ABOUT

Our Mission

NGN is dedicated to supporting, and showcasing Black artists and culturally diverse poets and presenters in Canada and internationally.

OBJECTIVES

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.

FOCUS

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)

GRIOT

A (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.

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