The Jackal and The Dog
BY CHETTER GALLOWAY
ABOUT THE STORYTELLER
Chetter Galloway is the president of Kuumba Storytellers of Georgia, an affiliate of the National Association of Black Storytellers (NABS). Chetter is very active in the storytelling world, having presented his stories in venues across the country, including Colonial Williamsburg, the National Park Service and the Smithsonian, as well as at numerous NABS conferences and affiliate events, in person and online.
Chetter grew up in the warmth of his father’s storytelling tradition. On Sunday road trips, his father would tell stories as they traveled, many of the stories originating from traditional African tales. He remembers a particular story called The Talking Skull, which Chetter describes as a West African cautionary tale about a man who lost his head.
Chetter nurtured his love for storytelling in his college years, obtaining a Master of Arts degree in Storytelling from East Tennessee State University. His thesis project, a one-man show about a Black Civil War soldier, is the basis for an educational program called Free at Last, Now Let Me Fly! He enjoys telling stories that span the gamut of historical and lesser-known figures who overcame great odds to achieve, along with stories that teach life lessons through the art of imagination. Inspiration often comes when Chetter is indulging his love for running, which he does regularly.
“The Jackal and the Dog” is particularly salient as we look toward Juneteenth and consider the meanings of freedom and how to practice it. At KIZA BlackLit, we are reclaiming Juneteenth as Reconnection Day, and nothing is more meaningful than reconnecting with the freedom to be our own true selves.
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