KOKOMON’S FIRST STORY    

This is a funny story.... what can we learn from it?

Once upon a time, in Korleyman, an African village, two rains had not come, and many of the savanna’s water holes had dried into mud. The days of hunger had begun. Everyone in the village, all the people and all the animals, offered prayers and sacrifices, asking that Onyami (God) spare them all from starvation.

Suddenly, the hot skies clouded over, the light breezes became brisk winds, and the little rains began, falling warmly as always.

The little rains became big rains, and all the animals took shelter, listening to the water pounding on the thatched roofs, with lightning flashing and thunder rumbling.

After the rains had subsided, Mrs. Chicken hurried and assembled all of her seven chicks in the compound full of mud to search for food. It was not long before the little chicks began to feel cold, and they asked their mother to take them back inside their thatched hut. Mrs. Chicken gathered them all under her wings for shelter, but that did not protect the chicks from the cold air.

“We are cold with fever,” the chicks told their mother.

“Don’t worry,” Mrs. Chicken told them. “I will cook you some chicken soup with ginger root to take your fever away.”

“Chicken!?” the chicks questioned in chorus.

“Don’t worry,” said Mrs. Chicken. “It won’t be one of us!”

The stories on this page are for your enjoyment. Please share them with your children, friends and family!

An engaging storyteller, Kokomon uses gentle humor and warm guidance in telling stories that people of all ages can understand and appreciate.

Watch this amusing little video of Kokomon teaching children about a valuable life-and-photography principle, "Point of View."  It will make you laugh and also make you think about your own point of view!

“Point of View” was filmed by young ArtEsteem students during a filmmaking-photography class at the Attitudinal Healing Connection that was innovated and taught by John Veltri www.earthalive.com

All information, images and videos on this site are protected by copyright

No information, images or videos may be used without written permission from Kokomon Clottey

Website created by Marguerite Lorimer    Japanese translation by Yuko Tani

All images and videos were produced by John Veltri and MArguerite Lorimer www.earthalive.com

Please direct any questions regarding this site to Kokomon Clottey

kokomon story #2:    Fantasy Coffins of Ghana

Reminiscent of the mythologies of ancient Egypt, Fantasy Coffins of Ghana have a deep spiritual and cultural meaning to the Ga tribe of Ghana, West Africa that is primordial.

The Ga people of Ghana have awesome rituals and spiritual codes of conduct. No one really knows when these rituals and spiritual codes started, although oral history suggests the date to be around 300 B.C. One of these incredible rituals includes honoring the ancestors, and the belief that when one is born into a family and the village, one’s membership is eternal even when one dies or “goes home” as we say in Accra, Ghana. 

Conceptually, there is a love connection between those of us in this generation to our ancestors. This means that our intimate relationship with our loved ones does not change or end even though they are no longer in their physical bodies. It is truly comforting knowing that no matter what we do, our mothers and fathers will always love us. We reciprocate by sending love to our ancestors. It is true that since love is eternal, death need not be viewed as fearful.  We are always connected to our ancestors.

In this light, Fantasy Coffins are an extension of our continued relationship with our ancestors. A coffin designed like the pineapple (as in the photograph right), was commissioned by the family because Oko (the dead relative) was a sweet man who loved pineapples. For generations, his family grew pineapples. The logic is that the family and the community want to demonstrate their deepest love by having Mr. Oko continue enjoying pineapples in the afterlife. This is awesome!

The shoe in the picture represents the coffin of Mr. Korle.  He made his living, fed his family, and served his community by making and repairing shoes.  When he passed away, his family wanted him to always remember the love they had for him by burying him in a beautiful European shoe that he designed.  He loved his work and loved shoes.  It is believed by the Ga people that it is good when one is able to do the work that brings one joy.  Making shoes brought Mr. Korle much joy and wealth.

There are many Fantasy Coffins that are created for a variety of reasons.  For example, a man may have worked as a fisherman, so for his “Home going,” his family may order a Fantasy Coffin that is identical to a fish.  Or, if a person was a hunter, his Fantasy Coffin may be designed as a spear.

The creativity and the designing of the Fantasy Coffins are telling. These things are not taken lightly because the creations of the coffin MUST be guided by an honest account of a life of an ancestor/ancestress. Many times we do not want to think about our “Homegoing” or when we leave this great land, but when we look at the Fantasy Coffins they inspire our imagination and we look at life differently.