My Faithful Nebraska Readers

A word from readers never fails to elicit my gratitude as a writer. A good word warms my heart, naturally. This week, I have stumbled across good news from the Nebraska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. They run vision trips, a program through which Americans travel to Tanzania "to learn about the culture of Tanzania and the ministries of the Northern Diocese."

I am pleased that, year after year, the organizers of these trips have recommended my book, Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences, to the travelers. The Traveler's Manual for 2018 says:

For those persons wanting to more deeply explore cultural differences between Africans and Americans, the book Africans and Americans by Joseph Mbele is recommended. This book is available at: www.africonexion.com.

I appreciate that the book is recognized as a useful resource, just as I intended it to be. Nebraska has always been on my mind as a place where I have faithful readers. A few years ago, I acknowledged them on this blog. I think about them, and all my other readers, as I continue to work on a sequel to Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences, which I plan to publish this year with the title Chickens in the Bus.

An African Storytelling Event in Red Wing, Minnesota

On February 17, I went to Red Wing, Minnesota, to make a presentation on African Storytelling. The event, organized by the Red Wing Public Library and the Goodhue County Historical Society, was well publicized.

I highlighted the significance of Africa as the cradle of the human race, where language and storytelling began, together with other forms of folklore. The evolution of human consciousness and the capacity to reflect on life, the world, relationships, and values found expression in folklore. I shared several proverbs to illustrate this point.

Then I told the tale of "Spider and the Calabash of Knowledge" and "The Lion's Advice," both from West African Folktales by Jack Berry, as well as "The Chief's Daughter," from West African Folktales by Steven H. Gale. We spent the last ten minutes on questions and answers.

Although I had visited Red Wing several times, over the years, this was my first presentation there. Lindsey, Education & Outreach Coordinator at the Goodhue County Historical Society, planned my visit well. At her suggestion, I brought copies of Matengo Folktales and Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences and people were able to buy them. That makes me feel that I left a legacy beyond my one hour presentation.

Thirty Days of Motivation by Penny Jones

On November 18, 2017, I participated in the Minnesota Black Authors Expo, as I reported on this blog. I got to know and talk with another author, Penny Jones-Richardson, whose table was next to mine. We shared our professional experiences--hers as a life and transformational coach, motivational speaker and author, and mine as an educator and cultural consultant. Later, to learn more about her work, I visited her website.

At the Expo, I bought her book, Thirty Days of Motivation: A Guide to Reaching Your Goals and Staying Focused. It is a collection of thirty short articles, each less than a page and half, but laden with useful reflections and encouragement.

Each article deals with a specific topic about life's challenges and offers advice on how to deal with and overcome them. It identifies typical obstacles to personal success, such as fear, procrastination, lack of selfconfidence and complacency. The author shares personal experiences and anecdotes, and addresses the reader in a personal way. You feel she is talking to you, asking questions and inviting you to think about issues in new ways. Whatever you are going through, and whatever doubts you might have about your situation, she offers assurance and hope.

I have enjoyed this book, not only for what it says, but also for how it communicates. I have learned, from the success of my own book, Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences, that storytelling, rather than abstract theorizing, is the best way to reach and touch people. Thirty Days of Motivation is such a book. Anecdotal and confessional, it communicates simply and clearly. It is a book one can read again and again. I recommend it, especially to young people, who might not be sure where they are going in life and who might have doubts about themselves and their prospects.

Memories of the St. Dominic Boutique

On December 9, the School of St. Dominic in Northfield, Minnesota, hosted a fair titled St. Dominique Boutique, which I had mentioned on this blog. Sixty vendors displayed a great variety of products, such as jewelry, clothing, artifacts, and cards. I was there, with my books and other publications.








When I arrived, I was directed to my spot, and a man I didn't know came to help me set up my table. He told me that he had heard me speak at a church in Faribault. I recalled two talks I had given on a weekend at First English Lutheran Church based on my book, Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences.

This man told me he was a retired pastor and since his table was adjacent to mine, we had time to talk durin the expo. His display consisted of Christian themed items such as icons, and cards.







From 9:00am to 2:00pm, people kept coming to the expo.













































The woman seen in the picture here came to my table with her older sister. We talked at length about my work and about my books. She bought the two she is holding.
















As always happens in these events, I met and talked with various kinds of people, who had interesting things to share with me. The gentleman seen in the picture on  the left told me about Andrew Jackson Foster, an African American missionary who started schools for the blind in Ghana and other African countries. I did not know about this person, but after hearing about him, I have read about him and been very impressed by his life and work.














As I mentioned on this blog, on November 23, my book, Matengo Folktales, was featured on "Jeopardy," the popular television program. Naturally, I reproduced the "Jeopardy" clue and brought it to the Expo.











I commend the School of St. Dominic for organizing this event. Although this was their first experience of holding such an event, it was very successful. Also, I was delighted that even though the Expo host was a Catholic school, it attracted people of different belief systems. I saw this as I talked with people at my table.

I felt, as other people did, that the Expo should be held again, perhaps annually.

St. Dominique Boutique, Northfield, Minnesota

St. Dominic School in Northfield, Minnesota, is working on a brand new initiative called St. Dominique Boutique, a community event filled with displayed and activities. There will be door prizes and crafting demos and mini massages, as well as vendors of different products including crafts, greeting cards, candles, silverware, jewelry, and books.

The school belongs to the Church of St. Dominic. As a member of this church, I am very pleased that my three daughters went to St. Dominic School, and that the school is hosting the fair. I will be there with my books, including Matengo Folktales, which hit the spotlight on Thanksgiving Day when it was mentioned on "Jeopardy," the American television show.

I have participated in many such events and appreciate them very much as opportunities to meet people and share ideas. I look forward to the St. Dominique Boutique and hope to write about it afterwards.

Matengo Folktales Featured on "Jeopardy"

 I will always remember 23 November, 2017. First it was Thanksgiving Day, a major American holiday. That is not a unique event, since it occurs every year. What was special, about that particular Thanksgiving Day, however, was that my book, Matengo Folktales, was mentioned on the "Jeopardy" television show which many Americans watch. I don't know how I ended up on this show.

I didn't know much about "Jeopardy," but the appearance of my book on the show has opened my eyes as I witness the reactions of people around the country. The chairman of my Department at St. Olaf College wrote to faculty and majors: Congratulations to Joseph Mbele for an honor that few of us will ever achieve--being mentioned in a clue on Jeopardy! See the image below, referencing Joseph's "Matengo Folktales" book....


In the YouTube recording below, my book is mentioned starting at the 15:29 minute point.

My Culture is Weird And So is Yours