Africa vs. Afrika

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but lately I have been spelling what is most commonly spelled "Africa" with a 'C' as "Afrika" with a 'K.' I have to be honest and say that I don't know nor have I asked the significance of this spelling. I am using it simply because that is the way that Ketu has spelled it in his correspondence with me and the way it is spelled on TRJE's website. Since I plan to link my project to TRJE's website when it is complete, I feel that I should spell it the way that the ensemble spells it (both out of respect and for consistency).

Project Update

This week I had planned to spend time with TRJE during their Saturday rehearsal, but was unable to due to (suffice it to say) unexpected circumstances. The project is, however, finally getting off of the ground. Now that I have heard from Ketu, my first draft of my contract is turned in though not finalized (I still plan to post part of it once it is), and an abstract of our projects are due in RM; I feel like I am getting somewhere. Not that just spending time with TRJE isn’t getting somewhere, but research is more tangible and getting to it makes me feel less panicked. The plan is for me to get enough of my research done that I can lead a lesson with the kids of TRJE in two Saturdays , the 5^th of April (incidentally, my puppy will be a year old that day). Dr. Cain will be out of town that Saturday so I guess the class is mine (though at least some of the other C&C students will be there so I won’t be completely alone). Kind of scary, huh? I’ve taught Junior Achievement a couple of times but never my own lesson plan. So, anyway, the plan is to share some of what I’ve found about West Afrikan storytelling with them and lead them in creating works of their own that are somehow related. As of this point I’m not sure how they will be related, maybe a similar theme to those I find in some West Afrikan stories? As I think I said before, Ketu recommended looking specifically for stories about community and cohesion, so that may end up being the theme of the writing exercise. Then hopefully I can type up the kids’ work and have them revise it once before it is incorporated into the project. I will just have to see how that fits into the TRJE schedule. They usually have a full agenda of their own and the semester is quickly coming to an end. Dr. Cain did say something in class last time about creating a blog (or something similar) on which to publish the projects of the students working with TRJE this semester. She also said that mine may be separate which would fit well with my plan to create a blog/site with my research and the kids’ writings in response. Again, those details are yet to be ironed out. Still, enough seems concrete now to make me feel like things are really coming together. I just wish I hadn’t had to miss so much time with TRJE over break and now this past weekend.

As far as the research itself goes, I’m working on finding sources of information. I emailed Ketu on Monday for advice and got a response right away. He recommended a particular children’s’ librarian at the Allen County Public Library who he said would be able to give my research some guidance. Since time is somewhat short I had hoped to contact her by email and decided to look for contact information on the ACPL’s website. What I found was an “Ask a Librarian” link which lets you email a question about whatever information you are looking for to the library staff in general. I decided to try it and sent a short email describing what my research was about and asking where would be a good starting place and what authorities were respected on the subject. Though the email is by default addressed to whatever librarian is assigned to answer the question, I mentioned that Ketu had referred me to a particular one in my email. I was surprised to find that when I checked my email tonight I had already gotten a response from a librarian at the reference desk saying that my email had been forwarded to this children’s librarian and that I could expect an answer soon. I was very impressed with this service and would recommend it to anyone needing a librarian’s research expertise (in fact, here is a link to it http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/ask/index.html). So, now I am just waiting for an answer and playing around with some IU cat and EBSCO searches. Hopefully my research continues to go this smoothly. I’ll keep you updated.

Project Responses from Ketu

So we finally got responses to our proposals from Ketu last week (via an email from Dr. Cain). He really didn't have a lot to say or change with my project which is something of a relief. While I was open to opinions and suggestions, I was kind of afraid he would hate my idea or want me to make radical changes. He really just highlighted a few things I assume he saw as the key points (my research on Afrikan storytelling, my collecting of Afrikan stories, and my sharing these stories with the group to inspire their own creative writing efforts). He then made a comment at the end that maybe I could try and find stories that focus on maintaining group unity and use that as a theme for the kids lesson. I really like this idea and will have to see what I can find along those lines. So, I think that means that I have a pretty definite idea of what I need to do (and I need to get doing it). Our project contracts are due this Thursday to Dr. Cain, and once that is approved and signed I will post the important parts here on the blog.

TRJE week #4

So, I'm back in Indiana after a nice, sunny spring break on the beach, and it's back to the grindstone as they say. The night before we left for Florida I spent a couple of hours observing a TRJE dance rehearsal. This was my first Friday night with the group as I'm usually working, and it was a very different experience. When I attend on Saturdays for the creative writing group I participate in everything the group does. Since I don't really feel comfortable dancing (though I was invited to several times), I just observed this rehearsal. Though we did start out with the usual opening circle, and I did participate in that. After opening circle the group got right down to the rehearsal with the younger kids rehearsing first. The older kids had a class during this time (peace studies, I think), and then took the dance floor for the second half of the practice. The group's master dance teacher from Afrika was back with the group, and many of them (especially the older ones) seemed really excited about this. I was warned in advance that he was a tough task master, and that definitely proved to be true. While he wasn't what I would call harsh, he had no problem telling the kids if they were doing something wrong and that it wasn't OK. There was no coddling. While this seemed a little mean at first (especially with the younger kids), I soon realized that it is this kind of high expectation that makes the kids so good at what they do. And they are good. You can also tell, when you are just sitting back and watching, which kids are the really dedicated ones. They are the ones who are not only good and know the dances really well, but most importantly are the ones who stand in the front of the group (near the giant dance floor mirror) and put everything into the dances. They don't get cranky when they are corrected half a dozen times for the same mistake, but put everything they have into each subsequent try. It is a very impressive and even inspiring attitude. I would really like to be able to see the group perform before the semester is out. I can only imagine how amazing they are in full dress and with the whole group performing together. Aside from the dance itself, another thing I noticed that Friday was how much more comfortable I feel with the group after only a few visits. Even though I didn't participate this time, I exchanged casual comments and observation with passing staff members and felt very comfortable. I even picked up a couple of pretty cute admirers (one who asked to be my boyfriend) though I think they may be some 20 years too young for me. Anyway, I hope to be able to attend another Friday rehearsal before the semester is out, and will keep you posted.

P.S.

For any of you from research methods who may visit this blog, I have recently changed my settings to allow anyone to post comments. This way you don't have to be a member of this particular blogging community to comment. I apologize to anyone who may have tried to post and was unable to. Also, I changed my settings so that comments show in pop-up windows. Anyone having trouble viewing or leaving comments, check your browser's pop-up settings.

Libation

So, since I don't have any TRJE experiences to relate this week, I thought I would once again visit the ever-handy Wikipedia and investigate something related to my TRJE experiences (the real research will come in time, I promise!). As I mentioned before, libation is a ritual that the kids in TRJE practice that really intrigues me (see the description in my post on TRJE week #2). In fact, thinking about it inspired my creative arts in health and wellness project that I'm doing for another class this semester. So, I thought I would learn a little more about the tradition. According to Wikipedia, libation is a ritual pouring of a drink as an offering to a god that was common in religions/cultures in antiquity. The liquid was most often wine or olive oil (the use of olive oil would, I assume, be a regional practice) but could be anything including perfume, honey, fruit juices, other oils, fats or any precious liquid. The liquid was traditionally poured onto something of religious significance (like an altar) or onto the ground as an offering to the earth (or, I would think, earth gods/goddesses). Mention of the practice of libation is found in many ancient Greek texts, the Bible, Japanese culture, some South American cultures, and African culture (there are probably others not mentioned here as well). In some cultures it seems to be an offering to or remembrance of ancestors (this is roughly what the TRJE kids do). One comment posted to the Wikipedia article even suggests a connection to the ancient Chinese custom of "bai-san" in which food and drink offerings are made at the grave of an ancestor. Also, if I remember correctly from my Spanish classes, a similar custom of food and drink offerings to ancestors is practiced in Mexico. So, it seems that libation and similar practices are fairly widespread and exist in many forms in many cultures. No matter what the origin of the practice, I think that if it honors those who have gone before us and helps orient our awareness toward those people, then it is a good one. I respect the kids of TRJE for making it a part of their lives.

Project Update

I don't have a lot to say this week. As I mentioned last week, I was not able to spend time with TRJE this past Saturday because I was out of town (Othello was great, by the way). I hope that I will hear something from Ketu through Dr. Cain in tonight's class. Also, I still plan to attend a couple of hours of the TRJE dance rehearsal Friday night (then I'm off to Florida for the first time in my life!), so maybe I will be able to speak to Ketu then. I wish I had more to relate as we are now about halfway through the semester. Dr. Cain keeps telling me that I need to be patient, and that a big part of our project is spending time with TRJE and getting to know the group and its dynamics. I guess I'll just have to trust her judgment! Anyway, I'll keep you all updated.