In traditional African societies, the storyteller was often the historian, as well as the culture-bearer. West Africa's most vivid, intriguing, and enduring character is the trickster, Anansi. Follow the travels of Anansi from Africa to the west, where Anansi's antics and themes are found in Brer Rabbit tales, often told on southern plantations.

These stories of small spiders and crafty rabbits served to entertain and empower those who were using all of their spiritual and mental resources to survive their oppressive conditions. Shanta invites audiences to listen, laugh, and ponder the role of the trickster in folkloric traditions. This program is made possible in part by an award from the Illnois Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Illinois General Assembly.

Shanta has been performing as a musician, storyteller, and actor since 1972, presenting concerts and workshops in educational and cultural institutions across the country and abroad. She has released several recordings and won numerous awards, including the coveted Artist Fellowship from the Illinois Arts Council (2001). She has appeared at the National Storytelling Festival, the National Festival of Black Storytelling, National Geographic, Columbia University, the Chicago Jazz Festival, and the Chicago Humanities Festival.