THE WORKS of TORRENCE, GOSS and ALSTON a Dissertation
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AESTHETIC RE-CREATION AND REGENERATION IN AFRICAN AMERICAN STORYTELLING: THE WORKS OF TORRENCE, GOSS AND ALSTON A Dissertation Submitted to the Temple University Graduate Board In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY by Caroliese Frink Reed December, 2015 Examining Committee Members Dr. Abu Shardow Abarry, Advisory Chair, African American Studies Department Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, Member, African American Studies Department Dr. Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon, Member, Division of Theater, Film and Media Arts Dr. Griselda Thomas, External Member, Kennesaw State University ABSTRACT From the animal and trickster tales told by enslaved Africans in America to current education and performance based storytelling by contemporary African American storytellers, this study traces the aesthetics and epistemologies of the collaborative African diasporic oral expressive traditions. Through systematic analysis based on data derived from bibliographic and archival sources, interviews, and participant observation, it delineates the progression of the repertoire and content of Blackstorytelling through the lives and works of national and internationally known storytellers, Jackie Torrence, Linda Goss and Charlotte Blake Alston. Its theoretical framework is inspired by Kariamu Welsh Asante’s aesthetic senses coupled with pertinent ideas of other scholars in the field. The study demonstrates the existence of significant evidence of cultural preservation and artistic re-interpretation of the African aesthetic in Blackstorytelling. The genre comprises both traditional and contemporary expressions of African American culture. As such, it is a major component of the universal African oral continuum. ii Dedicated To: The Frink and Reed families, for never-ending inspiration. My African American storytelling family. In Memory of: Captain Neal Frink, my father, who always encouraged education. Dwight D. Reed, Sr., my husband, who always supported everything I tried. Yvette Kinyozi Smalls, my friend who believed in the vision. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation bears my name, but my hand and thought was truly guided by the storytelling ancestors who came before me, known and unknown, and by the love, support and prayer of family, friends, colleagues and mentors. This work was not done in isolation. To my storytelling family, I thank you collectively and individually for your dedication to the art form and continued presence of jaliyaa: Sister Linda Goss, for calling my name in the Blackstorytelling world; Sister Charlotte Blake Alston, for your patience and powerful reflections; Sister Saundra Gilliard Davis, for always answering the call; Sister Queen Nur, for your bodacious spirit and generosity; Sister TAHIRA, for a listening ear and never-ending technical support; Sister Emily Lansana, whose regal presence radiates the true gift of a jalimuso; Sister Dr. Griselda Thomas, for navigating a path for me and others; Brother Bunjo Butler, for always believing that this could be accomplished; Baba Jamal R. Koram, for your beautiful, Black mind. I also want to acknowledge the support and love of the members of Keepers of the Culture, Inc., Philadelphia’s Afrocentric Storytelling Group, the Griots’ Circle of Maryland and the Cleveland Association of Black Storytellers. I wish to acknowledge my dissertation committee for the generous support and validation of this work. A special thanks and note of immense appreciation to Dr. Abu S. Abarry, my dissertation chair and mentor, for his support, patience and professionalism since the early nineties at the University of Ghana and at Temple University. We truly came this far by faith. iv Thank you to the Faculty and Staff of the African American Studies Department, Temple University, especially, Dr. Molefi K. Asante, Dr. Sonja Peterson-Lewis and Ms. Tammy Abner, for the comments, suggestions and diligence that helped me reach my goal. Finally, I am profoundly indebted to my children, Kali and Kasimu, son-in-law, George and grandchildren, Kymble, Kori and Keira for the love, support, smiles and meals that maintained me throughout this arduous process. Thank you Kali, for constantly reminding me that if it was easy, everyone would do it. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………..ii DEDICATION…………………………………………………………………….iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………………………………………….iv CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………..1 Statement of the Problem……………………………………………….......3 Purpose of the Study……………………………………………………….6 Methodology……………………………………………………………….7 Aesthetic Foundations……………………………………………………...8 Polyrhythm…………………………………………………………....9 Curvilinear…………………………………………………………...11 Dimensionality……………………………………………………….12 Epic Memory…………………………………………………………15 Repetition…………………………………………………………….16 Limitations of the Study…………………………………………………..19 Definitions of Terms……………………………………………………....20 The African World View……………………………………………..20 Blackstorytelling……………………………………………………...20 Griot/Griotte…………………………………………………………..21 vi Jali/Jalimuso (p. jalolu) or Jeli/Jelimuso……………………………...22 Organization of Chapters…………………………………………………...22 2, REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE……………………………………………....24 Oral Narrative Performance in African American Culture…………...........24 Oral Narrative Performance in Other Cultures……………………………..27 Contemporary Storytelling……………………………………………..…...41 3. JACKIE TORRENCE………………………………………………………...51 Biography……………..…………………………………………………....51 Context of Performance…………………………………………………....60 Major Contributions to Blackstorytelling……………………………….....64 4. LINDA GOSS………………………………………………………………...71 Biography…………………………………………………………..............71 Context of Performance…………………………………………………....80 Major Contributions to Blackstorytelling………………………………….91 5. CHARLOTTE BLAKE ALSTON…………………………………………...96 Biography………………………………………………………...……….96 Context of Performance………………………………………………….108 Major Contributions to Blackstorytelling………………………………..113 6. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS……………116 Summary…………………………………………………………………116 Conclusion……………………………………………………………….119 Recommendations………………………………………………………...122 Recommendation One-Research and Scholarly Advancement……...122 vii Recommendation Two-In-Depth Examination of Storytelling and Storytellers in K-12 Classroom………………………………………123 Recommendation Three-Create and Support Pathways for Training and Mentoring………………………………………………124 Recommendation Four-Awareness and Advocacy of BlackStorytelling……………………………………………………127 Recommendation Five-Acceptance of an Creative use of new Technologies………………………………………………………...128 BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………………...131 APPENDICES……………………………………………………………………….150 A. JACKIE TORRENCE: SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND DISCOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………….150 B. LINDA GOSS: SELECTED BIBIOGRAPHY AND DISCOGRAPHY……153 C. CHARLOTTE BLAKE ALSTON: SELECTED BIBLIOGRPHY AND DISCOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………155 viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study is to critically examine the art of African American storytelling in its historical and contemporary contexts. Special attention is paid to the genre’s antecedents and practitioners in continental Africa. We begin with a consideration of African spoken arts, particularly the traditions of the jali/jalimuso or griot. The roles and mission of these artists are multifaceted. They function as storyteller, oral historian, genealogist, advisor, spokesperson, diplomat, interpreter, translator, musician, teacher, exhorter, praise-singer, witness and warrior (Hale, 1998). Their orality or orature has impacted the lives of the community and influenced a network of complex and social relationships. Witness the way Niane (1965) describes the griot: Formerly ‘griots’ were the counsellors of kings, they conserved the constitutions of kingdoms by memory work alone; each princely family had its griot appointed to preserve tradition; it was from among the griots that kings used to choose the tutors for young princes. In the very hierarchical society of Africa before colonization,,,the griot appears as one of the most important of this society, because it is he who, for want of archives, records the customs, traditions and governmental principles of kings. (p. vii) A useful discussion of the genre in its new American context appears in Abarry’s (1990) article “The African-American Legacy in American Literature”. Abarry (1990) emphasizes that the beginning of literary creations by Africans in America is of course, orature. Orature, as a body of work, employs many forms, e.g, “spirituals, the blues, and 1 the work songs, to the sermons, proverbs, and tales” (p. 380). The spirituals, also known as “Negro spirituals”, are of special importance. According to Abarry, (1990) These special songs have always held importance, especially during periods of enslavement, persecution, or hardship, for they provide ecstatic visions of an alternate world of solace and hope .The spirituals also have functioned as an efficient system of communication, bearing concealed messages of inspiration, insult, or revolt as well as instructions and directions for escape and freedom of enslaved or persecuted Africans in America. (p. 380) Similarly, according to Abarry (1990), the folktales incorporate “symbolic and allegorical materials” that are expressed artistically and with intensity. Folklorist, Richard Dorson (1956) acknowledges the character and importance of African American folktales when he states One of the memorable bequests by the Negro to American civilization is his rich and diverse store of folktales…Storytelling