BECOMING THE GRIOT

2004-07-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

The African storyteller is called the "GRIOT", or the one who passes on the knowledge and history and traditions and mythology of a people to its younger generations. I was very fortunate to grow up in a family of griots, from my grandparents and parents to a wide swath of uncles and aunts and later to include even my in-laws. By the time I was 7 or 8 years old, my head was filled with the wonderful adventures of Brer Rabbit and his cronies, folktales and scary stories about the h'aints who filled the woods. I was so crammed full of tall tales and poetry-that-they-knew-by-heart and true experiences that I hardly needed a television set to entertain me.

My grandparents and uncles NEVER told a story that did not include themselves as the person to whom the action referred. It was only later, when I began to research black history that I found that many of the adventures they had ascribed to themselves were actually stories and folktales that had been around for years. By personalizing these tales, they made them far more interesting and relevant to me. When I discovered the truth, I really thought someone had stolen my family's stories!

I really thank those wonderful folks for developing in me such a strong love of storytelling and such a respect for history. In today's so-called "nuclear families" the grandparents and other relatives are not always a close part of a child's day-to-day life. The television set has become the generic storyteller and children often miss so much of interest that was in the past.

Today, when I ask young people what the Civil Rights Movement was, they reply, "Martin Luther King." As important as Dr. King was as a leader, his is the only name,he is the only person that many of our youngsters recognize during Black History Month. There is something terribly wrong with that. I respect and revere Dr. King's legacy, but I think our youngsters deserve to know far more about the African American journey in America and the many contributions of blacks to the greatness of this wonderful country.

Such as the fact that there were black explorers on many of the voyages of discovery to the New World. At least one black man piloted a ship for Columbus's expedition to the Americas.

How many of our children know that in 1525, a black Portuguese ship's captain named Esteban Gomez sailed up the Hudson River between Manhattan and New Jersey. His expedition was commissioned and financed by the King and Queen of Spain. Actually, Esteban visited the area twice, yet the river is named for Henry Hudson who came to the area over 80 years later.

Or, how many people ever heard of Jan Rodrigues, a mulatto from San Domingo who sailed to Manhattan with the expedition of Dutch merchant Adriene Block. The company narrowly escaped tragedy when their ship burned, stranding them on the island of Manhattan. But after building a new ship, Block decided to explore the area around Manhattan so he left Rodriguez alone on Manhattan while he and the other men sailed around the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Rodriguez's job was to organize trade with the Indians while Block was gone. So it might be said that a black man was the first to conduct business in the area that would come to be known as Wall Street.

I have a love for history regardless of cultures or ethnic groups or races, but because so much of black history has never been told except to those who are willing and able to do extensive research, I have chosen to pass on as much of this knowledge as possible through dramatic and musical stage productions. I feel that if youngsters just HEAR the names and a small bit of information about black people who have made contributions to America that impact on ALL of our lives even today, they can then apply those lessons to their own lives and develop a stronger sense of heritage, self-worth and belonging.

With this as a goal, BLACKSTAGE NY, presents plays and stage productions that are relevant to the black experience.

Your donation to BLACKSTAGE NY helps us continue to pass on this vital information to our youngsters as we help them understand who they are and from what wonderful ancestors they have come. Please consider making a donation now to assist with expenses in preparing for our coming productions.

While we hope that you will be generous, the size of your donation is of less importance than is the fact that you DID donate.

You may make credit card donations to
BLACKSTAGENY through Paypal.

For checks, etc. please refer to our website at
http://www.blackstageny.8k.com

BlackStageNY

BECOMING THE GRIOT