The Narrators
In the mid-19th century, five |Xam prisoners were released from a convict station into the custody of two dedicated linguists. The captives taught the linguists their |Xam language and told their timeless myths, just a few decades before |Xam as a living language was lost forever. Thanks to the linguists and their dedication to faithfully recording these stories word by word, miraculously the stories have survived to be retold now through our artists.
||Kabbo, (meaning “Dream”)
who was a Shaman and Rainmaker, as well as a transmitter of the myths..
|Han≠kass’o
a gifted young transmitter of the ancient |Xam mythology
|!Kweiten ta ||ken
All the narrators had the stories from their mothers.
Wilhelm Bleek
a German linguist who secured the prisoners into his custody, and recorded their stories.
Lucy Lloyd,
sister-in-law of Bleek, who worked alongside him, and took over the work after his death.
≠Kasin
who helped the linguists build up a |Xam vocabulary.
|A!kunta
the youngest of the prisoners, was 18 when he was captured.
Dia!kwain
the son of a Shaman, who had a profound grasp of the oral tradition of his people.