1 00:12:30,220 --> 00:12:34,020 river banks they were talking about the Native American Creek 2 00:12:39,100 --> 00:12:43,930 trespassing and on their land and everything, so if they don't uprise then we'll be able to 3 00:12:34,020 --> 00:12:39,100 we hope they don't uprise because to see if they are uprise now we already 4 00:12:26,020 --> 00:12:30,220 creek not rising those Black folks weren't talking about the waters in the 5 00:12:20,980 --> 00:12:26,020 don't rise we'll be doing this again next year' now when they talk about the 6 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:20,980 Well, there's another old saying, say that the good Lord willing and the creek 7 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:16,720 Niko: Really appreciate everything. Anything, like any last words you'd want to say? 8 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:10,720 We survived because of our strength, now don't keep getting me talking. 9 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:04,880 The weak did not survive. 10 00:11:55,240 --> 00:12:00,600 concept period. You could not have survived and been weak. 11 00:11:40,150 --> 00:11:48,070 go and do, not to be down in the dumps. Oh, we've been way too strong you see, some 12 00:11:48,070 --> 00:11:55,240 folks talk about people of color being weak, that's most insane that's the most insane 13 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:40,150 here to feel like they're at the top that they are feeling good, that they can 14 00:11:32,110 --> 00:11:36,640 that, can kind of learn from that, can get to joy we want people when they leave 15 00:11:27,700 --> 00:11:32,110 too much and I'm just saying if we could get people to kind of see that, kind of feel 16 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:27,700 and we are on the shores here, where this took place, it just was just 17 00:11:19,260 --> 00:11:21,640 Now, when i heard these stories, 18 00:11:14,060 --> 00:11:19,260 And they just walked into the ocean and drown, okay? 19 00:11:07,090 --> 00:11:14,060 "And before I'll be a slave, I'll be buried in my grave and go home to my god and be free." 20 00:10:59,830 --> 00:11:07,090 the sea and in their own language they sang a song and in that language it said, 21 00:10:47,650 --> 00:10:52,020 be free - now this was at the end of slavery - but once they got here they were 22 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:59,820 put in chains. But they, 18 of them, chained together marched backwards into 23 00:10:42,660 --> 00:10:47,650 about some folks who were brought here with the promise that they were going to 24 00:10:36,420 --> 00:10:42,660 was about the Ebo crossing, and that's a very instructive story 25 00:10:29,730 --> 00:10:36,420 Vusumuzi Zulu: And you see it's a lot but the stories that were told then, one of them 26 00:10:28,470 --> 00:10:28,970 Niko: Wow. That's amazing. 27 00:10:23,790 --> 00:10:28,470 could bring folks in to it so that's how we started. 28 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:23,780 and we kind of put it together like that, to make sure that we 29 00:10:13,410 --> 00:10:17,800 And that first one well we kind of took out a little bit of a house mortgage kind of thing 30 00:10:08,970 --> 00:10:13,410 you know what, we got to do this in Minnesota, we got to do this in Minnesota. 31 00:09:55,889 --> 00:10:00,810 come on go with me. And we went out to North Carolina boy I'm telling you I 32 00:10:00,810 --> 00:10:08,970 heard Black storytellers telling stories that touch me so deeply. I said, well 33 00:09:51,029 --> 00:09:55,889 Jonesburg as well, and so she said well you know one time you can 34 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,029 National Association of Black Storytellers Festival as well as at 35 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:48,000 wife had gone to a couple of national storytelling festivals right? The 36 00:09:40,340 --> 00:09:43,800 Vusumuzi Zulu: No, actually my storytelling started, my 37 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:40,340 professor El-Kati, legendary, you you learn from him but did that start your storytelling? 38 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:33,760 decades, where did you start, so I heard the professor. you know 39 00:09:24,340 --> 00:09:28,520 Niko: Yeah it definitely does, so we're talking about these 40 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:24,160 I hope that answers it. 41 00:09:15,180 --> 00:09:20,760 you don't know, but the moment you know you are charged with doing something. 42 00:09:11,009 --> 00:09:15,180 mean when you don't know you can't do anything, you don't do anything because 43 00:09:07,589 --> 00:09:11,009 have any choice. When folks talk about ignorance being bliss that's what they 44 00:09:03,899 --> 00:09:07,589 who is here, once I began to understand that, then I didn't 45 00:08:54,220 --> 00:09:00,060 Africans who were born here and once I began to understand that, 46 00:09:00,060 --> 00:09:03,899 which happened as a result of the teachings of a brother Mahmoud El-Kati, 47 00:08:48,690 --> 00:08:54,220 they're still kittens, okay? So just because we were born here, we're still 48 00:08:43,659 --> 00:08:48,690 into an oven and gives birth, well you don't call that all offspring biscuits 49 00:08:36,550 --> 00:08:43,659 America, you see? As el-hajj Malik el-Shabazz said, a cat that crawls up 50 00:08:30,930 --> 00:08:36,550 some folks who say well, no no no you in America, yes I am, but I'm an African in 51 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:30,930 years, once I began to understand more about my origins as being an African, see 52 00:08:16,930 --> 00:08:22,840 And I believe that that's true because throughout my many many many 53 00:08:15,618 --> 00:08:16,930 Vusumuzi Zulu: It seems that way doesn't? 54 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,618 you've sort of dedicated your life to this? 55 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:13,360 Niko: And, so how long have you been, this is decades long, 56 00:08:08,350 --> 00:08:11,480 that commitment to community. 57 00:08:01,780 --> 00:08:08,350 committed to okay because it's not about the money. It's about that ability and 58 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:01,780 that's what we're non-profit, that's why we have folks who come and who are 59 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:57,520 and we need to make certain that our folks recognize and act upon power. So 60 00:07:44,860 --> 00:07:49,240 not tone-deaf we know all that is going on around us 61 00:07:38,110 --> 00:07:44,860 that - be real clear - we do. We're not saying that we are separate from we're 62 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:38,110 separation of the children in terms of immigration, no we weren't, but we include 63 00:07:29,380 --> 00:07:32,680 this country, folks are thinking about, well, are you talking about the 64 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,380 And we first came up with that with the things that are going on politically in 65 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:25,840 children do, and as the elders do, then so does a community, a country, see? 66 00:07:12,790 --> 00:07:17,800 war, there's not famine, but that the children are doing well because as the 67 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:12,790 children are well, that means that the village is doing well, that it is not 68 00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:08,560 and the response should be 'and the children are well' because when the 69 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:03,280 one Masai village greets another is, 'and how are the children?' 70 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:58,000 with the theme for this year, 'And how are the children?', which is a Masai greeting as 71 00:06:44,110 --> 00:06:49,720 about what really is within us. Seeing how resilient we have been. So when we came up 72 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:44,110 that we're trying to deal with that pulling out that other stuff. Talking 73 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:39,400 So, we respect everybody's humanity and we always say 74 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,880 We are world people and all of us are human. 75 00:06:23,740 --> 00:06:30,640 this little thing captured in this one little space and spec, called America, no. 76 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:23,740 All you have to do is be able to see that you are part of the world, not just 77 00:06:12,610 --> 00:06:18,120 it's far bigger than anything that you can imagine and far more beautiful. 78 00:06:05,530 --> 00:06:12,610 once they can see that the world is far far far bigger, like the great Arthur once said, 79 00:05:56,259 --> 00:06:05,530 being people who have power and ability, capability and once they can do that, 80 00:05:51,550 --> 00:05:56,259 We just got to get those stories told we got to get children to see themselves as 81 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:51,550 community who can help straighten things out. 82 00:05:46,180 --> 00:05:49,240 community to kind of straighten things out, we got enough people within the 83 00:05:40,419 --> 00:05:46,180 that potential or that good. You don't need Tarzan or Jane to come into the 84 00:05:34,150 --> 00:05:40,419 contained in the same kinds of area but it is up to us, within each of us that is 85 00:05:28,449 --> 00:05:34,150 that's in the community, yeah that's true, we got all kinds of bad and good all 86 00:05:24,220 --> 00:05:28,449 reason why you're doing this is because there's so much crime and all of that 87 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:24,220 to deal with just the that thing about the worst of it all, because always looking at the 88 00:05:10,810 --> 00:05:15,520 So we have to make certain that we continue to bring that up. We don't like 89 00:05:05,740 --> 00:05:10,810 world, okay? Because not everybody is treated as if that we are all human. 90 00:04:59,830 --> 00:05:05,740 you're human, but being human is one of the most difficult concepts in the Western 91 00:04:56,620 --> 00:04:59,830 lot of different ways, sometimes folks talking about, well, I'm a human and 92 00:04:50,710 --> 00:04:56,620 teaching the the things about what it is to be human. We use that word a lot and a 93 00:04:43,509 --> 00:04:50,710 of teaching. What we call this is edutainment, okay? It's along with 94 00:04:38,229 --> 00:04:43,509 true. But we are trying to get folks involved in what we are doing as a means 95 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:38,229 people do spend a lot of money going to all kinds of other things and that's 96 00:04:28,870 --> 00:04:34,000 that kind of stuff, that many people can bring a family of four. Now I know 97 00:04:23,830 --> 00:04:28,870 say okay it's $20 for adults and $10 for children and $5 for babies, 98 00:04:20,019 --> 00:04:23,830 order to make sure that people can participate we don't have prices that 99 00:04:16,180 --> 00:04:20,019 financially, and we take donations and we say that in 100 00:04:13,090 --> 00:04:16,180 need to others being able to pitch in, 101 00:04:06,069 --> 00:04:13,090 to the broader community, as well as our local community. And we believe that we 102 00:04:01,580 --> 00:04:06,060 because of the fact that we think that what we do is important to the community, 103 00:03:59,900 --> 00:04:01,580 Vusumuzi Zulu: We are a non-profit 104 00:03:57,190 --> 00:03:59,900 Alliance or why you all are not probably what do you all do. 105 00:03:53,079 --> 00:03:57,190 those days - talk about the the nonprofit status of you, Black Storytellers 106 00:03:48,489 --> 00:03:53,079 for a very low stipend for those three days and probably 20-plus hours during 107 00:03:43,690 --> 00:03:48,489 non-profit and and all these artists are basically working like you as you said 108 00:03:39,430 --> 00:03:43,690 Alliance, talk about - you had to reach out to get these monies because you're a 109 00:03:36,100 --> 00:03:39,430 little bit beyond the storytelling to talk about the Black Storytellers 110 00:03:32,593 --> 00:03:36,100 Niko: I appreciate it, that was a a great answer. I want to bring it back a 111 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:32,593 say, okay? That was a long answer. 112 00:03:24,970 --> 00:03:30,160 have read it but when you tell it, you gotta add that other flavor to it, as we 113 00:03:18,910 --> 00:03:24,970 do, which is a little bit different from just reading it from the book. We may 114 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:18,910 probably one of the most powerful ways. And oral storytelling is what we tend to 115 00:03:04,540 --> 00:03:12,160 many many ways for folks to transmit culture, mores, storytelling is 116 00:02:57,310 --> 00:03:04,540 being with them and enjoying that's that's what we think is important. There are 117 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:57,310 so they can say they can laugh at their parents without being derisive but just 118 00:02:39,100 --> 00:02:43,630 times we have adults on stage along with the children on stage. But that's 119 00:02:43,630 --> 00:02:49,840 really important for children to see adults in storytelling roles like that 120 00:02:34,450 --> 00:02:39,100 children can interact with each other while they are there. So you'll see often 121 00:02:28,150 --> 00:02:34,450 certain that folks can bring their children and that the parents and the 122 00:02:23,140 --> 00:02:28,150 of storytelling and they put in a lot of effort and work and we try to make 123 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:23,140 night, and then there's tonight, the Grand Finale so they do an awful lot 124 00:02:11,500 --> 00:02:17,440 children there, so, and then they're doing the Liars Contest that night, at Friday 125 00:02:01,590 --> 00:02:05,619 over at Macalester College in St. Paul as well as over at UROC 126 00:02:05,619 --> 00:02:11,500 the Robert J. Jones UROC Center over in North Minneapolis and schools bring 127 00:01:54,630 --> 00:02:01,590 opening, they doing stories there, and the Friday and then we're doing stories both 128 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:54,630 them for three days and we work them hard because we have a Thursday night 129 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:48,600 doing a one-hour show. [Laughs] We don't even begin to get close to that and we keep 130 00:01:36,150 --> 00:01:41,640 them a small stipend compared to what they would normally get paid for just 131 00:01:29,759 --> 00:01:36,150 a good basis for it, that's almost half of what we need to bring folks in, give 132 00:01:21,860 --> 00:01:29,759 so, MRAC, so we get one from them and once we get that grant that gives us 133 00:01:17,430 --> 00:01:21,860 is that one from Metropolitan Regional Arts Center 134 00:01:10,170 --> 00:01:17,430 to begin the process and we'll get a grant, from, the biggest one that we get 135 00:00:58,109 --> 00:01:02,160 pull all those little pieces together so that we can do it again and we are 136 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:10,170 fortunate enough, because we never have all the money never, ever. And once we were able 137 00:00:52,170 --> 00:00:58,109 okay. Now, the issue is always trying to get the monies together and trying to 138 00:00:48,570 --> 00:00:52,170 just do that. You gotta do it again. So we're saying, 139 00:00:43,290 --> 00:00:48,570 that folks didn't want us to stop. They would say, no no no no, you can't just 140 00:00:37,050 --> 00:00:43,290 Vusumuzi Zulu: You know we wound up being able to do it again because of the fact 141 00:00:33,059 --> 00:00:37,050 been the last year you didn't know and now we're here at 27 and you did it again. 142 00:00:29,220 --> 00:00:33,059 story and everybody's story is important and you also said that that might have 143 00:00:22,900 --> 00:00:29,220 I was talking to you two years ago at the 25th and you said that everybody's got a 144 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:22,900 Niko: So 27 years... 145 00:00:16,460 --> 00:00:21,160 Vusumuzi Zulu: It's much better when you have others introduce you then when you do it yourself. 146 00:00:15,561 --> 00:00:16,460 Niko: Okay. 147 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,160 do want to introduce yourself? 148 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,561 Vusumuzi Zulu: No, I think you did a good job all by yourself. 149 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,080 I just sort of introduced to you, 150 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,280 for 27 years now. 151 00:12:49,620 --> 00:12:50,380 Niko: Thank you 152 00:00:00,020 --> 00:00:05,820 Niko: So we're here joined by Vusi Zulu, the director of the Black Storytellers Festival 153 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:49,620 Youth: Hi 154 00:12:43,930 --> 00:12:48,700 do it good Lord willing and the creek don't rise. So, until next year.