baba.html
Below is a short biography of artist and storyteller Baba Wague' Diakite', as well as a description of his new book, "The Hunterman and the Crocodile". You can contact Baba Wague' directly at:

Baba Wague' Diakite'
Studio Neuenschwander
1424 SE Oak
Portland, OR 97214
(503) 234-1969









"Storytelling is the best means of communication between people from different cultures....Sories help us to accept each other's differences and to be kind to nature."





Baba Wague' Diakite' was born in Mali, West Africa, and moved to the United States in 1985. His numerous solo exhibitions of hand-painted ceramics have received high acclaim both here and abroad, and he has long delighted children with his storytelling in schools all over the northwestern United States.

"Every human, regardless of race or culture, is a leaf from one giant tree," Wague' explains.

While he was growing up, Wague's grandmother would tell stories in the dark of the night that seemed so real, he felt as though he was one of the elements of the story. "It truly made me see trees speak, shrubs move--dogs, elephants, logs, rocks, water, dirt, sun, moon, stars--all moving and speaking like humans. Even after my Western education in a French school, my basic understanding of life is still from this traditional education of mankind that my grandparents taught me again and again."

The Hunterman and the Crocodile, Wague's first picture book, brings all of his talents and ideals together. A retelling of a popular tale about the importance of living in harmony with nature, the book is just another extension of Wague's own cultural tradition brought to a new world.

Wague' lives with his wife and their two daughters in Portland, Oregon.




"Stunning primitivist paintings...give a distinctive spin to this folktale about a contest of wits...With its many animal voices, occasional onomatopoeia and clearly delivered message about the importance of respecting nature, this is a natural choice for a read-aloud, likely to entertain as it teaches." __Publishers Weekly
"...a dramatic tale worthy of story-hour inclusion." __Kircus Reviews, pointer review

"...the tale flows easily and beautifully through both the cristp text and exciting pictures." __School Library Journal

"The narrative style is as rythmic as the story episodes themselves." __Bulletin fo the Center for Children's Books

The Hunterman and the Crocodile

There was once a time when Bamba the Crocodile begged a passing hunterman for help.
"Mook!" said the hunterman. "You crocodiles are very well known for biting people in the river. I will not take the chance."

But he does, and the fate takes a most treacherous turn, for the crocodile soon has the man in his clutches. Unfortunaltely, man has not always been good to the earth, and no one will come to his rescue.

With humor and affection, Wague' masterfully retells a tale that is steeped in the voices and spirits of his ancestors. His bold, ceramic-tile paintings breathe new life an vigor into this ago-old story.



The information and images on this page were provided to us by Baba Wague' himself, taken and adapted from a press release from his publisher

Scholastic Press
555 Broadway
New York, NY 10012-3999


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