School Visit by Chinook Library Staff for Coyote Shadow Puppet Plays and Stories
Carrying the shadow puppet theatre through the halls at St. Patrick's Elementary School, I could hear recess ending as children streamed into the halls . Up a set of stairs and at the end of a hall way I located the library and Manisha and Mrs. Barb McCrie. Our set up included some adjustments as we tried a second projector and stacked books under the thetre for better visuals. Forty-seven children and six adults attended our inaugural Coyote Shadow Puppet Show and Storytelling for schools and libraries on Feb. 3. During the set up the students were intrigued by the acetate visuals created by library staff to complement the stories. Some of them described the artwork as "Cool!"
Manisha Khetarpul began with an introduction that introduced grade two class of 47 students to an aboriginal culture hero named Coyote. As Manisha introduced the program she engaged her audience fully with a question and answer dialogue about shadow puppets, Coyote and the library. The children said they had heard one story previously about Coyote as myth and legend. The story of Coyote goes back to days when animals, plants and rocks talked with humans; when stories were told and language was not written down. Coyote is wise, foolish, creative, helpful and trickster. The stories told demonstrate some aspects of his personality.
In Coyote and Mouse (Yellow Behind the Ears) a shadow play by Manisha and Margaret (script retold by Margaret, illustrations by Hilary) Little Mouse plays a trick on Coyote and the tables are turned on the ‘master trickster’. The children were encouraged to join in with mouse in calling Coyote Yellow Behind the Ears and took great delight in doing so.
As Manisha introduced the next play Margaret set up the acetates in order of appearance in the script. In the setup I confused my order of plays so there was a little scramble to make things right for the next play.
In Coyote and Rock a shadow play by Manisha and Margaret (script retold by Margaret, illustrations by Hilary and Kyle) Coyote and Rock have a disagreement and Rock becomes very angry at Coyote. Rock chases Coyote through water, past trees and buffalo. The spinning rock on the overhead projector added the element of motion to the chase scene. Who is going to stop Rock and help Coyote? As rock explodes I could hear many children breathe in quickly saying, "Oooo! That would hurt!" The visuals were very effective.
This play was followed by a story read by Manisha as I (Margaret) placed laminated scenes from the story on a magnetic board for the students to follow along.
How the First Rainbow was Made was read by Manisha, laminations by Margaret (story from Ruth Robbins reference book). On Mt. Shasta the animals go for help to Coyote because he is wise and will know how to stop the rain. Coyote creates a plan that involves all their co-operation. Manisha's reading was animated, well phrased, well paced and engaged the students in the action of the story when the entire audience was huffing and puffing to blow the spider brothers up to the clouds. Moving along to the final play I set up the acetates and Manisha introduced the title and theme.
In Coyote Brings Fire a shadow play by Manisha and Margaret (script retold by Margaret, illustrations by Hilary) the story opens in winter and human beings are suffering from the cold. The animals go to Coyote for a plan to bring fire to humans. The plan works with some minor cost to the animals. The words 'eating frog's tail soup' created many grimaces and then the lunch dismissal bell rang. The students wanted to hear the outcome and were quite willing to stay another two minutes in order to hear the ending.
After a round of applause and bows from the performers Mrs. Barb McCrie presented Manisha with a thank you card from each class and a gift bag for Margaret containing a tea mug and a writing pen from St. Pat's Elementary Scool. Both items will be put to good use. Manisha presented the Aboriginal Storytelling Week posters to the staff and students inviting them and their families to attend the events. Margaret presented a Coyote craft item to Mrs. McCrie and the students who felt the feather to test it's "realness'. She also presented Earl Meets Coyote on the Farm color your own story book written by Margaret and illustrated by Hilary. Coyote helps Earl to appreciate his Grandpa Will and Grandma Bea when Earl meets Coyote in the winter hills behind their farm. They were welcomed to make copies if they felt inclined to do so. Sequels 2 and 3 will be available at the Feb. 21 storytelling event at the library.
Packing up quickly we were on our way back to Swift current Library by 12:15 and happy with ourselves about our first school puppet show as a team. We learned that it may be wiser to take our own projector next time as we know how the images will appear with ours. When I get flustered by small details I will stay focused on the next step in the process of presenting. It was great to feel the audience appreciation and we had a good time.
Weaver's Report
Margaret Lottridge
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