These African Stories were originally narrated in Limba language (the third largest in Sierra Leone, West Africa). They are specifically from the Wara Wara Yagala Limba, one of seven dialects of the Limba people of Sierra Leone and have never been heard, translated or written in any other language. Often times there is a common thread or common theme of African stories in different cultures across the continent, yet, these particular stories are unique, in that they were written and sung from memory by the author. Therefore, their importance is out of all proportion to their simplicity. In other words, the importance of their transition into a new medium far outweighs their apparent simple plots. So to understand the original context in which they were told, and to appreciate and even enjoy these stories, it is absolutely necessary to read each historical and cultural background before going to the story.
It is also important to note that most stories in this particular culture are always accompanied by songs, not only for their entertainment value, but especially for their instructional purposes. Stories and their accompanying songs are the link between the past, the present and the future. Above all, they were the first medium of education (besides that of family) prior to the arrival of Arab scribes and European scholars. Therefore, it is not only a privilege for the author to be a conduit between centuries of oral tradition in Africa and the written word, the Canadian and the North American reader is also discovering a whole new treasure of African culture and language that will add a new page to the existing and growing body of Western Literature. When all is said and done, each story has a lesson or lessons about life that readers of all ages can gain from.
