NORTHERN GRIOTS NETWORK
The Northern Griots Network (NGN) is a African Canadian spoken word artists collective , founded in 2003, which functions as a network of culturally diverse spoken word poets and poetry presenters. Our members operate and perform in spoken word series in such Canadian cities as Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver. One of our main priorities is to assist African Canadian spoken word poets in accessing resources and information that can help develop their skills and careers.
HISTORY
In 2003, the NGN organized an Xchange tour, a series of poetry events across Canada which supported poets from matched cities to travel and perform. The performances took place from September 2003 to February 2004 in cities across Canada. We were assisted by the Canada Council for the Arts, and by the efforts of our members, in the spirit of unity and collective development. Our vision is to forward culturally diverse spoken word in Canada and abroad.
Focus
The NGN focus includes:
The objectives of the NGN were originally articulated in 2004 as follows:
The NGN focus includes:
- History/Heritage (understanding of the griot tradition, especially as manifest in African Canadian and culturally diverse artists who have laid the groundwork for spoken word poetry in Canada)
- Communication (nationally and internationally, amongst a growing network of culturally diverse spoken word presenters and artists, as well as artists in a range of disciplines, as well as community workers and leaders)
- Artistic Excellence (assistance for artists to develop their skills and careers through performance opportunities and developmental workshops)
- Education (helping artists access opportunities to learn about arts education)
The objectives of the NGN were originally articulated in 2004 as follows:
- To provide a point of coordination whereby poets can travel and perform in cities across Canada in a series of inter-city exchanges
- To assist in arranging international performances by Canadian spoken word poets by linking with promoters of spoken word series, festivals, and other events in the US, Caribbean/Latin America, Africa, South America, US, and elsewhere
- To collaborate in promoting, distributing, and retailing artist products
- To serve as a resource for poets, in terms of information concerning copyright, funding, venues, management, representation, media, and other areas
- To inform and protect poets, by advising on fair fees, conditions and hiring practices
- To advocate for increased hiring, promotion, and retention of African Canadians in Canadian cultural agencies, and assist agencies in consulting diverse communities.
- To develop and implement programs like school tours, poetry workshops, mentoring
- To establish an urban spoken word summit/festival, and recognize achievements.
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A griot (gree’-oh) is a storyteller in traditional West African Culture who preserves the oral history of her/his village. Griots are revered orators who memorize important events in a village’s history including births, deaths, marriages and battles, and embody the collective memory of the village. A griot ensures that the community has the perspective of the past as well as the news of today upon which to base its decisions. A griot can speak and/or sing their stories, often to musical accompaniment, and entertain while drawing upon a history passed from generation to generation, from griot to griot.
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RITES OF PASSAGE – AS STORYTELLERS
As you become a storyteller you become holder of a rich collection of oral literature
that includes myths, legends, folktales, riddles, and proverbs you are
gifted with honoring those that have gone before you by passing down your acquired wisdom That will
manifests it selves in poetry, melody and song used for the good of the
community by you sharing and in turn bearing a new generation of STORYTELLERS.
"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
~ West African proverb
