Anansi Audio

Ph.D. Media Art Text Course Project

MATX 604 Production & Application Workshop

Virginia Commonwealth University.

Adapting from David Makhanlall's book

The Invincible Brer Anansi

Story #

Project Involves creating a 15-minute audio of an 1,800 words story. Recording completed April 2007. Recording done VCU media studios.

Team Members

Dr. Ernest Martin (Consultant)

Ben Muri (Rabbit & Bear Voices)

David Makhanlall (Story, Script & Narration).

Scott DuPre Mills (Director)

Listen to the recording!

(First 5 minutes).

Story opening.

One Saturday morning Brer Anansi happened to be at the market. He didn’t need anything in particular, so he just scrolled about from stall to stall.

Then he saw Farmer Brown discussing something with Brer Squirrel. Brer Anansi just crept up and listened.

“I have a secret pumpkin patch,” he heard the farmer say, “and next week I will have the most beautiful, ripe, and big, saleable pumpkins on the market.”

“Why, that’s grand!” exclaimed Brer Squirrel. “There is a shortage of pumpkins in the market at the moment. You will be doing us a great favor!”

David Makhanlall & Ben Muri

Compare this to the recording done in Guyana

in 1977 of another story from the same book.

(Ready by Sidney James for Radio Demerara).

Link to Guyana Recording

Link to Anansi stories on the Web.

Coomacka Island

Anansi & Turtle Go To Dinner

Happy New Year

One Saturday morning Brer Anansi happened to be at the market. He didn’t need anything in particular, so he just scrolled about from stall to stall.

'If we can get our hands on his pumpkins before he sells them,' Brer Rabbit was saying, 'we did be rich for a great numbel' of years!'

'But how?' asked Brer Bear. 'He did be sure to have his pumpkin patch well guarded, not to mention his doublebarrel gun.'

The major component of this course was to create and complete a multi-media project. It was Scott's suggestion to combine efforts on recording an Anansi story. Ben Muri was brought in to do the Rabbit and Bear voices. After several sessions of class-room preparations, the team headed for the studios. It took several sessions of very intensive work (and rehersals) and many hours of actual recording time (sometimes as late as 1.00 a.m.). We are now working on an animation of the story.

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"Having a swing at it!"

David Makhanlall & Ben Muri at the studio.

Pictures by Scott DuPre Mills

"Oh, my!" exclaimed Brer Bear. "What a big, lovely pumpkin!"