Rita Cox’s storytelling album-launch

Rita Cox

On November 30th, join us for a fascinating online panel discussion to officially launch the highly anticipated album, Wit and Wisdom: Anansi Tales and Other Stories by iconic storyteller, author, teacher and librarian, Dr. Rita Cox. The launch also celebrate release of the accompanying StorySave podcast episode Rita Cox: The Gently Echoed Music.

Dr. Rita Cox is an award-winning author and master storyteller who has performed across North America, in Europe, Brazil and the Caribbean, on stage, radio and television. She tells stories from the Caribbean, Africa and around the world and her stories have appeared in many anthologies and school readers. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 1997, is a recipient of the 1995 Black Achievement Award, and of honourary degrees from York and Wilfred Laurier Universities.

In Conversation with Rita Cox takes place online through Zoom, on November 30th at 7pm EST (4pm Pacific; 8pm Atlantic).  Rita hosts this panel-style talk along with some distinguished colleagues and friends who are experts in storytelling, library sciences, literacy advocacy and education. Over the course of 90-minutes, Rita and her guests will examine the role of oral tradition and the art of storytelling, and why albums like Wit and Wisdom are so important. With questions from the audience encouraged, this event promises to be a thought-provoking discussion led by master storyteller, Dr Rita Cox.

Wit and Wisdom: Anansi Tales and Other Stories is a two-disc collection of AfroCaribbean stories that is infused with Rita’s Trinidadian cultural history and her captivating storytelling style. Disc 1 showcases the much-loved trickster tales of Anansi, brought to the Caribbean by slaves from West Africa and passed on orally through generations. Disc 2 is devoted to legendary tales about how and why things came to be, and to supernatural stories whose characters’ names reflect the early French colonial influences.

Rita draws from her deep knowledge of oral tradition, and is beloved for her storytelling. This very special collection will resonate with those who know Rita from her long career as a librarian and literacy advocate, and is sure to captivate new fans everywhere.

In StorySave’s podcast episode, Rita Cox: The Gently Echoed Music  we get the stories behind Wit and Wisdom. Rita takes us on a journey from her childhood in Trinidad, to her legendary library and storytelling career in New York and Toronto, and discusses the origins of Caribbean folktales, the profound role of libraries, and how storytelling shaped her life. It’s a story you don’t want to miss.

Featured panelists: Itah Sadu, acclaimed author, storyteller, and community developer;  Jean Augustine, educator, social advocate and politician; Dan Yashinsky, storyteller, author, broadcaster and community animator; Debra Baptiste, Storytelling Toronto’s first Executive Director; Kesha Christie, professional storyteller, motivational speaker and popular weekly podcast host; and Jeffrey Canton, storyteller, teacher and writer. 

Event details:

  • November 30th at 7pm EST (4pm Pacific; 8pm Atlantic)
  • register for the concert through Eventbrite with this link: https://bit.ly/3cfBBC6

Email for assistance or more information: admin@storytellers-conteurs.ca