MY AFRICAN DRESS

Dear Friends,

Thank you very much for your lovely gift. As you can see, I managed to make my own African dress with your designs and suggestions. I hope you like it as much as I do, cause I love it !!!!

Thanks again.

Love

Laura

THIS SONG GOES TO THE CHILDREN AT THE CITY OF REFUGE ORPHANAGE.

SOMME COMMENTS BY THE PARTICIPANTS ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

- I was able to discover that I have hidden talents in storytelling, advert making and acting. I would never have discovered this but for this workshop and I'd like to say a big THANK YOU.

- I got to learn some techniques that will aid me in teaching and easy ways to communicate with the kids through storytelling....I hope there will be more of these workshops in the future.

The programme was interesting from the fist day to the last day..... The activities are son interesting and funny which make teaching and learning so easy. It motivates pupils interest... I say I'm hapy to be part of the workshop.

- I was a great workshop. I personally have learnt a lot and I promise to give it back in my profession and in my daily activities.

- In the course of the training I was taught different methodological approach to teach s story in my class.... I achieved a lot at the end of the training and wished that it never came to an end. I promised to translate what I have learnt to my pupils.

- I really had a swell time and enjoyed the programme, I wish to participate in a programme like this again.

- From the first day to the last I enjoyed all the activities which caught my attention because children need this.

- On the whole, this workshop is very educative. I pray such should be organize sometime in the future.

- The activities woke up in me the creative tendencies which remind me that I can become an author one day. The workshop helped me to mix up with people with different race and cultures.

BE TRUTHFUL ALWAYS. A NIGERIAN TALE BY REGINA

Once upon a time, in a small remote village called Nkono there lived two boys named Ika and Eka who were identical twins. Ika was known to be a very humble and polite boy while Eka was known to be an arrogant and impolite boy. Due to their resemblance, many people could not identify them, so it caused a lot of problems to people in the village except their parents, who knew them well.

One day, Ika and Eka went out with their catapult to aim at killing animals. Eka got bored at aiming animals, so he turned and started aiming at people. He aimed at an old woman right on her forhead. When Eka realised what he had done, he ran away. The woman dropped what she was carrying and screamed in pain "Oh, oh, oh, my head, my head, somebody help me"

Everyone rushed to the scene and asked the old woman what had happened and she narrated it. She was asked if she could identify the person. She pointed her finger towards Ika and shouted "see him, see him, he is the one".

Ika was caught but pleaded that the was innocent, but the old woman was still insistin that he was the one.

Suddenly, a young man came up, dragging Eka and said: "no, leave him, I saw it al, this is the one who did it."

Everyone saw their striking resemblance and were amazed. They left Ika but dealt with Eka. Eka changed from that day and he was like his brother Ika.

Song:

Idiok mkpo ifiono, idiok nkpo ifiono,

ifiono oioo inam idiok nkpo, idiok

nkpo ifiono, ifiono owo ndi inam idiok

nkpo ifiono idiok nkpo ifiono.

Translation:

Wickedness is not good, wickedness

is not good. Don't be wicked there

is no reward. Eka, don't be wicked,

ther is no reward.

THURSDAY NIGHT. ROBIN HOOD STORYTELLING AT CASALINDA

THE TORTOISE. A NIGERIAN TALE BY CAROLINE

One upon a time, there was starvation and hunger in the animal kingdom, the tortoise being a smart and cunning animal suggested to the other animals, that in the neigbouring villages there were always merriment and parting. All the animals decided to attend all the parties at the other villages.

At the party the host will serve all the animals together say the food and drinks is for all of you. As the animals attended about five parties, the tortoise brought in the credy part of his life because he was not always satisfied with the portion given to him.

So when the animal got back to their village, the tortoise invited all the other animals informing them that there will be a change in his name call: All of you.

There was another party in the sky and the tortoise has no wings to fly, so he borrow wings legs and other tihings to enable him attend. At the party the host brought the entertainment as usual and said: Is for All of you. Then tortoise announced to other animals that as you all know All of you was his name, so the entertainment belongs to him. All the other animals waited till the end of the party, nothing was given to them, they all were annoyed and every other animal decided to collect what ever they borrowed the tortoise.

The tortoise couldn't go back, so he begged one of the animals to tell his wife to spread a big blanket so that when he is falling from the sky he will not fall on the bare ground, the wife obeyed, but other animals planned for him, so when they say the tortoise falling from the sky they quickly removed the blanket. So the tortoise fell down and broke his shell.

A NIGERIAN TALE BY BOLA

An old woman who has a goat and a little grandson called Ojo. The old woman cares for both the goat and Ojo and there was a day when the Old woman wants to go to the market. She cooked jam porage and said to the grandson that until she returned from the market, before they will all eat and ask Ojo to go to the farm and get some fire wood while the goat was tied. But Ojo hid behind the house and wait for his grandma to go to the market and as soon as the grandma left, he sinck into the house and ate all the porage and broke the mud pot hanged it in the goat neck, rub his oily hand on the goat's mouth. The Old woman returned from the market tired and hungry and see her cooking mud pot hanged on the goat's neck. She was annoyed and she starts to beat the goat. Amazingly te goat started to talk and the Old woman was shock and surprised, and draged the goat to the village square.

Everyone there couldn't believe what they heard a goat sing.

The song goes this way:

E mi a gboo emi a gboo

a a emi a gbo Ojo fi oioo

epo bo mi lenu

a a emi agbo O Fi agba

gba bo mi lorun a a a

emi a gbo Ojo ro pe eran

ko ki insoro a a a emi a gbo

Translation:

Listen, listen to me

listen, listen to me

Ojo thought animals don't talk

He ate and breake the pot

listen, listen to me

he hang and rub my mouth

with oily hand so as to

convince grandma that I ate the porage

THE TORTOISE AND THE PARROT. A NIGERIAN TALE BY STELLA

Dear Diary, today was the happiest day of my life. I had to proof to Mr. Tortoise that I am the wisest animal in the world. Which obviously he didn't agree at first.

Last week I was at Mr. Tostoise house to tell him about this amazing discovery. He laughed at me and thought I was a joker

"Ah ha! What do you expect of Parrots?" he said scornfully. "They just fly about telling fake tales. "Well my good Koru, fly away and tell this to cat and see what he'll do to you". He said to me.

Alright, if you think I just told you a joke, you watch out and see. In the next few days the Iroko tree in the village is coming down." I said and flew away.

The Iroko tree is workshipped by the villagers. Market women on their way to the market stop to offer something to it, in the hope that they would have a good day.

Early the following morning I flew to the Iroko tree and settled on it. After each woman had made her offering, I shouted out saying: "No luck fo you today!"

Soon news about this spread and the Elders held a meeting. They decided that the Iroko tree had become evil and that it must be cut down. In no time at all the tree was cut down in the presence of the Elders, and just as it fell I cried out: "You can't catch me!"

I flew off, making straight for Mr. Tortoise's. Mr. Tortoise was just going out to see the fallen Iroko tree and his wife was seeing him off.

"Who's the wisest animal now? Hah! Hah! Hah! I laughed out loud. Finally I did proof it to him. Good night dear diary.

ACTIVITIES THURSDAY 14TH

THIS IS A BOOK....

Everyone in a circle. Teach this dialogue:

A.- This is a book

B.- a what?

A.- A book.

B.- a what?

A.- a book.

B.- Oh, a book!

Make sure that the group establishes a steady rhythm with this dialogue.

Then the first person uses an actual book. After the line: Oh, a book! player A passes the book to player B who then turns to player C on their other side and they repeat the dialogue. Practice around the circle one or twice and then introduce new objects. Put two objects in the circle one after the other to make it more difficult until everybody is giving and receiving objects at the same time

KEY WORDS

Choose some works from a text or a story. Each word is given an action and a sentence. Write the words down on the board and train the players to say and do the relative action when they hear the word. When all of them know what they have to do, tell them the story or read the text, pausing in the key words.

YOUR SCENARIO

Small groups of 5/6. Each group writes 4 or 5 words on the board. The leader writes all the words in pieces of paper and gives 5 words to

each group. Then they will write a short story including the words that they are given and perform the story on stage.

THE DONKEY AND THE CRICKET. A NIGERIAN TALE BY STEPHANIE

Dear diary...

In the land of Dowra in Kano state lived a donkey who was very unhappy because he had to work hard from sunrise to sunset. He never had time to play or to lie in comfort in the sun like his friends or like me (the cricket).

It isn't the hard work I mind so much, he said to me one day. It's the time it takes to do everything. As soon as I finish one piece of work my master finds me something else he wants me to carry or pull. I am getting to dislike my life. I never have time to play. He said to me.

Then I asked him: "why don't you sing while you work? then the load you carry would seem much lighter.

He aswered and said "that's easier said than done. Just because you sing so well, it doesn't mean to say everybody else can. You know what happens everytime I sing. My master gets so angry that he beats me without mercy!

"That's because you stand still in the middle of the road, and keep singing hee-haw for hours"

"But you sing for hours and nobody beats you"

"I don't stop still in the middle of the road"

Poor donkey, he was surprised by my explanation

"What is wrong with singing hee-haw?" he asked me.

"Well, it's not a very pleasing song, is it? And people don't like to hear the same thing over and over again." I said.

"oh, I see" said the donkey. "Can you teach me how to sing the same way as you do?"

I laughed and told him donkeys can't sing like crickets.

"why not?" he asked sadly.

I told him it just wouldn't because it's a family secret.

"Oh, I promise not to tell a single person about it if you teach me, please, mis cricket, please!"

"Okey!" I decided to tell him the secret and asked him not to tell any body about it. He promised and the secret was "you mustn't eat or drink anything but dew. Dew as you know is the water that lies on the grass in the early morning. Then you will be able to sing like me!"

"How can I live on nothing but dew?" he asked.

"There you are!" I should never have told you" I said to him. Well donkey started feeding and nothing but dew,. After a few days he felt very weak and tried to sing. His voice still came out as hee-haw but it was much softer and higher than before, it was almost as high as mine. The donkey was pleased. He resolved never to eat grass again, but when he tried to sing there came no voice and soon afterwards the poor donkey died.

That is the reason why donkeys go mad when they hear we, the cricket sing. They kick and shout hee-haw, hee-haw. They stamp around looking for us trying to step on us. But we always are able to escape.

Good-night diary.

ACTIVITIES WEDNESDAY 13TH

MIRRORS

Players stand in pairs face to face and decide who will be player one and who will be player two. Player one is the leader and begins to move slowly, player two is the reflexion and must try to mirror player one's movements. After a few minutes the roles are changed. Players should work towards the changes being impossible to see and therefore who is leading and who is following. This activity demands that the players see the "whole" of the other player, to concentrate and to work together.

VOCAL MIRRORS

In pairs the players perform the mirror exercise including vocal reflection by speaking at the same time and saying the same thing.

INTERVIEW TWINS

Three players create and interview scene. One player is the interviewer, the other two are the guest (one guest, the two players act as one person). The guest must answer the interviewer's questions at the same time saying the same thing, trying to develop a "twin connection".

LINE GREETINGS

Put the group in two lines facing each other. Each line works as one person together. They must develop a dialogue between line A and line B, being line A one person and line B another person.

MR. MOON (SONG)

THE KING'S TEST. A NIGERIAN TALE BY GEORGINA

Dear Diary...

I am princess Doo and well loved by my father the Lion King. When it was time for me to get married, my father had a test for all my suitors before he would determine who is suitable to marry me.

He invited all the other animals in our kingdom and presented six seeds of small pepper saying that any animal who could chew the seeds one after the other without feeling its pinch or hotness it would marry me.

The dog tried first but could not keep its tongue in the mouth as it felt the hotness of the pepper.

Next came the cat, the elephant, the donkey, horse and giraffe. All the other animals tried and all failed. Finally came the hare. It decided that it would sing while chewing the pepper. It song and chew and song and chewed until it chewed all six seeds. Unknown to my father, the song was a method it used to expel the hotness of the pepper and cool its tongue.

Finally I am happily married to my wise husband the hare who was smarter tan all the other animals.

Its song was:

A sange a mbakpa a trata...

or la ya ya...

nana tough ya...

kwase a bunda nan...

In English:

The six seeds of pepper...

the who eats it...

and shows its hotness...

the new bride...

he losses....

ACTIVITIES TUESDAY 12TH

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Players stand in a circle with enough room to move their elbows. Player one begins miming an activity, any activity such as playing football. Player two, to the right asks player one: "what are you doing?" Player one is to answer without hesitating with the first action which comes to mind OTHER than the one he/she is miming. I.e. tying my shoelaces.

Player two then begins miming the thing announced by player one a

nd is asked by player three "what are you doing?"....

Get players to speed up and start to eliminate if they hesitate, repeat or make a mistake.

EMOTIONAL BOUNDARIES

The place is divided in four zones. Each one will be designated with a particular emotion, as the players move about on the place they must adopt the emotion of the zone that they are in. First time slowly and stand in each emotion for a while. After a few times, speed up.

EMOTIONAL SYMPHONY

Put the participants is groups of five/six. Each group is designed an emotion. They must agree how to express this emotion with a noise. After practising the noises, put all the groups as a chorus, choose one person who will be the conductor of the emotional orchestra.

CINDERELLA

Choose a well-known fairy tale. I.e: Cinderella. Review the story with the help of the participants. Write the main characters in the board. Put the part

icipants in pairs or small groups. Each group is one of the characters of the story, and they must write the story from their own point of view as a diary. They must start with the beggining: "Dear diary..."

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ACTIVITIES MONDAY 11TH

NAME WITH AND ADJECTIVE

Ask the participants to tell you words to describe a person phisically and in character. Put all the participants in a circle. Each person in the circle introduce him/herself saying: I'm (name) and I'm (adjective)! with a walk appropriate to the adjective hi /she uses by walking into the circle. Everybody must walk to him/her and pointing at him/her repeat: He/she is (name) and he/she is (adjective).

NAME WITH AN ACTION

Players stand in a circle. One player says his/her name and at the same time invents a matching action or movement. The

player next to the left repeats the name and action and adds his/her own name and new action. The

n the next players does exactly te same, including the names and actions of the people before and so on around the circle. If any player makes a mistake, the action returns to the first player.

BIOGRAPHICAL PORTRAITS

All players are given a piece of paper and a pen. They are then given 2 minutes to draw themselves and include in their drawin

g the answer to a series of questions that has been put on the board, like, what do you do for a living?, what do you want to be?, what do you dream of? what are you afraid of?, etc.

The drawings are then passed on the person next to them. The person who receives the drawing must introduce the artirts but only according to what they actually see or can presuppose from the self-portrait. After that, the owner of the drawing can explain more about him/herself.

I FEEL... WHEN...

Elicit all te adjectives from the participants and write them on the blackboard. Players take it in turns to make sentences following the structure: I feel (adjective) when .....

When all the adjectives are finished put the class into small groups and give them 5 adjectiv

es each on paper taken from the blackboard. The team must then mime each adjective with th

e rest of the class guessing which feeling is.

FAMILY PORTRAITS

The same groups as before. Ask one group to create a "family portrait" based on a type of family indicated by the leader Take photos of the group miming the feelings: THE HAPPY FAMILY, THE THIRSTY FAMILY, THE SMALL FAMILY.... Quickly move on the next group and form another portrait. After a while change the feelings for animals: THE ELEPHANT FAMILY, THE LION FAMILY, etc.

GROUP MACHINE - GROUP ANIMAL

Each group must create a machine or an animal by: the first player gets into the scene and stand facing the group, adding a movement and a noise. When it's done, the other players, one by one, get next to player one, adding a new movement and a different noise until the whole machine or anim

al is created.

PARTICIPANTS

Thanks a lot to: Abraham, Appollonia, Bola, Caroline, Doris, Funmi, Georgina, Ifeoma, Juliana, Regina, Stella, Stephanie and Victoria, for your participation, energy and good work. Without you the workshop could not have been so great.

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