Zeitz MOCAA Centre for Art Education launched its children’s book series, The Stories that Ran Away, on Saturday, 20 July at the museum. This series of four wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated children’s books marks another first for the Zeitz MOCAA Centre for Art Education and affirms its mission to create a museum that is also a place for children. 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, Jax Lamb, Meridian Berndt, Jill Joubert, and designer Mandy Wamono. Multi-award-winning performer, director and writer Carlo Daniels and fellow performers brought The Tale of Mouse and The Stories that Ran Away to life for children, families and special guests. The writer and illustrators were present for a book signing. The books are available at the Zeitz MOCAA Shop at R175 each and the full set is also available in a beautiful slipcover for R600. Also available, is a charming selection of merchandise including tote bags, posters, and pins.
WINTER STORYTELLING PROGRAMME
The book launch marked the beginning of an exciting education campaign inspired by the books. Children and families are invited to attend our Winter Storytelling Programme to experience the stories with performers, puppeteers, and artists. Children aged 5 to 12 are invited to join in their gowns and slippers or something comfy for storytime with hot chocolate and marshmallows, at Zeitz MOCAA. The four stories will be read and performed on four Saturdays in August at 4 pm – 6 pm with each Saturday focusing on a different story. The books will be available for purchase in the museum shop before the start of the session.
Date | Story
3 August | First Light
10 August | The Tale of Mouse and the Stories that Ran Away
17 August | Nya Nya Bulembu
24 August | Khvum and the Crocodile Woman
Time
4 pm – 6 pm
Venue
Zeitz MOCAA Scheryn Arena, Level 0, Zeitz MOCAA
The event is FREE with museum membership and entry of R250 pp but booking is essential
The Tale of Mouse and the Stories that Ran Away, First Light, Nya Nya Bulembu and Khvum and the Crocodile Woman are reimaginings of four stories from different parts of Africa that tell of beginnings, creation and transformation, with each book celebrating a love and respect for the natural world. The journey of these books began with the museum’s first exhibition for children that opened in September 2019, And So the Stories Ran Away (ASSRA). This interactive, child-centred exhibition of seventeen artworks and installations was exhibited in the tunnels on Level -1 of the museum. The broad theme of ‘stories from Africa’ informed the content of the ASSRA exhibition and artists could choose myths, legends, historical events, contemporary or personal stories to inspire their artworks. ‘How Stories Came Among Men’ is a Nigerian folktale that became the ‘framing’ story for the ASSRA exhibition and in addition to three origin stories from Central Africa, South Africa, and Swaziland were chosen as the first stories for the children’s book series that the museum has published and now launched.
Additional programming events will stretch across the remaining months of the year punctuated with teacher and learner workshops, culminating in the Children’s Summer Holiday Programme in December. The variety of programmes will make space for children to learn through reading, making and performance, and affords teachers the opportunity to develop creative tools to use in their classrooms. It is our hope that these books, that have brought stories from Africa to life, will also provide more places for the imaginations of children to thrive.
Zeitz MOCAA Centre for Art Education would like to thank Afreximbank and Zeitz MOCAA Patrons & Friends, including the Global Council, for their generous support of the launch of the children’s book series, The Stories that Ran Away.