwanzaa!