Nana Yaa Yeboaa shared Ananse tales, and took us beyond the story to the deeper meanings, contexts, and significances contained within. We learned how to extend the lessons and morals from the story, and engage in discussion about these popular children’s stories.

Nana Yaa Yeboaa is an author, nurse, performance poet, author motivational speaker, oral historian, storyteller, philanthropist, and podcast host. She began her storytelling journey as a child in Ghana, learning traditional Ananse stories from the Elders. This influenced her passion for literature and education. While completing her Masters program in Education, she saw the gap in Black Canadian children’s literature, and oral arts/storytelling as a dying art. This fueled her passion to take it seriously. Prior to this, she had been involved in various children’s literary activities in Ghana, from plays based on Ananse characters, to cultural dance and story. She has a long experience of engaging children in traditional oral narratives, allowing them to experience the beautiful nature of oral storytelling that engages the imagination.