1 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:58,400 Mama Koku: No, I have nothing else to say, I could tell you a story, but no times up, 2 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,261 been a part of it for so long, you know. yeah yeah. 3 00:09:48,860 --> 00:09:52,580 Well, appreciate it, anything else you want to say? 4 00:09:47,261 --> 00:09:48,860 Niko: That's great, that's great. 5 00:09:38,510 --> 00:09:44,000 so. Anyway just, it's it's a wonderful experience and I'm honored to be, to have 6 00:09:31,310 --> 00:09:38,510 hey 'whatcha asking', oh, OK I see it's all, you know, it's all come full circle you know and 7 00:09:20,570 --> 00:09:24,620 was just like, you know, just kind of like the new kid on the block and now it was 8 00:09:28,310 --> 00:09:31,310 all of these questions, she's like the new kid on the block and I'm thinking 9 00:09:24,620 --> 00:09:28,310 so funny because um LÄCA Bridges, she's, you know, asking me 10 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:20,570 and Queen Nur and one year Diane Ferlatte, I got to have lunch with her, and I 11 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:02,330 you know ride around with all of these very famous people as far as, you know, I 12 00:09:06,470 --> 00:09:13,400 just being in the van and hearing you know people like um Gran'daddy Junebug 13 00:09:02,330 --> 00:09:06,470 was concerned because I googled and I was like oh my gosh and so I remember 14 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:49,190 and she called me up she said 'your tape was, was awful' but you know, 'we think we 15 00:08:49,190 --> 00:08:56,480 want you to come' [laugh] So I was like, yay. And so I came and I got to 16 00:08:38,210 --> 00:08:44,000 and so you know I had sent in this really pitiful videotape to Nothando Zulu 17 00:08:31,430 --> 00:08:38,210 young and the, the storytellers that were at the festival were really well known 18 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:21,680 like to applaud the Black Storytellers Alliance for doing this year after year 19 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:26,780 after year. You know, it's just wonderful. I remember the first time that I I did 20 00:08:26,780 --> 00:08:31,430 this, like I said my daughter was 2, so I don't remember how old I was but I was 21 00:08:06,110 --> 00:08:11,320 here next year with a book, or something like that, you know yeah. 22 00:08:01,390 --> 00:08:06,110 I want to kind of focus on getting those out there. So maybe I'll be 23 00:08:15,140 --> 00:08:16,520 Mama Koku: Um, well I'd 24 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:15,140 Niko: Anything else you'd want to say in regards to this festival or storytelling in general? 25 00:07:56,740 --> 00:08:01,390 creative person, you know, I have a lot of stories that I've created myself that 26 00:07:46,630 --> 00:07:51,040 them. A lot of times you pick up a book and it won't, the author will be if they 27 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:56,740 read this story is retold by such and such a person but you know. When you're a 28 00:07:41,020 --> 00:07:46,630 know putting all of you know the stories in books. The stories I tell, retelling 29 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:41,020 as I get older I really want to transition to um more literature you 30 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:33,640 Mama Koku: Who knows. Who knows. I have to say that eventually you know 31 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:26,960 Niko: So you hope there's going to be a 28th? 32 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,000 Will you be here, next year, 28th annual? 33 00:07:09,250 --> 00:07:20,050 Storytellers and so you know everybody's got a story you know. Old stories, 34 00:07:05,830 --> 00:07:09,250 everybody's got, you know, in, in Atlanta we also have the Southern Order of 35 00:07:20,050 --> 00:07:24,400 new stories, you know, it's really really cool. 36 00:06:53,020 --> 00:06:56,920 helps a lot, you know, because sometimes our viewers or even me might be you know 37 00:07:04,660 --> 00:07:05,830 Mama Koku: Oh yeah, yeah. Not just Black folks, all folks 38 00:07:00,610 --> 00:07:04,660 worldwide or nationwide. 39 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:00,610 just ignorant to the fact that there's these organizations doing this actually 40 00:06:51,585 --> 00:06:53,020 Niko: Thank you. I think that 41 00:06:38,110 --> 00:06:43,630 what we are in Atlanta, and here the Black Storytellers Alliance and then 42 00:06:28,900 --> 00:06:33,190 organizations and all of us belong to the to the larger organization like 43 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,585 anyway, there's several, several organizations. 44 00:06:43,630 --> 00:06:48,520 Keepers of the Culture, in oh gosh, I'm going to say it wrong, is it Detroit, 45 00:06:33,190 --> 00:06:38,110 there's the North Carolina Storytellers and then the Kuumba Storytellers, that's 46 00:06:24,460 --> 00:06:28,900 which is, I guess you can say, a sister organization, you know, lots of satellite 47 00:06:03,700 --> 00:06:09,820 There's a festival the National Black Storytellers Association they have a big 48 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:18,190 It goes from city to city, the Minneapolis' Black Storytelling 49 00:06:18,190 --> 00:06:24,460 Alliance, they're a part of that and in Atlanta we have a Kuumba Storytellers 50 00:06:09,820 --> 00:06:12,040 festival every year that happens in November. 51 00:05:58,060 --> 00:06:03,700 You know, things change and people move around and so you know, but nothing now. 52 00:05:52,169 --> 00:05:58,060 National Black Arts Festival and I was the official storyteller. 53 00:05:42,870 --> 00:05:47,460 the organization that's doing a lot of different things but you know once upon 54 00:05:47,460 --> 00:05:52,169 a time, once upon a time there was the Children's Educational Village for the 55 00:05:38,820 --> 00:05:42,870 that, you know, sometimes you can get out of a loop in a very busy city and with 56 00:05:34,260 --> 00:05:38,820 a long time gone so I don't know, maybe they'll bring it back, or maybe it's something 57 00:05:27,060 --> 00:05:34,260 storytelling is for everybody you know but that's been, that's been a long time 58 00:05:07,180 --> 00:05:15,400 Mama Koku: No, I don't, no. We have a National Black Arts Festival that's, that's in Atlanta 59 00:05:15,410 --> 00:05:22,080 and I've got to say it used to have a strong storytelling segment a little bit 60 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:27,060 but most mostly it was you know in the Children's Village. Um, here the 61 00:05:02,460 --> 00:05:07,180 Niko: And when it comes to storytelling, down there in Atlanta is there festivals like this? 62 00:04:57,510 --> 00:05:02,460 anymore, you're an Atlantan. And you know, so, I kind of claim both. 63 00:04:53,370 --> 00:04:57,510 years. And so the folks in Atlanta say, oh you can't say you're a North Carolinian 64 00:04:48,060 --> 00:04:53,370 from North Carolina, but I've lived in Atlanta, Georgia for like 23 years, 24, 24 65 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:48,060 Mama Koku: Yes. I am originally from, well gosh, originally 66 00:04:33,930 --> 00:04:38,250 more, you know. The more you have in common the more you 67 00:04:41,300 --> 00:04:45,240 Niko: So, you're not from Minneapolis you you came here for this festival? 68 00:04:38,250 --> 00:04:41,300 can connect you know yeah. 69 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:33,930 their ancestors, it just, you know, can touch them a little bit, a little bit 70 00:04:23,340 --> 00:04:29,160 are able to see themselves in stories that are created for them, created from 71 00:04:08,010 --> 00:04:12,570 can do that, if they can do it, then I can do it, you know. If they created this, 72 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:23,340 being able to see yourself in somebody else's story. And I think when children 73 00:04:12,570 --> 00:04:18,000 maybe I can create this too, you know. Just finding a likeness or connection and 74 00:04:03,420 --> 00:04:08,010 it's a Black woman, you know, that whole idea of, oh if she's doing that then I 75 00:03:58,890 --> 00:04:03,420 Whenever I hear a story, whether it's a story about a woman, or a story and if 76 00:03:38,380 --> 00:03:43,900 know, really just passing on culture and history and who we are. And when you can 77 00:03:49,450 --> 00:03:54,500 it just, you know, just, I don't know, it just does something. 78 00:03:54,500 --> 00:03:58,880 Whenever you can, whenever you hear a story, maybe I should talk more personally. 79 00:03:43,900 --> 00:03:49,450 read or hear a story that connects with you on a, from a cultural level 80 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:38,380 Mama Koku: I think the same thing, you 81 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:34,040 storytelling, why is Black storytelling important? 82 00:03:20,889 --> 00:03:25,209 of the same questions, I'm going to do one of one more of the same as, when, 83 00:03:25,209 --> 00:03:29,880 in regards to basically the youth we talked about talk about Black 84 00:03:19,100 --> 00:03:20,889 Niko: So that basically I've asked a lot 85 00:03:12,430 --> 00:03:19,100 and and learn and be inspired, all of that. All of that. 86 00:03:07,540 --> 00:03:12,430 stories unfold every day and so you know it's just a great way to get information 87 00:02:57,730 --> 00:03:03,069 whether it's a folktale or a story that you see on screen or on stage, you know 88 00:03:03,069 --> 00:03:07,540 our lives are just full of stories. You know, the news my goodness, you know 89 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:57,720 Even, you know, even if it's a 90 00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:55,800 Mama Koku: Yeah! Yeah, every story has a moral, every story has a lesson. 91 00:02:47,780 --> 00:02:49,920 Niko: And so there's a lot of morals in these stories aye? 92 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,780 teach children, it's a great way to teach us, you know, yeah. 93 00:02:40,989 --> 00:02:44,360 storyteller you're seeing, you're connecting, it's just a great way to 94 00:02:36,970 --> 00:02:40,989 different levels, you know, you're thinking, you're feeling, with a 95 00:02:30,430 --> 00:02:36,970 just, it just touches everybody. It's just the way to really connect on all 96 00:02:24,099 --> 00:02:30,430 so trying to pass on lessons and culture and tradition and value through a story, it's 97 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:24,099 even religions you know. Everybody teaches everything through stories and 98 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,740 is that the correct word, a modem to teach children forever and ever and ever where 99 00:02:13,820 --> 00:02:19,120 it's - whether it's fairy tales or folktales or fables, you know, just constantly, 100 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:09,720 Mama Koku: We teach through story. I mean storytelling is, has been a, a mode 101 00:01:58,409 --> 00:02:01,960 'And how are the children', you want to just talk about that? 102 00:01:55,020 --> 00:01:58,409 want to talk about why it's important for the youth to see and the theme was 103 00:01:46,460 --> 00:01:50,180 across America continually year after year after year as we as we attested to 104 00:01:50,189 --> 00:01:55,020 and I've seen it multiple times myself personally and I brought youth to it you 105 00:01:39,820 --> 00:01:46,180 Niko: Yeah, pretty much. So, in in in this storytelling festival we have plenty of artists from 106 00:01:27,420 --> 00:01:33,479 and big and so I think that's where I get it, I'm dramatic and big and you know 107 00:01:21,869 --> 00:01:27,420 folktales and I used to listen to him tell those stories and he was dramatic 108 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:39,820 I grew up, no wonder I grew up to be a to be a storyteller yeah yeah. Did I answer your question? 109 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:12,510 but you know the first story that I ever heard were from my father, he was a 110 00:01:12,510 --> 00:01:21,869 wonderful storyteller. And anyway he used to tell stories, folktales, Black southern 111 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:06,240 you know I tell stories from everywhere, you know in different types of programs 112 00:00:56,579 --> 00:01:01,320 about other cultures. I was just sharing with one of the, one of the guests that 113 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:47,860 Mama Koku: It's just a way to, I guess number one, 114 00:00:47,860 --> 00:00:56,579 use my talent in a way to sustain my culture. To also learn, it's, you know, storytelling, to learn 115 00:00:38,860 --> 00:00:42,760 Niko: So this is important faction of your life - Why? 116 00:00:19,260 --> 00:00:23,070 numbers well, okay, I said I was going to stop saying that, but I'll just let you 117 00:00:33,210 --> 00:00:38,860 is 20. And, so you know, it's been a lot of years. A lot of years. Yeah. 118 00:00:27,210 --> 00:00:33,210 here my daughter was two years old and I brought her with me and now my daughter 119 00:00:23,070 --> 00:00:27,210 know I don't do numbers well. But I remember the first time that I performed 120 00:00:17,128 --> 00:00:19,260 Mama Koku: A lot a whole lot. And now I don't do 121 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,128 Niko: How many times have you done this? 122 00:10:00,300 --> 00:10:01,320 Niko: Appreciate it. 123 00:00:08,700 --> 00:00:14,700 and share and learn at the 'Signifyin & Testifyin' Storytelling Festival. Fun! 124 00:00:00,030 --> 00:00:08,700 I'm Koku, which is Donna Kokumo Buie. And I'm here to, I guess, participate 125 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:00,300 I think that's enough, yeah.