Animal Wisdom is an ongoing, organically growing intercultural storytelling program
The program is educative, artistic and aims to appeal to different generations, both young and old!
Animal Wisdom workshops, teaching modules, (e)books, original artistic expressions, animations, games are offered as services and products on the website.
These colorful and pluriform materials aim at enhancing the intercultural art of living and ‘global citizenship’, thereby contributing to inclusion and cultural diversity for life in the cosmopolis.
Free basic materials
The basic materials ― teasers of Animal Wisdom ― are made available by the QFWF free of charge; thanks to the selfless efforts of many hands, hearts, heads and eyes of a growing circle of participants and volunteers throughout the foundation.
An intercultural lesson about Animal Wisdom can be downloaded free of charge from the shop
Purchase of in-depth educational materials
These in-depth educational materials ― which can be downloaded after a donation to the QFWF (such as purchasing e-books and teaching modules) ― promote the further development of intercultural understanding through Animal Wisdom as well as helping to support the other activities of the Quest for Wisdom Foundation.
Animal Wisdom Collection e-books
These beautiful books contain animal stories as well as information about their origins and extensive commentary about (inter)cultural storytelling traditions.
Available in Dutch, English and/or other languages. Please contact us for more information.
Dieren Wijsheid uit Noord, Zuid, Oost, West
NL, 2022, ISBN: 978 94 921 27 099
201 pages, dimensions 25*25 cm
and
Wisdom of Animals North, South, East, West
EN, 2022, ISBN: 978 94 921 27 105
177 pages, dimensions 25*25 cm
This first e-book explains the QFWF storytelling program and introduces the reader to 20 fascinating stories carefully selected from the four corners of the world.
It unlocks the philosophy behind the Wheel of Animal Wisdom.
The 20 animal stories from four different cultures and storytelling traditions are told through five different animal groups: Snake, Salmon, Raven, Lion and mythical animals.
In all these stories, the original artwork — by Caroline Young, Chrisje Ronde, Greg Suffanti, Louis Van Marissing, Nour Kayali, Robin Stemerding and Veronica HuisintVeld — beautifully express the wisdom that these animals embody. Just like the photos by Adri de Groot, Gea Smit, Heidi Muijen, Johann Gomes, Joke Koppius, Laurens Gomes, Maike Stegeman, Marie-Claire Marx, Miny Verberne and Moniek Steggerda; Wikipedia.
The highly appealing stories with their timeless wisdoms and original artistic expressions feed the soul very directly — even without having to decipher the symbolism. However, each story also contains the reflections of Dr. Heidi Muijen about how people as strange birds, smart as foxes and courageous as lions can successfully develop ‘global citizenship’.
This e-book is available in Dutch and in English. The English version has been translated by Greg Suffanti.
Buddha as an Animal
EN, 2022, ISBN: 978 94 921 27 075
61 pages, dimensions 25*25 cm
The third e-book, Buddha as an Animal, as Originally Told in the Jatakamala by Arya Shura, features the 11 classic Buddhist animal stories retold by Greg Suffanti, with extensive background information and commentary. Some of the stories are in epic poem form! In addition, Greg has illustrated all of the stories with original watercolors.
This delightful nearly sixty page e-book contains all 11 stories from the Mahayana Buddhist Jataka narratives in which the future Buddha is presented as an animal. In addition, there is a rapversion to the 6 original songs made, that retell Greg’s epic story of Buddha as the King of Geese.
This e-book is only available in English.
Caught in the Cosmic Web — Ghanaian Folk Tales in the Twenty-First Century
EN, Akan/Twi, and Ewe, 2022, ISBN: 978 94 921 27 112
131 pages, dimensions 25*25 cm
and
Gevangen in het Kosmische Web — Ghanese Volksverhalen in de 21e Eeuw
NL, Ewe en standard Akan/ Twi, 2022, ISBN: 978 94 921 27 129
approximately 140 pages, dimensions 25*25 cm
The fourth and fifth e-book contains 20 Ghanaian stories about the spider Anansi and other animals. The Animal stories taken directly from oral traditions and first written by Dr. Kofi Dorvlo…!
With an introduction by Dr. Louise Müller and illustrations by Josee Tesser.
The Dutch edition is enriched with an introduction and reflections on the animal wisdom in the stories by Dr. Heidi Muijen and Mr. Johann Gomes.
Two trilingual editions:
One e-book available in English, standard Akan/Twi and Ewe and
One e-book available in Dutch, standard Akan/Twi and Ewe.
Jewels of Indian Folklore — Blurring and Blending of Cultures
EN, 2022, ISBN: 978 94 921 271 36
approximately 180 pages, dimensions 25*25 cm
The sixth e-book contains 20 Indian stories, mostly retellings by Dr. Nivedita Yohana and Greg Suffanti from the ancient Vedic tradition of informative Panchatantra stories which serve as a Hindu guide to life.
In addition, Nivedita and Greg, inspired by this old storytelling tradition, have created a number of original stories themselves, in which timeless wisdom is reflected in the lives of animals.
Together, the authors illuminate the meaning of these stories and their roots in the ancient Vedic tradition.
Nour Kayali’s pencil drawings and oil paintings and Greg’s watercolors depict the mythical wisdom of these animal tales.
This e-book is available only in an English version.
Madagaskar, Land van Orale Cultuur, Lemuren and Kameleons
NL, 2022
approximately 100 pages, dimensions 25*25 cm
It was English and Norwegian missionaries who were the first to record the local folktales before Madagascar became a French colony in 1895. In few comparable countries was there such an enormous wealth of oral tradition in all its forms as in Madagascar.
Dr. Marcel Reyners takes us along for a fascinating trip via a series of Malagasy animal stories in this seventh e-book. Illustrated with animal photos and photos of embroidery by Malagasy woman and with original illustrations by Mirelva Romano.
This e-book is available only in a Dutch version.