Transcripts

BRANDT WILLIAMS: Nothando Zulu has been telling African and American folk tales for 27 years.

GROUP: (SINGING) Jumbo. Jumbo. Jumbo watoto jumbo. Jumbo watoto jumbo.

BRANDT WILLIAMS: Today, she's at the Children's Museum in St. Paul, warming up a group of about 15 toddlers and their parents with a song that doubles as a Swahili lesson. The warm-up helps the kids get ready for the story. Zulu has taught them how to say hello, children, hello.

NOTHANDO ZULU: Jumbo.

GROUP: Jumbo.

NOTHANDO ZULU: And welcome. All right, now--

BRANDT WILLIAMS: Zulu begins with an African folktale about a rabbit who asks Nyami the Sky-God to give him wisdom. But in order for Zomo to acquire that wisdom, he must bring Nyami the scales of a large fish, the milk from a wild cow, and the tooth of a leopard.

NOTHANDO ZULU: Zomo is not big. Zomo is not strong. But Zomo is very, very clever. Yes, he is, he's clever.

BRANDT WILLIAMS: Zomo sets off to fulfill his task by using his wits, and soon he finds a way to get the big fish to part with its scales just by beating a drum.

NOTHANDO ZULU: He was beating that drum so fast and big fish was dancing so fast, big fish danced all of his scales off. They shook right down to the ground. And big fish looked and said [GASPS] oh, no, my scales are gone. I'm naked. Oh, no.

BRANDT WILLIAMS: The kids giggle as Zulu briefly impersonates an embarrassed fish. Zulu also mimics the physical characteristics of the story's subjects as she continues to tell of how the wily rabbit tricks the wild cow into letting Zomo milk her. The rabbit then uses his wits to entice the leopard to roll down a hill, hit his mouth on a rock, and knock one of its teeth into Zomo's awaiting paw. Once Zomo brings the items back to the Sky-God, Nyami presents the daring rabbit with this lesson.

NOTHANDO ZULU: You have no caution. So my wisdom to you is this, Zomo, whenever you see wild cow or big fish or the leopard, you have better run fast. And that's the story of Zomo the rabbit. Mm-hmm. [APPLAUSE]

BRANDT WILLIAMS: Zulu says she can tell when she's connected with children just by looking in their eyes. The story of Zomo the rabbit, she says, has a message intended especially for children.

NOTHANDO ZULU: You know, when storytelling began, I'm sure that it was to give guidance to the children, but to also let them know that, even though they were children, that, you know, if they thought, if they planned, if they were smart, that they could overcome some of those obstacles.

BRANDT WILLIAMS: Zulu says this theme was also used by captive Africans in America who told stories of Brer rabbit, a character who used his wits to put one over on the larger animals who wanted to kill him. She says it was a way for slaves to maintain hope that they could one day overcome their oppressors.

NOTHANDO ZULU: All right, look, thank you all for coming and listening to our stories. I hope you enjoyed them and

BRANDT WILLIAMS: At the end of the show, Zulu is slightly winded, and her skin glows with perspiration. She says she tries to limit herself to one or two performances a day so she doesn't wear herself out. Zulu says she'd like to see people pay more attention to Black history all year round. However, she does perform in schools throughout the year. And Zulu says she already has dates booked in March for Women's History Month. I'm Brandt Williams, Minnesota Public Radio.