animal

Animal Wisdom Collection

Golden Ratio Collections — Animal Wisdom Collection — Wisdom Collection

Inter-Cultural Storytelling

Dieren Wijsheid — Wisdom of Animals — Buddha as an Animal — Caught in the Cosmic Web — Gevangen in het Kosmische Web — Jewels of Indian Folklore — Madagaskar, Land van Orale Cultuur, Lemuren en Kameleons

The Animal Wisdom Collection aims to unlock cosmopolitan and ecological wisdom from cultural traditions worldwide. It consists of an intercultural storytelling programme, developed from the artistic and philsophical presentations on this theme at the Meeting Days 2019-2021 and the QfWf-project for the development of a digital intercultural lesson on fables worldwide and the website Animal Wisdom, honoured by the Fund Zuidoost i.c.w. Prince Bernard Culture Fund. The aim of the Animal Wisdom Programme is to show the beauty of cultural diversity of animal stories from all corners of the world on the one hand and, on the other hand, the cultures uniting cosmopolitan and ecological values expressed in the fables. Developing the ‘elemental’ wisdom that transcends the boundaries of cultures is the focus of this series of (e)books.

Caribean stories on Nanzi the Spider – Mirelva Romano

The natural power that animals embody — attributed to animals in fairy tales, legends, myths, and other stories — show this elemental wisdom known to cultures worldwide. It is a symbolic form of wisdom, holding up a mirror to humans on how to shape the good life in the cosmopolis. These cultures transcending values in stories offer a perspective beyond value relativism and power politics by mono-cultural, polarizing and oppressive ideologies on the world stage. 

QfWf-Authors and artists have collected animal wisdom stories worldwide from various genres. They have processed these stories in new and appealing and artistic forms. In doing so, they introduce readers both to cross-cultural wisdom in a variety of genres as well as to stories (traditions) from specific cultural regions.

Dieren Wijsheid ― uit Noord, Zuid, Oost en West

Heidi Muijen
NL, 2022
ISBN: 978 94 921 27 099
201 pages, pdf
Purchase: Dieren Wijsheid

and

Wisdom of Animals ― North, South, East and West

Heidi Muijen and Greg Suffanti
EN, 2022
ISBN: 978 94 921 27 105
177 pages, pdf
Purchase: Wisdom of Animals

This e-book explains the QFWF storytelling program.

It unlocks the philosophy behind the Intercultural Wheel of Animal Wisdom.

This e-book contains 20 animal stories from four cultures: Snake, Salmon, Raven, Lion and other (mythical) animals are always highlighted from the North, South, East and West.

Sninniq Wild Woman – story of the indigenous Northern American people – Greg Suffanti

In all the stories, original works by visual artists — Caroline Young, Chrisje Ronde, Greg Suffanti, Louis Van Marissing, Nour Kayali, Robin Stemerding and Veronica HuisintVeld — 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.

Due to the appealing stories and artistic forms, this animal wisdom drawn from all over the world, feeds the soul very directly – even without having to decipher the symbolism – and in addition, reflections by Dr. Heidi Muijen on all stories provides food for reflection on how animals as strange birds, smart foxes and courageous lions can develop ‘global citizenship’.

This book is available in a Dutch version and in an English version

Buddha as an Animal

Greg Suffanti
EN, 2022
ISBN: 978 94 921 27 075
61 pages, pdf
Purchase: Buddha as an Animal

The third eBook is Buddha as an Animal, as Originally Told in the Jatakamala by Arya Shura, and features classic Buddhist stories retold by Greg Suffanti. Several stories are in poetic form and one can be heard as a rapversie!
It is sung how the Bodhisattva, reborn as Dhritarashtra, king of the geese, spread the wondrous Dharma….

Read how a woodpecker, rabbit, buffalo, elephant and other wise animals from the east also embody Buddhist virtues!
In addition, Greg has illustrated the stories with his watercolours.
This e-book contains all of the stories from the Mahayana Buddhist Jatakamala Narratives in which Buddha is represented as an animal.

In English

Caught in the Cosmic Web — Ghanaian Folk Tales in the Twenty-First Century

Kofi Dorvlo and Louise Müller
EN, Akan/Twi, and Ewe, 2022
ISBN: 978 94 921 27 112
130 pages, pdf
Purchase: Caught in the Cosmic Web

and

Gevangen in het Kosmische Web — Ghanese Volksverhalen in de 21e Eeuw

Heid Muijen and Johann Gomes
NL, Ewe en standard Akan/ Twi, 2022
ISBN: 978 94 921 27 028
circa 140 pages, pdf
Purchase: Gevangen in het Kosmische Web

Ghanaian stories about the spider Anansi and other African animals. Twenty Animal stories straight from the modern oral tradition, put in writing for the first time by Dr. Kofi Dorvlo… can be found in the 4th and 5th e-book! With an introduction by Dr. Louise Müller. Josee Tesser’s cheerful illustrations bring the old Ghanaian stories to life for today’s readers with her refreshing and artistic interpretations.

As experts in African Studies, Louise Müller and Kofi Dorvlo shed light on how the spider Anansi, when encountering other animals, demonstrates both his wit and criticism of the greed, stupidity and arrogance found in human society.

Two trilingual e-books:

English, standard Akan/Twi and Ewe — and
Dutch, standard Akan/Twi and Ewe.

Jewels of Indian Folklore ― Blurring and Blending of Cultures

Nivedita Yohanna and Greg Suffanti
EN, 2022
ISBN: 978 94 921 27 136
173 pages, pdf
Purchase: Jewels of Indian Folklore

The sixth eBook contains 20 traditional Indian stories: some are retellings by Dr. Nivedita Yohana and Greg Suffanti of stories from, among others, the classic Panchatantra — from the ancient Hindu Vedic tradition.

In addition, Nivedita and Greg, inspired by this old storytelling tradition, have created a number of original stories themselves. Enjoy the timeless wisdom, which is reflected in the coexistence of animals, with difficult confrontations between a jackal and tiger, the servitude of the camel, the arrogance of the young tiger and the witticisms of a monkey. Each ‘moral of the story’ has been brought to the fore with practical and fun exercises for students and reflections on the virtues that the animals represent.

Together, the authors illuminate the meaning of these stories and their roots in the Vedic tradition.
Nour Kayali’s original drawings and oil paintings and Greg’s watercolors depict the mythical wisdom of these animal tales.

In English.

Madagaskar, Land van Orale Cultuur, Lemuren en Kameleons

Marcel Reyners
NL, 2023
ISBN: 978 94 921 27 129
316 pages, pdf
Purchase: Madagaskar, Land van Orale Cultuur, Lemuren en Kameleons

It was English and Norwegian missionaries who were the first to record their folktales, before Madagascar became a French colony in 1895. In few similar countries was there such a wealth of oral tradition in all its forms.

Dr. Marcel Reyners takes us along in the 7th e-book to a series of Malagasy animal stories. Such as the story of the healing of the king’s only daughter, which provides a fascinating explanation of why the locust serves as food for the chameleon.

Illustrated with animal and embroidery pictures by Malagasy women, and with original illustrations by Mirelva Romano and watercolours by Greg Suffanti.

In Dutch.

Purchase of Educative Materials

One hundred percent of the money raised by the sale of all of the products will be used in realising our upcoming QfWf educational projects, all of which are non-profit and run by volunteers.

Update 2025-02

Animal Wisdom Collection Read More »

Golden Ratio Collections

Golden Ratio Collections — Animal Wisdom Collection — Wisdom Collection

Books of Wisdom for the Cosmopolis

Images of good and evil, The Wulf and the Crane – Annelie van Steenbergen

With the Golden Ratio Collections, the QfWf aims to give voice to the intercultural art of living, given the hardening social debate. With a cosmopolitan ethos, transcultural values and practices to unite people and make connection between cultures. Harsh voices and destructive forces on the geopolitical stage are threatening both humanity and the entire planet, with all its winged, scaly, hairy and arthropod inhabitants. As a response(-ability), the QfWf-authors with Wild Hair of the (Animal) Wisdom Collections provide answers of humanization and ecological awareness. In doing so, the QfWf aims to contribute to the good life in the cosmopolis – with values of inclusion, cultural diversity and global responsibility. 

Drawing and other forms of cocreation

By cocreation, the QfWf wants to propagate this mission as an intercultural community through artistic forms: by drawing, musical expressions, dancing and … By disseminating the developed artistic materials as inspiring examples of global citizenship in wider circles of concern. With this in mind, the Quest for Wisdom foundation has launched the Golden Ratio Collections that stimulate cosmopolitan and ecological awareness, reciprocity and respect for other beings within the cyclical processes of our Mother Earth. 

Animal Wisdom Storytelling

The mythical significance of animals as bearers of wisdom and natural power links cultures, however different they may be. This transcultural phenomenon of Animal Wisdom storytelling forms the basis on which the QfWf-authors have collected narratives on Animal Wisdom, enhancing ecological and cosmopolitan values. Examples of stories are presented on the Animal Wisdom website and explained in more detail in the Animal Wisdom (e-)book Collection:

  1. Dieren Wijsheid ― uit Noord, Zuid, Oost en West
  2. Wisdom of Animals ― North, South, East and West
  3. Buddha as an Animal ― Boeddha wijsheid  met vertellingen uit de boeddhistische Jatakatamala.
  4. Caught in the Cosmic Web — Ghanaian Folk Tales in the Twenty-First Century
  5. Gevangen in het Kosmische Web — Ghanese Volksverhalen in de 21e Eeuw
  6. Jewels of Indian Folklore ― Blurring and Blending of Cultures
  7. Madagaskar, Land van Orale Cultuur, Lemuren en Kameleons

Golden Ratio Collections — Authors with Wild Hair

QfWf-event on Global Citizenship -Presentation Amor Mundi

Two series of the Wisdom Book Collection are aiming at passing on old treasures to new generations in appealing, contemporary forms. The QfWf-Circle of authors with Wild Hair have collected these as (e)books in the (Animal) Wisdom Collection — since 2024 around a yearly theme of social importance in artistic and musical forms that is collected on the QfWF-platform The Golden Ratio.

Worldwide, cultures have developed wisdom traditions containing artistic, philosophical and spiritual forms expressing the art of living with different perspectives. The QfWf aims to unveil these precious treasures in a unique and artistic way to make the cosmopolitan future happen.

Boekpresentation Amor Fati in the OBA Reigersbos 25 jan 2025

Amor Fati, containing “playing wisdom for the cosmopolis” opens the Wisdom Collection. This first as well as the third book from the Series, Amor Mundi documenting the development of the World Citizenship Project, were presented in 2024-2025 at the Amsterdam Public Library, locations Weesp and Reigersbos, with a colourful intercultural programme, thanks to many involved hands and hearts of the project-group and the QfWf Soul Circle.
Amor Fati describes the QfWf background philosophy of the eponymous board-game as well as of the Wheel of intercultural life art of living. Greg Suffanti’s English-language intercultural reflections on his watercolour series give the reader — together with the visual work of Agnes Roothaan, Louis van Marissing, Annelie van Steenbergen, Caroline Young, Nour Kayali, Klaske Rehorst, Josee Tesser, Elin Maljaars, Maya Plas & Mitra Muijen around the mythic-philosophical themes of Amor Fati — a surprising route of the imagination through the book.

Wisdom (e-book) Collection:

  1. Amor Fati: exploring the Quest For Wisdom vision;
  2. Koloniale wa(a)r(d)en: enlightening the historical colonial context of the Caribean intercultural identities, poetry and music. 
  3. Amor Mundi: documenting the QfWf-project on “Global Citizenship”;
  4. Walking Two Roads, Accord and Separation in Chinese and Western Thought;
  5. Russische Zigeunerromances: presenting the Gypsy romances with its rich cross-cultural and historical sources;
  6. Middeleeuwse Chirurgie in Woord en Beeld: with drawings by Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu (1385-1468) with the text of “The Method of Medicine” by Albucasis (936-1013).
  7. Ik ben iemand die intens leefde … — Bloemlezing: gedichten en illustraties: een grote collectie gedichten en gedigitaliseerde mandala’s die uiting geven aan een intens doorvoelde kosmische verbondenheid.
  8. Knipoogjes: Korte en luchtige tijdreisjes in gezelschap van Henry Bergson, bestaat uit columns waarin wezenlijke kwesties lichtvoetig worden aangekaart;
  9. Het duurde maar even … – Gedichten die mij raakten: gedichten met vertalingen en bewerkingen van zo’n 40-tal dichters in Creools, Duits, Frans, Galicisch, Papiaments, Portugees, Spaans en Russisch …;
  10. Eye of the Tiger – Colorful Heritage of the Far East bevat een unieke verzameling Chinese penseeltekeningen met historische en mythische verhalen uit het verre oosten.

Purchase of Educative Materials

One hundred percent of the money raised by the sale of all of the products will be used in realising our upcoming QfWf educational projects, all of which are non-profit and run by volunteers.

Update 2025-02

Golden Ratio Collections Read More »

Animal Wisdom

Golden Ratio — Game for Wisdom — Animal Wisdom — Projects — Soul Circle

Narratives on Animal Wisdom

Happy as a fish in the water – Nour Kayali

The QfWf continues to collect animal stories from all over the world on the Animal Wisdom website. The overarching goal of this storytelling programme is to present how the symbolism in the narratives transcends cultural borders and at the same time the beauty of cultural diversity is presented. This goal is explained in the first two books of the Animal Wisdom Collection. This collection also contains specific cultural storytelling traditions and presents examples with various artistic forms, sharing the intercultural wisdom about how to become truly human (in the mirror of animal life) and how to build happy communities.

By developing this quest for wisdom perspective into (e-)books, teaching modules and other educational forms, these old treasures are preserved and made freshly available for new generations.

The good life in the cosmopolis

Courageous as a tigre – Nour Kayali

Animal stories can be found in all cultures of the world in a colourful diversity of narratives and genres. Through their differences, these stories express a cross cultural elemental wisdom that these animals embody.

The crosscultural significance of the narrative use of animals as embodying wisdom and natural strength forms a golden opportunity for building bridges between cultures. Educational goals of the programme include the strengthening ecological and cosmopolitan values of global citizenship — such as inclusion, cultural diversity, ecological awareness and 21st century skills. In appealing artistic and educational forms, the QfWf aims to reach different target groups: children, students, parents, teachers, professionals, managers and administrators.

`Free as a Bird’ – Annelie van Steenbergen

Further reading on the development of the programme Animal Wisdom in a series of articles (NL):
De Gulden Snede: deel 1 — deel 2 — deel 3 — deel 4 — deel 5 — deel 6 — deel 7 — deel 8

On the Animal Wisdom website the intercultural Wheel of Animal Wisdom categorizes the gathered animal stories from all over the world. This Wheel visualizes the overarching goal of the intercultural Animal Wisdom storytelling programme: how do the (un)wise animals mirror in a symbolic way human behaviour, virtues and mischief. The QfWf develops not a “flat moral” from those stories but a multifaceted one in artistic forms that is thought-provoking: as narrative wisdom that cultures worldwide have developed and that tells in a visual language about humanity and community building.

Intercultural Animal Wisdom

Sea Mermaid — drawing Chrisje Ronde

Communities from all over the world pass on their cultural wisdom gathered over generations in the form of stories, proverbs, symbolism and rituals.

The QfWf Storytelling program unlocks this intercultural source of wisdom and gives it appealing artistic forms, focused on connecting the stories and transcultural symbolism!

Animals embody elemental wisdom

Snake, symbol for natural wisdom – Nour Kayali

Animals represent an elementary wisdom, they display clever and vicious tricks as well as being paragons of virtue. However differently the animals are presented, according to the specific cultural and historical context in which the stories were created, in all cultural traditions animals reflect basic natural strength and wisdom.

Beautiful forms of the latter are found in the classic tales of the of the Hindu Panchatantra and the Buddhist Jatakatamala.
Also, the famous stories of the Ghanaian Anansi as well as the less famous but extraordinary adventures of cricket, chameleon and other Malagasy hero’s.

Bolinus brandaris, the purple snake — drawing Chrisje Ronde

Animals in myths, legends and fairy tales present a wise natural force: proverbial is the wisdom of the owl and the cunning of spider Anansi.

Birds in fairy tales and myths often convey messages, like the raven for example, as a mediator between the world of the gods, the humans and the underworld.

In addition to similarities, there are also interesting cultural differences. For example, almost all cultures have stories about dragons. Although they differ in shape on the one hand — sometimes more serpentine, sometimes more like a giant bird or like some kind of dinosaur — they all embody an enormous (super)natural power.

Read examples of Animal Stories as well as about the programme on — Animal wisdom

Update 2025-02

Animal Wisdom Read More »