The Zeitz MOCAA Centre for Art Education has launched a series of storybooks for children, inspired by its first exhibition for children, And So The Stories Ran Away, curated in 2019.
The four stories in the series – The Tale of Mouse and the Stories That Ran Away, First Light, Nya Nya Bulembu, and Khvum and the Crocodile Woman – are written by Meridian Berndt and illustrated by artists, Jill Joubert and Jax Lamb, designer Mandy Wamono and Meridian Berndt, respectively and originate from different parts of Africa. They explore themes of journey, creation, self-discovery, friendship, courage and acceptance. Each story reflects a love of nature and celebrates the natural order of life and how everything is interwoven. The essence of each story is beautifully captured in the magical characters created by the illustrators.
The Stories That Ran Away
This wonderful collection of stories exposes children to African folktales, reimagined by Meridien Berndt, and provides an insight into different cultures and traditions.
The Tale of Mouse and the Stories That Ran Away
In this delightful recreation of a West African Ekoi legend, the author has created a magical world of exploration. Mouse lives in a hidden house underground, connected by worm tunnels, through which she ventures out into the world late at night gathering treasures from everywhere. She weaves these treasures into her “Story Children”, who multiply and fill up the space in her house. When there is no longer space and the rusty hinged door gives way, all the stories run out into the sunlight. They never return, but spend their lives running and jumping freely around Earth.
Khvum and the Crocodile Woman
A wonderful tale originating from the Congo Basin, it tells the story of creation from a different (watery) perspective, beautifully illustrated by the author. Long, long ago before people or animals inhabited Earth, Khvum, the creator, and the ancient crocodile woman lived lonely lives in a silent world – crocodile woman in the river and Khvum on land. When the loneliness becomes too much, Khvum decides to invoke his powers of creation.
He gathers up seeds (all shapes and sizes) and stows them in a boat he made from tree trunks. Guided through the waterways by the ancient crocodile woman, Khvum begins his watery adventure and as he travels, the world starts to move and take shape. He tosses seeds onto river banks, willing them to become birds, animals, insects, reptiles and sea-dwelling creatures. Afterwards, every perfectly designed living thing existed in this new world in harmony.
First Light
This charming recreation of a San legend is about the journey from darkness into light. It relates the story of a time, before the sun, when the First People lived in the cold and dark. But soon the children of the First People begin having dreams of a brighter world. Spurred on by tales from the elders of a selfish, grumpy old man living alone in a mountain cave who could light up the world, a group of intrepid children undertake a journey to find and befriend him. The brave adventurers navigate the sheer cliffs and steep narrow paths, determined not to fail, until they reach the cave where the old man lies slumbering under a threadbare blue-black blanket, leaking light.
Terrified of the intimidating Grandfather Sun, the children carefully lift him in the blanket and make their way out the cave. But soon, the heat from Grandfather Sun becomes too hot for them and they have to let him go, so they toss him and his blanket high into the sky. Grandfather Sun is delighted with his launch into the heavens and so he sparkles and shines, bringing light to the world for the first time.
Nya Nya Bulembu
The final book in this series is a beautiful, inspirational tale from eSwatini about Mosa, a beautiful, kind and much-loved princess whose Father, the King, becomes jealous of the love the villagers bestow on her. Overcome with jealous rage, he sends his hunters to kill the Nya Nya Bulema – a hideous, mossy, warty, slimy, green monster – and gets his sorcerer to encapsulate the princess in the monster’s skin.
Waking the next morning, Mosa is horrified by her appearance and when the villagers all run away from her screaming, she retreats to the dark forest, hurt and ashamed. But life among the animals of the forest soon brings her joy. She learns to accept her fate and how to survive, becoming strong and resourceful. The animals recognise her inherent loving nature and kindness and help her to break the spell, restoring her to her original human form. She returns to the village, wiser, stronger and ready to lead with kindness and justice.
The series of books, The Stories that Ran Away, is dedicated to the late Marilyn Martin, former director of the Iziko South African Gallery in Cape Town. Martin was a respected art historian, writer, and curator of the South African world and a champion of arts education for all children.
The Stories that Ran Away are available at R175 per book or R600 for the full set from the Zeitz MOCAA Shop.
For more info contact: info@zeitzmocaa.museum, www.zeitzmocaa.museum
