hello everyone namaste when I was in our teacher in a public school in 1987 I
teacher in a public school in 1987 I
teacher in a public school in 1987 I decided I want you to do a small
decided I want you to do a small
decided I want you to do a small research project on children’s drawings
research project on children’s drawings
research project on children’s drawings I wanted to collect drawings I tribal
I wanted to collect drawings I tribal
I wanted to collect drawings I tribal children who never went to school and
children who never went to school and
children who never went to school and compare them with drawings by a city
compare them with drawings by a city
compare them with drawings by a city children and I wanted you to be in
children and I wanted you to be in
children and I wanted you to be in northern Kenya for eight weeks the whole
northern Kenya for eight weeks the whole
northern Kenya for eight weeks the whole summer when I discusses with my family
summer when I discusses with my family
summer when I discusses with my family my good-natured husband’s old great i’ll
my good-natured husband’s old great i’ll
my good-natured husband’s old great i’ll get to make my own decisions for two
get to make my own decisions for two
get to make my own decisions for two months then i asked my three children
months then i asked my three children
months then i asked my three children who are online college and they said go
who are online college and they said go
who are online college and they said go so soon i packed my tent my hiking boots
so soon i packed my tent my hiking boots
so soon i packed my tent my hiking boots my small tape recorder blank tapes and
my small tape recorder blank tapes and
my small tape recorder blank tapes and tapes of Bob Marley reggae music and
tapes of Bob Marley reggae music and
tapes of Bob Marley reggae music and plenty of paper crayons and pencils plus
plenty of paper crayons and pencils plus
plenty of paper crayons and pencils plus a large amount of trust in my fellow man
a large amount of trust in my fellow man
a large amount of trust in my fellow man and in myself i flew to nairobi kenya
and in myself i flew to nairobi kenya
and in myself i flew to nairobi kenya and took a bus to the north to a sleepy
and took a bus to the north to a sleepy
and took a bus to the north to a sleepy town with sandy streets and tribal
town with sandy streets and tribal
town with sandy streets and tribal people living in your body when i got
people living in your body when i got
people living in your body when i got off the bus I just stood there not
off the bus I just stood there not
off the bus I just stood there not knowing what to do and then young man
knowing what to do and then young man
knowing what to do and then young man approached aim and help me find a room
approached aim and help me find a room
approached aim and help me find a room and I got settled he was only 21 and I
and I got settled he was only 21 and I
and I got settled he was only 21 and I liked his open honest expression so I
liked his open honest expression so I
liked his open honest expression so I asked him if you would like to be my
asked him if you would like to be my
asked him if you would like to be my guide for a few weeks he said yes but
guide for a few weeks he said yes but
guide for a few weeks he said yes but he’d need to bring a friend as he’d
he’d need to bring a friend as he’d
he’d need to bring a friend as he’d never done this before but he knew the
never done this before but he knew the
never done this before but he knew the area for miles around then I met his
area for miles around then I met his
area for miles around then I met his friend and I had their
friend and I had their
friend and I had their families and then their former teachers
families and then their former teachers
families and then their former teachers from high school and left I took them to
from high school and left I took them to
from high school and left I took them to the police station I go the police where
the police station I go the police where
the police station I go the police where I want you to go and when I thought I
I want you to go and when I thought I
I want you to go and when I thought I might return they told me young men that
might return they told me young men that
might return they told me young men that they were responsible for my safety and
they were responsible for my safety and
they were responsible for my safety and he can’t repair of me which they did
he can’t repair of me which they did
he can’t repair of me which they did first we need you to donkey to carry our
first we need you to donkey to carry our
first we need you to donkey to carry our water and supplies when I found a donkey
water and supplies when I found a donkey
water and supplies when I found a donkey the owner said oh why don’t he won’t go
the owner said oh why don’t he won’t go
the owner said oh why don’t he won’t go without a friend so I took to a donkey’s
without a friend so I took to a donkey’s
without a friend so I took to a donkey’s bending over said oh my donkeys want to
bending over said oh my donkeys want to
bending over said oh my donkeys want to go without me so I hired you to but he
go without me so I hired you to but he
go without me so I hired you to but he needed a friend so he brought a young
needed a friend so he brought a young
needed a friend so he brought a young boy about more team who did all the work
boy about more team who did all the work
boy about more team who did all the work first we track to the sunroom region
first we track to the sunroom region
first we track to the sunroom region where the men of 10 cattle and we’re
where the men of 10 cattle and we’re
where the men of 10 cattle and we’re ready or purple blankets wrapped around
ready or purple blankets wrapped around
ready or purple blankets wrapped around themselves and carry large spheres we
themselves and carry large spheres we
themselves and carry large spheres we have simply to set up our tent inside
have simply to set up our tent inside
have simply to set up our tent inside their money on top which is a large yard
their money on top which is a large yard
their money on top which is a large yard with a thorn bush hands around it where
with a thorn bush hands around it where
with a thorn bush hands around it where they bring their cows and goats at night
they bring their cows and goats at night
they bring their cows and goats at night to protect them from wild animals and
to protect them from wild animals and
to protect them from wild animals and night we shared our tea sugar and corn
night we shared our tea sugar and corn
night we shared our tea sugar and corn meal called Valley then they started to
meal called Valley then they started to
meal called Valley then they started to stay so I took out my tape recorder and
stay so I took out my tape recorder and
stay so I took out my tape recorder and I take they’re talking and they’re
I take they’re talking and they’re
I take they’re talking and they’re singing when I played it back to them
singing when I played it back to them
singing when I played it back to them they were they found it hilarious they
they were they found it hilarious they
they were they found it hilarious they rolled on the ground of Atlanta and
rolled on the ground of Atlanta and
rolled on the ground of Atlanta and hearing their own voices and come out of
hearing their own voices and come out of
hearing their own voices and come out of this little box then I cleon ave game
this little box then I cleon ave game
this little box then I cleon ave game tape and everyone danced wildly
tape and everyone danced wildly
tape and everyone danced wildly desires I collected many drawings from
desires I collected many drawings from
desires I collected many drawings from adults as worthless children and the
adults as worthless children and the
adults as worthless children and the children had never drawn on paper before
children had never drawn on paper before
children had never drawn on paper before some tried eating crayons we tracked for
some tried eating crayons we tracked for
some tried eating crayons we tracked for several weeks we visited their Conda ran
several weeks we visited their Conda ran
several weeks we visited their Conda ran Joey and got her people collecting
Joey and got her people collecting
Joey and got her people collecting drawings and sharing our tea and sugar
drawings and sharing our tea and sugar
drawings and sharing our tea and sugar and dancing under the stars I was in
and dancing under the stars I was in
and dancing under the stars I was in heaven it was stationed so close to
heaven it was stationed so close to
heaven it was stationed so close to nature there were no sounds of
nature there were no sounds of
nature there were no sounds of civilization only a high leading in the
civilization only a high leading in the
civilization only a high leading in the bush our lion in the distance we had
bush our lion in the distance we had
bush our lion in the distance we had many exciting experiences with wild
many exciting experiences with wild
many exciting experiences with wild animals elephants who passed right by
animals elephants who passed right by
animals elephants who passed right by our tent you hear the rumbling of your
our tent you hear the rumbling of your
our tent you hear the rumbling of your stomach’s when I got home I told my
stomach’s when I got home I told my
stomach’s when I got home I told my husband how much I love living with
husband how much I love living with
husband how much I love living with traditional people close to nature they
traditional people close to nature they
traditional people close to nature they didn’t need the comforts we had they had
didn’t need the comforts we had they had
didn’t need the comforts we had they had their families their cows and their
their families their cows and their
their families their cows and their communities then I spent the next
communities then I spent the next
communities then I spent the next several summers living with people in
several summers living with people in
several summers living with people in Kenya Tanzania Uganda Molly and Namibia
Kenya Tanzania Uganda Molly and Namibia
Kenya Tanzania Uganda Molly and Namibia this is Molly and then I went to Namibia
this is Molly and then I went to Namibia
this is Molly and then I went to Namibia this woman is not happy with your
this woman is not happy with your
this woman is not happy with your husband’s
in nineteen ninety i had my most
in nineteen ninety i had my most thrilling trip I went to Irian Jaya
thrilling trip I went to Irian Jaya
thrilling trip I went to Irian Jaya which is the western half of New Guinea
which is the western half of New Guinea
which is the western half of New Guinea which is an island above Australia I
which is an island above Australia I
which is an island above Australia I better book about the asmodh people who
better book about the asmodh people who
better book about the asmodh people who lived in the jungles and the swamps of
lived in the jungles and the swamps of
lived in the jungles and the swamps of here in China but they were created they
here in China but they were created they
here in China but they were created they were former headhunters and cannibals
were former headhunters and cannibals
were former headhunters and cannibals until the 1950s missionaries had taught
until the 1950s missionaries had taught
until the 1950s missionaries had taught them not to fight or fear each other or
them not to fight or fear each other or
them not to fight or fear each other or to concentrate on their art which david
to concentrate on their art which david
to concentrate on their art which david cells to the world for great profit
would I I what did you go there so i
would I I what did you go there so i wrote the visionary the missionaries
wrote the visionary the missionaries
wrote the visionary the missionaries told me not to come this place was hot
told me not to come this place was hot
told me not to come this place was hot you made it full of mosquitoes malaria
you made it full of mosquitoes malaria
you made it full of mosquitoes malaria and many people had not seen a white
and many people had not seen a white
and many people had not seen a white woman and I couldn’t get a permit anyway
woman and I couldn’t get a permit anyway
woman and I couldn’t get a permit anyway well i knew i would love it so i wrote
well i knew i would love it so i wrote
well i knew i would love it so i wrote to the author of the book and he told me
to the author of the book and he told me
to the author of the book and he told me go just gold you’ll find a way my
go just gold you’ll find a way my
go just gold you’ll find a way my husband suggested I write to the
husband suggested I write to the
husband suggested I write to the government in Jakarta Indonesia ahead of
government in Jakarta Indonesia ahead of
government in Jakarta Indonesia ahead of time and ask for permission so i did i
time and ask for permission so i did i
time and ask for permission so i did i told him i was at our teacher and i want
told him i was at our teacher and i want
told him i was at our teacher and i want you to teach about those people and i
you to teach about those people and i
you to teach about those people and i got the permit soon i zoom in on a
got the permit soon i zoom in on a
got the permit soon i zoom in on a four-seater missionary plane right over
four-seater missionary plane right over
four-seater missionary plane right over the jungle into azmat the man all looked
the jungle into azmat the man all looked
the jungle into azmat the man all looked up and almost said together whoa whoa
up and almost said together whoa whoa
up and almost said together whoa whoa I learned that was a welcome when they
I learned that was a welcome when they
I learned that was a welcome when they found out I was a teacher and I had all
found out I was a teacher and I had all
found out I was a teacher and I had all the way from America to learn about
the way from America to learn about
the way from America to learn about their culture and their artwork they
their culture and their artwork they
their culture and their artwork they were very happy and very protective of
were very happy and very protective of
were very happy and very protective of me being not only to hang my mosquito
me being not only to hang my mosquito
me being not only to hang my mosquito net in the long house where the man
net in the long house where the man
net in the long house where the man lived where they get all the wood
lived where they get all the wood
lived where they get all the wood carving drumming and singing I brought
carving drumming and singing I brought
carving drumming and singing I brought them big bags of rice tea sugar and
them big bags of rice tea sugar and
them big bags of rice tea sugar and tobacco so they were very happy about
tobacco so they were very happy about
tobacco so they were very happy about that I was lucky because they were
that I was lucky because they were
that I was lucky because they were preparing for a feast for to honor their
preparing for a feast for to honor their
preparing for a feast for to honor their ancestors and they were carving wood
ancestors and they were carving wood
ancestors and they were carving wood huge holes to honor their ancestors they
huge holes to honor their ancestors they
huge holes to honor their ancestors they painted their bodies and mine and put
painted their bodies and mine and put
painted their bodies and mine and put package of feathers in my hair and
package of feathers in my hair and
package of feathers in my hair and she’ll ornaments on my body I was in
she’ll ornaments on my body I was in
she’ll ornaments on my body I was in heaven again this festival went on for
heaven again this festival went on for
heaven again this festival went on for four days and four knives singing and
four days and four knives singing and
four days and four knives singing and drumming all night long and feasting I’m
drumming all night long and feasting I’m
drumming all night long and feasting I’m sagal now say no is there basic diet
sagal now say no is there basic diet
sagal now say no is there basic diet it’s the inside of the single tree which
it’s the inside of the single tree which
it’s the inside of the single tree which they scrape out pound and wash and for
they scrape out pound and wash and for
they scrape out pound and wash and for vintage chunks of starch and roast over
vintage chunks of starch and roast over
vintage chunks of starch and roast over the biter it tastes just right sada but
the biter it tastes just right sada but
the biter it tastes just right sada but they slavery with fat juicy sagal tums
they slavery with fat juicy sagal tums
they slavery with fat juicy sagal tums the size of your thumb when I first saw
the size of your thumb when I first saw
the size of your thumb when I first saw these worms squirm Amy anomalies I said
these worms squirm Amy anomalies I said
these worms squirm Amy anomalies I said no thank you I’m not hungry but I had
no thank you I’m not hungry but I had
no thank you I’m not hungry but I had third day I was starving and I said yes
third day I was starving and I said yes
third day I was starving and I said yes they roasted them and serve them hot and
they roasted them and serve them hot and
they roasted them and serve them hot and I said it’s a french fry
I said it’s a french fry
I said it’s a french fry french fries were delicious but I’ll
french fries were delicious but I’ll
french fries were delicious but I’ll never know if they were delicious really
never know if they were delicious really
never know if they were delicious really delicious or because I was so hungry the
delicious or because I was so hungry the
delicious or because I was so hungry the Highlands where the Donny people live
Highlands where the Donny people live
Highlands where the Donny people live who were still using stone axes and
who were still using stone axes and
who were still using stone axes and growing 14 varieties of sweet potato the
growing 14 varieties of sweet potato the
growing 14 varieties of sweet potato the women were only a grass skirt and they
women were only a grass skirt and they
women were only a grass skirt and they meant more aboard for modesty again I
meant more aboard for modesty again I
meant more aboard for modesty again I tape recorded their singing which may
tape recorded their singing which may
tape recorded their singing which may all be lost in another generation when i
all be lost in another generation when i
all be lost in another generation when i got home i integrated maya travels into
got home i integrated maya travels into
got home i integrated maya travels into my art program my 5th graders saw my
my art program my 5th graders saw my
my art program my 5th graders saw my slides and artifacts and they made
slides and artifacts and they made
slides and artifacts and they made paintings of the animals of the
paintings of the animals of the
paintings of the animals of the Serengeti I out and they paint they made
Serengeti I out and they paint they made
Serengeti I out and they paint they made cardboard shields based on the shields
cardboard shields based on the shields
cardboard shields based on the shields of the Ozma had made I also did a class
of the Ozma had made I also did a class
of the Ozma had made I also did a class for adults on the Osmond and we painted
for adults on the Osmond and we painted
for adults on the Osmond and we painted our bodies and became Osmond and we
our bodies and became Osmond and we
our bodies and became Osmond and we raised a folk cast session at a summer
raised a folk cast session at a summer
raised a folk cast session at a summer camp whooping and shouting when I sent
camp whooping and shouting when I sent
camp whooping and shouting when I sent the photos back to the osmond they found
the photos back to the osmond they found
the photos back to the osmond they found it hilarious that Americans were
it hilarious that Americans were
it hilarious that Americans were irritated them in nineteen an entire
irritated them in nineteen an entire
irritated them in nineteen an entire 2007 my husband died and i retired from
2007 my husband died and i retired from
2007 my husband died and i retired from teaching i tried to lean art with for a
teaching i tried to lean art with for a
teaching i tried to lean art with for a year but I was very lonely so I decided
year but I was very lonely so I decided
year but I was very lonely so I decided to travel together this time I
to travel together this time I
to travel together this time I discovered a given do and this is my
discovered a given do and this is my
discovered a given do and this is my kiss
I’ll take this idea in eight years I
I’ll take this idea in eight years I traveled by train not AC local buses
traveled by train not AC local buses
traveled by train not AC local buses camels ox cart by that elephant but I
camels ox cart by that elephant but I
camels ox cart by that elephant but I volunteer and connect with the people
volunteer and connect with the people
volunteer and connect with the people i’m teaching art games and songs i adore
i’m teaching art games and songs i adore
i’m teaching art games and songs i adore vegetables color the music the temples
vegetables color the music the temples
vegetables color the music the temples the art and especially the people who
the art and especially the people who
the art and especially the people who are so warm and welcoming especially the
are so warm and welcoming especially the
are so warm and welcoming especially the triangle people who are also an artist
triangle people who are also an artist
triangle people who are also an artist when i come home i hided welcome people
when i come home i hided welcome people
when i come home i hided welcome people to America the same way I was welcome to
to America the same way I was welcome to
to America the same way I was welcome to India I invite them to my home and to
India I invite them to my home and to
India I invite them to my home and to dinner in a separate I have a large
dinner in a separate I have a large
dinner in a separate I have a large holiday party for my international
holiday party for my international
holiday party for my international friends we celebrate Hanukkah Christmas
friends we celebrate Hanukkah Christmas
friends we celebrate Hanukkah Christmas diwali Ramadan and the new year and we
diwali Ramadan and the new year and we
diwali Ramadan and the new year and we sing in several languages and we see
sing in several languages and we see
sing in several languages and we see some a variety of ethnic dishes when I
some a variety of ethnic dishes when I
some a variety of ethnic dishes when I came here today I had to push myself
came here today I had to push myself
came here today I had to push myself beyond my comfort zone believe me and
beyond my comfort zone believe me and
beyond my comfort zone believe me and that’s what I hope I have motivated you
that’s what I hope I have motivated you
that’s what I hope I have motivated you to do travel and meet strangers tours
to do travel and meet strangers tours
to do travel and meet strangers tours are fine but you won’t meet the people
are fine but you won’t meet the people
are fine but you won’t meet the people or experience the culture just give a
or experience the culture just give a
or experience the culture just give a little guidebook hire a local gun don’t
little guidebook hire a local gun don’t
little guidebook hire a local gun don’t miss fear of the unknown stampede
miss fear of the unknown stampede
miss fear of the unknown stampede everywhere I pin I felt welcome and safe
everywhere I pin I felt welcome and safe
everywhere I pin I felt welcome and safe if you don’t travel you can be strangers
if you don’t travel you can be strangers
if you don’t travel you can be strangers where people are open interesting and
where people are open interesting and
where people are open interesting and interested in you every person i’ve met
interested in you every person i’ve met
interested in you every person i’ve met has enriched my life i believe the world
has enriched my life i believe the world
has enriched my life i believe the world is one fair way and we need to trust and
is one fair way and we need to trust and
is one fair way and we need to trust and get to know each other because people
get to know each other because people
get to know each other because people are remarkable and wonderful everywhere
are remarkable and wonderful everywhere
are remarkable and wonderful everywhere just like you thank you
just like you thank you
just like you thank you [Applause]
”
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