Tales By Moonlight

Lady Ballers Camp will host a weekly-run program titled “The Return of African-Caribbean Folklores: Tales by Moonlight.” The program will consist of a showcasing of Continental African and Caribbean folktales brought to life through narrated animation on the big screen with African drum accompaniment and facilitator-led discussion.

Children and youth of colour, and even more particularly black children and youth, generally have few opportunities to engage with culturally appropriate forms of entertainment and education. The importance of African folktales, storytelling, and the actual ceremonial aspect of this tradition is failing to be passed down to younger generations. In the absence of this practice, children and youth are also missing out on the important lessons, knowledge, and wisdom that have held communities together for centuries. In addition to these goals, the project’s aim is to spark interest in literacy by promoting reading material in the style of short folklore stories. One of LBC’s objectives is to establish pathways to literacy/learning for children and youth. We hope that by sparking children’s imaginations through vivid and engaging multi-media presentations, and subsequent discussion and reading assignments, children will be motivated to continue exploring storytelling through written form.

Overall, Tales by Moonlight is intended to connect young people of colour/black youth to their shared heritage and cultural roots. The intention is to reconnect or introduce children and youth to the practice of traditional storytelling and its creative use of folklore as a means to communicate unique ancestral world views, pass on important teachings, and strengthen the unity of the shared community of parents, caregivers and children. Children will learn through creative means the importance of qualities such as integrity, honesty, courage, leadership and teamwork; they will learn to value their own strengths and abilities; and will be inspired to think more creatively and draw their own interpretations and conclusions from the themes and concepts played out in each story, further refining their critical thinking skills.

The two-day event at Regent Park, Toronto & Rosalea Park, Brampton will showcase a variety of different folktales and ancient stories from across Africa and the Caribbean. Children, youth, adults are all invited to this event of summer celebration through these tales and storytelling ceremony. 

We thank Canadian Heritage for helping us bring this event to life.