African Play

Object Details

Local Numbers: ACMA AV003195 ACMA AV003197 ACMA AV003199 ACMA AV003542 ACMA AV003544 ACMA AV003553 ACMA AV003566 ACMA AV003568 ACMA AV003571 ACMA AV003577 ACMA AV003579 ACMA AV000841 ACMA AV000842 ACMA AV000843 ACMA AV000844 ACMA AV000845 ACMA AV002231
General: Title transcribed from opening credits of video recording.

Creator: Anacostia Neighborhood Museum; Museum of African Art (U.S.); Anacostia Pre-School Program
Names: Anacostia Community Museum; Anacostia Neighborhood Museum; Ofori-Ansah, Kwaku
Collection Creator: Anacostia Community Museum

Topic: African Americans; Children; Games; Play; Storytelling; Folklore; Folk music; Dance; Music; Theater; African culture; Kwanzaa; Education -- Museums

Creator: Anacostia Neighborhood Museum; Museum of African Art (U.S.); Anacostia Pre-School Program

Biographical / Historical: Ofori Ansah was born in Aboasa, Ghana, 1944. Scholar of African and African American art and artists. Professor of African Art History at Howard University where he began a Ghana Travel/Study Program in 2005. Wrote book about children games and folktales from African tradition which were taught at the 1976 Festival of American Folklife, the Smithsonian Institution. Also known as Ofori-Ansah, Kwaku and Ofori-Ansah, Paul, 1944-.;Anacostia Community Museum's Education Department hosted Kwanzaa events, including Kwanzaa workshops and school events as well as Kwanzaa-related films, plays, and storytelling.

Extent: 12 Video recordings (open reel, 1/2 inch); 5 Video recordings (U-matic, 3/4 inch); 1 Video recording (VHS)

Custodial History: Produced by The Anacostia Neighborhood Museum, Anacostia Pre-School Program, and The Museum of African Art (Education Dept.). Technical Assistance Univ. of Dist of Columbia 8/21/78, Producer F. Smith, Director A. Kickerson, Tech Dir. - J. Graham, Audio - R. Colbert, Narrator O. Ansah.

Type: Archival materials; Video recordings; Folk tales; Musical games; Folk drama

Citation: African Play, Record Group AV09-023, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

Scope and Contents: Ofori Ansah explains children in Africa like to make up stories, games, and songs about animals; he also explains folktales. Ofori Ansah and a group of children play the African game of tail or tail, and sing and dance to Kye Kye Kule. The children, dressed as animals, perform a folktale as told by Ofori Ansah.; Performance - music, dance, storytelling, and theater. Part of ACM Museum Events, PR, and Ceremonies Recordings. Related to Kwanzaa Programs. 17 copies of African Play. 16 black and white copies. 1 color copy [AV003553]. Some copies have audio and/video distortions. Transcribed from AV000841 - AV000845: Kwanzaa African Play. AV002231: dated 19910827. Remainder of the assets: dated 19780821.

Collection Restrictions: Use of the materials requires an appointment. Some items are not accessible due to obsolete format and playback machinery restrictions. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.