» Home
» News » The People Could Fly Project: Finding Nikki Giovanni
| The People Could Fly Project: Finding Nikki Giovanni |
By Intisar Abioto |
Published
12/13/2007
|
News
|
Rating:  |
|
|
|
The People Could Fly Project: Finding Nikki Giovanni
The People Could Fly Project: Inspired largely by “The People Could Fly,” the book of African American folktales by Virginia Hamilton, five sisters from Memphis are flying around the world documenting the dreams and aspirations of African people in Diaspora. Follow their journey through periodic reports in the Tri-State Defender.
| Penetrating the mystique of famed poet Nikki Giovanni involves knowing that from her vantage point “life is magic.” (Photo by Intisar Abioto)
|
We touched down in Nashville Sunday night. We’d been on the plane all day, flying through the two-hour time difference from Los Angeles, the sky darkening outside our windows as we made our way back across the sky and the country.
My sister Kalimah and I were heading to talk with Nikki Giovanni at the famed poet’s alma mater, Fisk University. With questions and cameras ready, we were meeting her at 10 the next morning at her office on campus. After working on getting this together for some months, we were finally on our way. We touched down at 8:41, four minutes ahead of schedule.
The Fisk campus looked pretty devoid of people when we made it in later that night. The sky was an almost ghostly backdrop for buildings on campus, but we managed to get directions to the dorm where we were staying from students at Fisk Hall.
On the plane I’d been reading John Hope Franklin’s “Mirror To America” in which the historian and fellow alum of Fisk details some of his early years at the university. So it was more than a little strange to reach the place I’d been reading about all weekend, but told from an early 1930s perspective.
We met Giovanni the next morning after walking across campus to the Fisk Race Relations Institute. Our hope was to engage in a conversation about her experiences. I’d heard her name spoken many times before I’d actually ever read any of her works.
| After a luncheon with the National Association of Black Journalists, Nikki Giovanni shares some fun moments with students from Tennessee State University. (Photos by Intisar Abioto)
|
This fall Giovanni has been commuting from her home in Blacksburg, Va., where she teaches at Virginia Tech, to Fisk where she teaches a weekly Writer’s Workshop. She looked a little startled when we opened the door to her office. Our walking-talking journey began at that point.
We walked to the newly renovated home of The Fisk Alumni Association, where she was planning a tree planting ceremony with other alumna, and then to a luncheon at Tennessee State University with the National Association of Black Journalists. Kalimah and I were eager to talk with her about the role of imagination, flight, and dreaming in her works, as well as her thoughts on the role of poets and wordsmiths in society.
“It’s a little more than imagination,” Giovanni told us. “I’m studying what I’m talking about; not just coming up with this stuff on the top of my head. I’m free to make suggestions that other people are not. I’m free to think the unthinkable.”
We were also curious about her experiences with children’s book author Virginia Hamilton, whose book of African American folktales helped inspire the journey we are now undertaking. In 1967 Giovanni adapted and directed Hamilton’s book “Zeely” for the stage and knew her until she passed away in 2002.
Giovanni spoke of Hamilton’s sense of imagination and history. She also spoke of “The Planet of Junior Brown,” Hamilton’s book about the friendship between two eighth grade boys in New York City and one of my personal favorites.
“See Virginia had a great imagination,” said Giovanni. “I remember reading ‘The Planet of Junior Brown’ and just crying. It’s a great book. To me, it’s her greatest book.”
We also wanted to know about Giovanni’s dreams and if she herself had ever dreamed of flying.
| Intisar Abioto (left) and Kalimah Abioto (right), sisters and partners in The People Could Fly Project, have picture proof of their successful mission to find Nikki Giovanni.
|
“No, that’s why they invented airplanes,” she responded quickly. “Do I wish that I could take a rocket ship to outer space? Yes. Do I believe that I should flap my wings to fly? No.”
We walked through the administration building and our talk turned to the history and future of Fisk and the importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities when there appear to be many other options for black students.
“That’s what we’re there for. We’re here to serve. We would want you of course to be a Spelman or Fisk graduate, but more than that we want you to be a college graduate,” Giovanni said. “And more than that, we want you to get on a path that is good for you.”
Giovanni was 25 when she published her first book of poetry, “Black Feeling, BlackTalk.” During the four decades since then she has continued to write and speak to people. Her poems, and essays help usher generations of writers and readers through their own personal journeys.
We thought to ask this question: “What did you want when you first set out as a writer, poet, person?”
“I wanted to do good work. I still do,” said Giovanni. “To me good work is to continue to think, to continue to present ideas. I’m very generous with ideas.”
Kalimah asked one of my favorite questions of the day: “Do you believe in magic?”
“Life is magic,” said the poet.
(Visit thepeoplecouldfly.blogspot.com for footage and photos from The People Could Fly Project.)
|
Comments
-
Comment #1
(Posted by Brittny)
Rating
I continue to be inspired and proud of those involved with the project. It's such a wonderful and beautiful endeavor connecting so many incredible people. It is the embodiment of Ms. Giovanni's last quote, "Life is Magic". I wish them the best for the continuation of their project and journey.
-
Comment #2
(Posted by alice hadler)
Rating
Great writing, great work, Intisar
-
Comment #3
(Posted by Nicole Lee)
Rating
I am so excited and proud for you all. Great job girls. And congrats on getting your stories in the Tri-State Defender. Hopefully, you will syndicate soon - to other Black papers, say the the St. Louis American? I would love to be able to tell people --these are my cousins, you MUST read this article.
-
Comment #4
(Posted by Jean Pockrus)
Rating
Wonderful article/interview Intisar! Your life/work is, as always, lovely and elegant and... down to earth (despite all your flutterings and flyings all over the place). Lots of liveliness and enjoyment in those photos too; it gives me a good feeling to see them.
-
Comment #5
(Posted by Jean Pockrus)
Rating
Wonderful article/interview Intisar! Your life/work is, as always, lovely and elegant and... down to earth (despite all your flutterings and flyings all over the place). Lots of liveliness and enjoyment in those photos too; it gives me a good feeling to see them.
Submit Comment
|
