On Wednesday, June 21, in partnership with Norwood's Haitian Church of God, the Morrill Memorial Library will host 2023 Artist-in-Residence Charlot Lucien for an evening of Haitian storytelling and riddles.

Titled "Krik? Krak! Haitian Storytelling and Riddles," the program will be presented in a mix of Haitian Creole and English, and will take place off-site in the meeting room at the Church of God, located at 190 Vanderbilt Avenue. Doors open at 6:00pm; the program will begin at 6:30pm.

Riddles and storytelling are an integral part of the Haitian oral tradition and carry both remembrances and traditions of Africa, but also serve as mechanisms to preserve ancestral cultures and impart traditional wisdom to the younger generations, and teach in the areas of health, family interactions, and daily living. This session will feature the most popular Haitian riddles and folktale characters.

About the artist: Charlot Lucien is an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) scholar at the University of Massachusetts (Boston), where he presents lectures focusing on the historical connections between the US and Haiti as part of his Master’s Degree in International Relations. He has presented for years on Haiti’s culture and history in various international academic and cultural venues, often examining the intersections between the US abolitionist movement and the Haitian revolution. A Haitian storyteller, visual artist, and the founder of the Boston-based Haitian Artists Assembly of Massachusetts, he often uses art to raise awareness about civil rights and humanitarian issues impacting Haitians in Haiti and abroad and to help change entrenched stereotypes about Haiti. He holds membership with various civic/humanitarian organizations, including the Groupe of Reflection and Action for a New Haiti (GRAHN), the West African Research Association (WARA), Société des poètes francophones, the Haitian Americans United Inc (HAU), the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Haiti Projects, etc. He has received several awards for his cultural contributions from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Boston, the Haitian Roundtable 1804 Haitian Americans Changemakers List, and other institutions.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Norwood Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. Registration is appreciated but not required. The program is designed for ages 14 and above. Please register for this in-person program by filling out the form below, or by calling the Reference Desk at 781-769-0200 x2. The program will take place off-site, at the Church of God located at 190 Vanderbilt Avenue.