Author Angela Ackah-McIntyre signing books for young fans at a reading. Courtesy photo.
Efua’s Magic Stew serves up fun & folklore
by OLIVE VASSELL
Sweet stories of childhood often evoke lasting memories. New author Angela Ackah-McIntyre hoped this would be the case for her two adult daughters about the tales inspired by her West African heritage that she told them when they were young.
“When my eldest daughter was very little, I started telling her stories which I made up about this little girl who had her mother’s favorite stew and having eaten it would go off and have adventures elsewhere. She was very fond of them and remembers them still,” explained Ackah-McIntyre, whose parents were from Ghana.
Fast forward 20 or so years and when her youngest daughter suggested that the family favorite be shared as a podcast, Ackah-McIntyre quickly agreed. The idea soon morphed into a book, Efua’s Magic Stew.
“She said it would be really nice if we had a project that we could work on together, and it would be a really good way of inviting other children to enjoy that kind of diverse story, but also a really interesting way of passing down the oral storytelling tradition which it comes from. My father used to tell me Anansi stories, I used to tell them Efua’s Magic Stew stories and now this seems a really good way to share them with the world,” she said.
Twins, honoured in many West African cultures, are central to the story. “My mother was a twin (although sadly her twin brother died at birth), and I suppose I’ve always been interested in that subject. Twins are considered to be a double gift, and some traditional beliefs even consider them to be sacred,” Ackah-McIntyre explained. With this in mind, she used the twin Boti Falls in eastern Ghana as a setting for one of Efua’s adventures.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s iconic, centuries-old Adinkra symbols provide vital clues for Efua and her friend Addae, who use them to help solve a mystery. Anansi, the fabled Ghanaian trickster spider that Ackah-McIntyre was introduced to as a child, makes an appearance, too.
“He is a symbol of resilience and ingenuity often used to teach valuable lessons about life; and in particular about consequences and the importance of wisdom over strength.” The young adventurer needs them as she faces challenges that test her to the core, discovering the power of friendship, as well as compassion along the way.
“At its heart, this is a tale of bravery, friendship, compassion, and loyalty. It also teaches valuable lessons about courage, resilience, empathy, and teamwork, showing that friends are there not only for the fun times but also to help each other through life’s obstacles,” Ackah-McIntyre said.
The book works for a variety of age ranges, from children under five as an audiobook or one that can be read to them, to older, independent readers.
Ackah-McIntyre wants to reach a diverse audience of people who are interested in stories from other regions, including those who know more about different cultures. To facilitate the learning process, the book provides a brief glossary showing how to pronounce the Ghanaian names featured in the text and an introduction to Adinkra symbols,
“Already, quite a few people from a range of backgrounds and cultures have remarked to me that they didn’t know anything about these before and that both they and their children have found them really interesting. I’m always delighted to hear that,” Ackah-McIntyre said.
Understanding the importance of inclusive books for children, Ackah-McIntyre hopes that hers will inspire children to embrace their unique journeys. “I hope the book will encourage young readers to accept other people’s differences and by the same token, to be proud of their own individuality. I also hope that, like the best fairy tales, it inspires them to dream, explore, and believe in the magic of life.”
Now that the project is finished, Ackah-McIntyre, a communications specialist, is reflecting on how much she enjoyed working with her daughter who she said shares the “same temperament,” as well as on the process in general.
“This has been my first experience of this sort of project and I found it really enjoyable and I would definitely like to do some more. I see more Efua stories, different adventures, and different countries. I’ve had so much fun writing it and recording the audiobook version, – including putting on different voices, and doing a bit of acting – so I’d certainly like to expand both those sides of it.”
Book details:
Efua’s Magic Stew by Angela Ackah-McIntyre, Scholastic Publishers
Age range: 6-11
Available on Amazon.com in paperback, hardcover and as an Audiobook.
RECENT POSTS
Elisabeth Welch, a name that resonates with timeless elegance and unparalleled talent. Born in 1904, Welch was a trailblazing African-American singer and actress who left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. Her career spanned decades, showcasing her versatility in jazz, blues, and musical theater.
Welch’s voice was a mesmerizing instrument that transcended boundaries, captivating audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. From her early performances in the Harlem Renaissance to gracing London’s West End stages, Welch’s charisma and vocal prowess earned her widespread acclaim.
Beyond her musical prowess, Welch made history as one of the first African-American women to star in a British film during the 1930s. Her legacy is not only defined by her groundbreaking achievements but also by her resilience in the face of racial and gender barriers.
Elisabeth Welch’s journey is a testament to the enduring power of talent and tenacity. As we celebrate her contributions, let us remember and honor a woman whose artistry continues to inspire generations, leaving an indomitable legacy in the annals of entertainment history.
RECENT POSTS
Recent Posts
BY LISETTE FELIX
East London songwriter, Chante-Marie Berry-Gordon believes that songwriting and music chose her as much as she chose it.
“I feel like growing up, as everyone does, you have various interests… I always loved languages, for example, sports and sprinting, but music was always a constant, and it was always something I kept going back to,” she says.
These days, the rewards of her long journey are coming thick and fast. In 2024, she was honoured at the BMI [Broadcast Music, Inc.] Pop Music Awards for her collaboration with producer KXVI and New York Rapper Lil Tjay to produce the song ‘Beat the Odds.’
“I felt blessed and very grateful to win the award. It opened my eyes to the power of creative collaboration and to the opportunities that can unfold when you put yourself out there,” Berry-Gordon said.
The young artist recalls writing stories on bits of paper, which became songs, at just five years old. After she got her first voice recorder and keyboard, she would sing them. “You can hear yourself back and then it all kind of evolved, and with the keyboard I started putting my melodies down.”
Her mum, Virginia Gordon, recognised her daughter’s talent and, with her father Patrick Berry, co-founder of Choice FM, introduced her to a vocal coach. Later, when Berry-Gordon attended the Italia Conte School of Performing Arts, she took a variety of different subjects, but enjoyed singing the most. And training well-known vocal coach/producer Everis Pellius, who has worked with artists such as LL Cool J and Ashanti, only added to her excitement.
“It was a wonderful experience because it allowed me to sing in a studio for the first time. My parents would take me to Windsor, where it was. I began to hear what I sounded like on a track. He introduced me to a piano teacher, and I ended up meeting Neville Thomas [a music producer] through my piano teacher Nimai Walcott.”
Meanwhile, inspired by her dad’s station, “Choice FM”, to which she would listen throughout the day, Berry-Gordon soon found her genre.
“We would listen to Reggae, dance hall music, but it was R&B that made me fall in love with music. That is where it all started, listening to Ashanti, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Alicia Keys. It was something about hearing them sing and hearing their melodies, that I wanted to re-enact what they were doing, so I would be like “ohhh… I love that and I am going to try it,” explained Berry-Gordon, who is of Saint Lucian and Jamaican heritage
Thomas played a significant role in developing Berry-Gordon’s style, collaborating with her over many years. The working relationship involved co-writing sessions, with Thomas producing beats while she wrote the songs. Some found success with independent artists, including one artist, Faye B, who won “Best Female R & B Artist of the Year 2016” award (in Switzerland) with a song the pair had written together.
The 2020 lockdown changed everything. It gave Berry-Gordon time to think about how to grow her career. She pursued freelance songwriting using TikTok and Instagram to reach out to other artists and released her own recordings on distribution platforms like Spotify and Apple.
Her plan worked. Her 2024 award stemmed from a collaboration with KXVI, which began in 2021. The song that Lil Tjay created from it generated 5 million streams on Spotify, catching the attention of BMI .
“My award, which I got with KXVI and other producers on the track, was for a high-performance track streaming count,” Berry Gordon explained.
As she looks to the future, Berry-Gordon said that the only barriers she has faced are the ones she placed on herself by being afraid to step out of her comfort zone.
“When people asked me ‘What do you do?’ It took me a while to be comfortable saying that I do music and to shift into that mindset and that person. Even though I was doing music and was pursuing it, I did not yet feel that I had the right to say it.”
So, what’s her advice to others pursuing their dreams? “Believe in your source and believe in yourself…., find out what success looks like for you and don’t let other people put limitations on you,” she said.
See Chante-Marie Berry-Gordon in action here.