African Book of Wisdom
A friend went to Chicago for a conference and found the perfect gift. The small, handmade book is filled with African Wisdom. The covers have a geometric yarn pattern. They’re very tactile.
There are a number of African sayings (I was hoping for one or two Zambian quotes but, alas, there were none) on natural brown pages. The artwork is also very geometric and native. Two of my favorite bits of wisdom:
Until the snake is dead, do not drop the stick. — Ivorian proverb
Do not throw away the oars before the boat reaches the shore — Mpongue proverb
Jabbes says that in Zambia they often use proverbs and tales to teach children and make points in discussions. He has said that he would love to do 3D animations of some of the Zambian folk tales. I’m looking forward to hearing those stories to see if the student animators at MCC could produce such a film. I have a gifted student, Luis Alvarez, who wants to make an animated film. I’m waiting until we get back from Zambia to get that project started. It’s all so exciting.
