Arne B Kaiser

Anansi! Arne B Kaiser

When the Asante people of Ghana came to the New World as slaves, they brought with them the rich, oral tradition of their home culture. Somewhere in their misery, Kwaku Ananse, the mischievous and cunning spider who, with his friends, personified so many human traits survived, and helped them keep their spirits up. Anansi's extreme cleverness, his ability to be both hero and antihero at once, appeal especially to second graders. His stories have fable characteristics, and in most Jamaican versions, his tales will end in a proverb or saying. The little play reflects the lightheartedness of Anansi in five of his many adventures. They can be used as one, or separated, depending on class size.