I am writing this as I am high in the air, returning from an all too
brief stint in the Emirates, where I was telling stories for students from ages
4-15 at the American Community School, an international school in Abu Dhabi. I
am fortunate enough to have had several experiences like this in the last few
years – and while yes, I was in some very different cultures – Thailand,
Argentina, China, none were as different as this. For although the malls in Dubai make the Mall
of the Americas in the Midwest look like a bodega, the fact that this is a
truly spiritual land is never completely lost.
As I strolled past the Dolce Gabana
store, and gazed at the indoor ice rink in one massive shopping complex, the
call to prayer rang out even there, and shops that sported the most opulent
merchandise imaginable put out signs saying “Closed for Prayer”. The greeting –
As – Salamu
Alaykum - meaning “Peace be with you.” is their hello, and for many people, the traditional robes, while not
dictated here, are their preference, a way of showing their dedication to their
faith.
What I know about Islam is slight, and
so as I was thinking on what stories I would tell and yes, what I would wear, I
grew worried. I feared being
disrespectful, and being the quintessential “Ugly American”. In a time where hate is swirling around like
leaves in the fall, I in no way wanted to add to that, especially since the
company that was producing this, Pana Wakke run by my dear friend, Sonia, is
all about educating from the heart.
My list of questions for the
school administrators was long – what animals – I already knew pig and donkey
were out - what words – I knew magic was
probably not a good idea – were appropriate????
And that is when, ONCE AGAIN, folktales saved me, for the school’s core
values are: Courage, Curiosity, Compassion, and Integrity – I almost laughed when I saw that for what
they did not know was that it is rare to find a folktale that doesn’t have those things.
So, my favorite story about my Nanny and
the Voodoo Woman was out, as was the pig in Juan Bobo and the Pig. Lazy Jack
picked up a horse, instead of a donkey.
My demon in one story, was just a monster, but the core of the stories
remained, because these marvelous tales teach the very things that the teachers
at the school wanted their students to learn. And folktales have been doing
that for longer than anyone can remember – all around the globe, in countries
that would never say they have anything in common with other lands, their
stories run parallel to, and echo each other.
Because, and this is just my opinion, the Core Values of the American
Community School, and the Core Values of Folktales speak to the heart of all of
us, no matter where we live or what call to prayer, if any, we answer.
