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TAHIRA was a featured teller at the inaugural Lower Brandywine Storytelling Festival. So there’s a special place in our hearts for her. We were pleased when she agreed to return for our 4th Annual event. Unfortunately, she was in a very bad car accident, and will not be able to join us. Charlotte Blake Alston called to let us know of the situation, and noted that the Storytelling Community has stepped up to take on her performance commitments...and to help her out. Charlotte herself will be performing in TAHIRA’s stead.
Our thoughts and our minds are with TAHIRA. We wish her the best in her recovery, and we look forward to the time -- perhaps next year -- when she’ll return to us for another performance. We continue to include her bio below, just as a reminder.
Bio
Performing original works and lore from African and African American traditions, TAHIRA is a “Musical-ologist.” She mixes a heapin' of the spoken word, a fistful of soul-stirring vocals, flavored with rhythmic percussion. She is a caretaker of culture, a hoarder of history and a transmitter of tradition.
A full time performing artist, TAHIRA credits her mother for giving her the courage and support to pursue her dreams and her father for instilling her love for her culture. Her objective in sharing her gifts is not merely to entertain, but to educate and to inspire.
TAHIRA is the past President of Keepers of the Culture, Inc. (KOTC), Philadelphia's most renowned storytelling organization. KOTC is an affiliate of the National Association of Black Storytelling (NABS). TAHIRA has represented KOTC on national platform issues relating to the art of storytelling. She received a standing ovation as a featured storyteller at the 17th Annual Black Storytelling Festival and Conference,
"The Magic Lion and Other African Fables" is TAHIRA's unique venture. TAHIRA was the featured storyteller in three documentary videos produced by the Art History Department at Temple University and the African Section of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. The resulting video series is the first to combine the presentation of art and oral literature. TAHIRA's rich narration of these 19th century African fables brought life to the collection of sculptures, masks and other artifacts from the museum's collection.
In recognition of her significant contribution to Oral Literature, TAHIRA was awarded the Delaware Division of the Arts 2000 Individual Artist Fellowship. TAHIRA is thrilled to be honored by her home state for her contributions to the Oral Tradition.
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