CyberCamp 2002


Patterns of Communication
 From Griots to Rappers
 

What do African storytellers (also know as Griots), African American rappers/MCs, painters, photographers, and quilt designers have in common?

They tell stories and deliver messages.  These arts and crafts report experiences, imagine the future, protest, educate, and entertain.  Why is this important?

They tell stories and deliver messages.  These arts and crafts report experiences, imagine the future, protest, educate, and entertain.  Why is this important?  It keeps traditions alive, helps make change possible, and relieves hard times. In short, they help us live.

 

Objectives:
 
  • Develop an understanding of the forms of storytelling based on the readings and  information provided
  • Acquire an appreciation for the variety of cultural expressions

Tasks:
 

We will explore stories—messages--expressed in songs, poetry, art, and crafts.  Then we will examine how the “storyteller’s art” has transformed and reinvented with the use of modern technology.

 
  1. Read about Griots and their role in Mali Africa.
  2. Review the history of Rap and the biography of selected Rappers/ MCs
  3. Recognize the similarity of themes in rap music with the stories of Griots.
  4. Discover modern Griots influenced by African American style and culture.
  5. Learn how visual artists tell stories through their art.