In today's episode, we examine the concept of myth and the oral tradition, focusing on the wisdom conveyed through stories in Black History across the Americas, particularly in the United States. Deborah DEEP Mouton masterfully creates and weaves stories from various mythologies of Black America and shares experiences from her own upbringing within her neighborhood and community. We begin by defining myth and exploring the significance of art in intertwining moral, religious, or philosophical messages with cultural values, customs, and history. We then discuss several myths featured in Deborah's book, "Black Chameleon," examining the intersection between universal human experiences and our individual personal development. Deborah shares examples from her book that illustrate some of the unique cultural aspects of Black womanhood. We delve into the unspoken connections between Black women, the character traits forged through struggle, and the concept of code-switching as an adaptive mechanism. Our conversation also touches on the cultural dynamics that both separated and united people, the gendered and racist structures present in religious and political systems, and the importance of creating new mythologies. We further discuss the impact of not seeing oneself reflected in the mythologies and religious systems of one's own tradition, revisionist American history, Black critical theory, and the multiple layers found within a story. Lastly, we address the topic of hair and the struggles faced by a young Black girl navigating societal expectations.

Bio:

Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton is an internationally-known writer, educator, activist, performer, and the first Black Poet Laureate of Houston, Texas. Formerly ranked the #2 Best Female Performance Poet in the World (PSI), Her recent poetry collection, Newsworthy, garnered her a Pushcart nomination, was named a finalist for the 2019 Writer’s League of Texas Book Award, and received honorable mention for the Summerlee Book Prize. Its German translation, under the title "Berichtenswert," was released in Summer 2021 by Elif Verlag. The opera, Marian’s Song, for which she wrote the libretto, debuted in 2020 to roaring reviews.
Honored by Houston Business Journal as a part of their 2021 40 Under 40 class, D.E.E.P. has been a finalist for Texas State Poet Laureate, a Kennedy Center Citizen fellowship, and the prestigious Breadloaf Retreat. Her work has been highlighted and studied in Canada, England, New Zealand, and Germany. She performed as a part of the Kennedy Center's Arts Across America event. Named a Houston Artist Commissioning Project award winner by the Society for the Performing Arts Houston,. her second book, Black Chameleon, is set to release in 2023 by Henry Holt & Co. A storybook opera, entitled "Lula, the Mighty Griot", which reinterprets one of the stories from Black Chameleon is set to debut in Spring 2022 with the Houston Grand Opera. Currently, she is a Resident Artist at the American Lyric Theater and Rice University. She lives and creates in Houston, TX.

   • Headache and Heartthrob Short Film (E...  

https://www.livelifedeep.com

Website for The Sacred Speaks:

http://www.thesacredspeaks.com

WATCH:

YouTube for The Sacred Speaks
   / @thesacredspeaks  

Instagram:
  / thesacredspeaks  
@thesacredspeaks
Twitter:
  / thesacredspeaks  
Facebook:
  / thesacredspeaks  
Brought to you by:
https://www.thecenterforhas.com

Theme music provided by:
http://www.modernnationsmusic.com