Kumba Without a Mother

As winter continues on in some places and hides in others, good stories are always needed. Sitting around the campfire or the fireplace or the wood stove … what better way to pass the time than a good story?

I was very lucky to be read to at early age and to be taught oral literature by Lilyan Kesteloot (Reference). I have never lost the love for a good story :). Following my sister, I also spent several years in summer camps and outdoor / environmental schools where campfire stories were daily events. There is a set of these stories that were heard, told and re-told, and it’s time to share them.

The first story, Kumba Without a Mother, came directly from Lilyan Kesteloot while studying at University de Dakar, Senegal. My favorite line from Ms Kesteloot was, “a good story can span generations, the characters can change, the costumes can change, but the kernel of the story remains”.

Kumba Without A Mother