Griot: a carrier of stories, a weaver of tales, a bringer of messages, a guardian of visions, a keeper of mysteries, a holder of sacred space. The place where magic happens.

Chinyere: A gift from the divine womb of creation

Onwukamuche: Ancient spirits protects and follows

Nwaubani: A child of treasured earth

 

Griot Chinyere is a british born Afrakan storyteller and fire dancer, ascending from the Igbo people of West Africa. At age 10 when on holiday with her mummy in her village of origin Chinyere had her first taste of storytelling. Their journey was coming to an end and the family were curious to know how young Chinyere viewed her first trip to her ancestral home. The whole village gathered around a fire at dusk and Chinyere began. Many of the audience didn't speak English and Chinyere did not speak her mother tongue. Through her actions, tones and facial expressions the story was told. There was laughter, nods of inner-standing and plenty of participation from Chinyere's first audience. That was the beginning: without struggle Chinyere had communicated eloquently, without feeling hindered by her lack of Igbo language; storytelling had given her that power.

 

Over the past 30 years Griot Chinyere spent 10 years travelling to and around Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Travelling in some unique adventurous styles; motorhome truck, wild camping, hitch-hiking and staying with welcoming, good spirited people along the way. Chinyere always kept storytelling at the centre, using it to communicate, entertain and negotiate her way through life.

 

After living 4 years as a nomad in the South of France, in the summer of 1994, Griot Chinyere moved back to London and gave birth to her 1st child. She went on to study B'eng in aeronautical engineering at City University London, and that's another story. After her 2nd child was born in 2002, she went on to further earn a Masters in Script Writing at Goldsmiths College, London University, complimenting her now developed storytelling knowledge and skills. 

 

Griot Chinyere has spent the last 10 years also developing her storytelling and fire dancing performance skills and designing storytelling, theatre performance courses and leadership training using the oral tradition of storytelling, that speak to and engage the diasporan and the wider community. These courses have been delivered in an array of institutional and outdoor settings. The one aim of all her courses is to implement vast arrays of creative expressions to empower members of society, including outcasts, the vulnerable, the daring and the bold.

 

As time goes on more and more people from different walks of life want to feel the Griot Chinyere effect; toddlers, adults, teachers, prisoners, council workers, corporate business women & men and the list goes on. Griot Chinyere uses storytelling as a empowerment tool for leadership and healing. Griot Chinyere will continue to spread the magic of storytelling, making the world that little bit more beautiful in her own way. See performance page or events page.