Folktales and Other Stories from the Edge of the Great Thirst
Tales of Survival in a Harsh Environment
by
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This is a collection of 25 stories. There are some old "re-spiced" folktales and new stories, all brewed in the harsh arid semi-desert on the edge of the Kalahari desert. The stories are about survival in this harsh environment. They bring out the character and culture of animals, birds and humans that call this place home. There are feared rulers, beloved but ineffectual leaders and effective leadership from the least expected characters. There are the sights and sounds of beautiful Africa as it was in the past and as it is today. The book aims to elevate the teaching role of the African folktale through well developed characters that provide education and entertainment.
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About the Book
As Bhekumuzi Wuyane perches himself on the great local dome of Dombodema, he is approached by an elderly African storyteller who begins telling him about life in a harsh environment at the edge of the Kalahari Desert. Amid a backdrop filled with cunning animals, strong women, feared and adored leaders, and lovers and sworn enemies, the man relays tales of the three great kingdoms that will eventually transform Wuyane and teach him valuable life lessons.
In his collection of twenty folk tales derived from that experience, Wuyane weaves the African man’s stories with others, both old and new, to emphasize the rapidly fading art of passing down messages through folklore. As animals and people struggle both together and separately to overcome their challenges and survive in the desert, leadership styles, a variety of emotions, and good and evil intentions are revealed, illustrating the deeper meaning in every story told within the African culture. When the tales conclude, Wuyane meets with the older man once again, relating the treasured messages he has learned.
Folktales and Other Stories from the Edge of the Great Thirst is a collection of stories with strong and timeless morals that will appeal to both current and future generations interested in fulfilling their visions.
About the Author
The book illustrator, Bekithemba Thabani Nkala, is a student at an Art University in San Francisco, California, and dreams of a future as an animator. This is his first collaboration with the author. Bekithemba has compiled his art work on the webpage Http://thebtproject.weekly.com