EDITORIAL REVIEWS
"This unique 'how to' book teaches more than just the art of storytelling: it invites us to rediscover an older, and wiser, way of experiencing our humanity." —Nicholas Nicastro, author, Antigone's Wake
"This is a story that teaches how to tell a story---by example. . . . The spirit of this book can be summed up in two words: respect and creativity, increasingly scarce in today's world . . . of special interest to teachers, librarians, and therapists." —New Age Retailer (July 1, 2011)
"Captivating and entertaining with a warm, inviting tone. It reads like a fascinating collection of stories rather than a didactic 'how-to.'. . . [This] should be read by anyone who works with children, whether a parent, teacher, librarian, or children's program leader." —ForeWord Reviews (April 1, 2011)
"Telling a good story is more useful than one would think . . . [it] can get your message across in a way that plain speaking won't. . . . [This is] fascinating reading, a must for any who want to embrace the way of the story." —Midwest Book Review (July 1, 2011)
"A compelling read full of the wisdom and skills of storytelling . . . explores both inner (psychological and spiritual realm of what is communicated in the telling) and outer (technique and physical presentation) domains of storytelling; I very much enjoyed this book." —Fact and Fiction (July 2011)
Little Hawk shares his way of oral tradition storytelling as he was taught by his grandparents. The practical skills illustrated through the telling of both traditional and contemporary stories are easily embraced. They come from the universal appeal of respect and compassion. By following the life of a man destined to become a storyteller, the reader, too, gains many of the skills needed to captivate as well as educate others. So many good books on this subject stress that storytelling is an excellent teaching tool; yet no other book actually uses teaching stories to teach storytelling. Like all of Little Hawk's stories, it can also be enjoyed by children, and serve to teach children storytelling. Another unique aspect of this book is that the teacher-character is based on Little Hawk himself.
LITTLE HAWK's STORYTELLING
ALBUM (2010)
"Care For The Earth"
Native American Stories Of Respect
For All Life
LITTLE HAWK's 2011 MOVIE: "REAWAKEN" 3 minute preview is below.
Watch Entire 50 minute Movie For FREE Online: CLICK HERE
WHO IS LITTLE HAWK?
Kenneth Little Hawk is a Native American storyteller, keynote speaker, recording artist and actor, descending from the Micmac and Mohawk tribes.
In 1998, he was a guest of the President and performed at the White House for a special screening of the PBS film,"Lewis & Clark." He is a Native American cultural treasure.
Touring throughout America over the past 20 years, Little Hawk has performed for over 2 million people at many distinguished locations including Lincoln Center in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, and the American Museum of Natural History.
Little Hawk has been hired by corporations such as PepsiCo, AT&T, Verizon, and Sony, as well as, government organizations such as the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), the Federal Executive Board, and the U.S. Army.
His voice and authentic flute music can be heard in such award-winning PBS films as "The West" and "Lewis & Clark" produced by the acclaimed director, Ken Burns.
Little Hawk has been nominated twice for Best Storyteller of the Year by the Native American Music Awards for "Wind, Sun and Stars" and "In a Good Way." In reviewing "Wind, Sun and Stars," Fanfare Magazine reported, "The stories are fascinating and the presentation avoids condescension. It is polished but not slick. This CD rings true." In respect to "In a Good Way," "Excellent storytelling! Very animated and sound effects of the animals and nature made the stories come alive."
WHAT DOES LITTLE HAWK DO?
Little Hawk shares Native American culture, music, storytelling, and dance through keynote speaking, lectures, workshops, assemblies, concerts, art residencies, and special performances. He treats all people with dignity and respect.
He
adapts the performance to the audience’s age level and interests. Whether it be with adults, students, or children, they all participate with great enthusiasm in activities such as learning Native American songs, dances, words and sign language.
Little Hawk believes that all humans need to honor, cherish and preserve the earth. We must work together to mend the global hoop that encompasses all life.
Little Hawk hopes to leave audiences with the knowledge that they can make choices to live in harmony with one another and the environment. He also teaches respect for differences as well as appreciation for the "common thread that binds us."
Performances are tailored to your interests …
Appreciation of Native American culture, storytelling, music, and dance
Respect for the environment
Understanding cultural diversity
Developing self-esteem and respect for one's self and others
Storytelling workshops have been given at the following locations:
The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
The Lincoln Center, New York, NY
The Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn, NY
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Sunnyside Museum, Historic Hudson Valley, Sleepy Hollow, NY
Children's Library, Oneida Reservation, Green Bay, WI
Hopi Mesa Schools and Mission School, Hopi Reservation, AZ
Turtle School, Oneida Reservation, WI
In New Jersey (Little Hawk's home state)
Performing Arts Center, Newark
Hughes Elementary School, Berkeley Heights
Brookdale College, Lincroft
Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, Livingston
Jersey City Museum, Jersey City
Make-a-Wish Foundation, Toms River
MUSEUMS
Like a museum exhibit come alive, Little Hawk plays traditional Native American flutes. He shows how nature's bounty -- rocks, shells, and gourds -- can be used to make beautiful music. He shares the wisdom of his ancestors.
The American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
The Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, NJ
Neptune Historical Museum, Neptune, NJ
Philipsburg Manor, Sleepy Hollow, NY
Sunnyside Museum, Sleepy Hollow, NY
National Museum of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
THEATERS
As an actor, flute-player, singer, dancer, and spellbinding storyteller, Little Hawk evokes the spirit of his ancestors and makes his tradition come alive for his audience.
Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, CA
Denver Center Theatre, Denver, CO
The Lincoln Center, New York, NY
The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
The National Theatre, Washington, DC
McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ
SCHOOLS
From three-year-olds to graduate students, Little Hawk engages all in an unforgettable experience of active participation in Native American culture. Students and teachers dance, make music, laugh, and join in to help Little Hawk tell the stories.
Columbia University, New York, NY
New York University, New York, NY
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Long Island University, Queens, NY
Nursery School of Congregation Agudath Israel, Caldwell, NJ
Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, Livingston, NJ
Mountain Park Elementary School, Berkeley Heights, NJ
Saint Cecilia School, Rockaway, NJ
Central Middle School, Parsippany, NJ
Point Road Elementary School, Little Silver, NJ
Project Impact, an Arts in Education Foundation, Paramus, NJ
Brookdale College, Lincroft, NJ
Maryland College, Westminster, MD
SPECIAL-NEEDS FACILITIES
Little Hawk's ability to engage and involve his audience, combined with his compassion and respect for the dignity of all people, makes him especially effective at reaching people with special needs. He brings joy and laughter to these very special people by touching their hearts.
Association for Retarded Citizens of Essex County,
Camp Hope Day Program, East Hanover, NJ
Make-a-Wish Foundation, Toms River, NJ
Water Wheel Handicapped Olympian Athletes, Area 3 Special Olympics, Equestrian Team, Blairstown, NJ
Eden Institute, (provides lifespan service to children and adults with autism), Princeton, NJ
Isaiah House, United Way of Essex and West Hudson, (Conference: "Positively Speaking, People Living with Aids Mobilized for Prevention"), East Orange, NJ
David Minkin Rehabilitation Institute, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center (for children with challenges ranging from behavioral and attention deficit disorders to physical disabilities), Brooklyn, NY
Alzheimer's Ward, Veterans' Administration Hospital, Lyons, NJ
Hospital Audiences Inc., New York, NY
PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Little Hawk has designed special programs for Brownie Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and other organizations for young people. His work helps to teach children self-reliance and respect for themselves and others -- including respect for nature.
NATIVE AMERICAN EVENTS AND PERFORMANCES
Little Hawk has been privileged to work with other Native Americans as an actor, composer, musician, singer, dancer, and master of ceremonies.
Ramapough Lenape Pow Wow, Ringwood State Park, NJ
Oneida Casino and Oneida Turtle School, Green Bay, WI
Oneida Pow Wow, Madison, WI
Lenape Learning Village, Leapapehoking Festival, Sandy Hook, NJ
Intertribal Gathering, Maplewood, NJ
Hopi Mesa Schools and Mission School, Hopi Reservation, AZ
Annual Giving of Thanks to the First Peoples, The Cathedral of St. John The Divine, New York, NY
Waterloo Village (a reconstructed Lenape village), Stanhope, NJ
The Hawk Project, a Native American music and jazz band that promotes spiritual awareness and creativity
PARKS AND NATURE CENTERS
With activities that excite people of all ages, Little Hawk teaches respect for animals, plants, and everything in nature. "We all must work together to mend the global hoop that encompasses our ecology and all creatures who walk, swim, crawl, or fly on the face of the Earth."
The Rockefeller State Park, Sleepy Hollow, NY
City of New York Parks and Recreation, Bronx, NY
Division of Parks and Recreation, County of Union, Union, NJ
The National Park Service, Manhattan Sites, New York, NY
Alley Pond Environmental Center, Douglastown, NY
Tenafly Nature Center, Tenafly, NJ
LIFE Environmental Center, Larchmont, NY
Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission Environment Center, Lyndhurst, NJ
Bedford Audubon Society, Mount Kisco, NY
Westmoreland Sanctuary, Bedford, NY
RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS
Little Hawk has been honored with requests to compose music for and perform at worship services. His dignity, reverence, and love for the Great Spirit inspire his involvement in planning worship services, preaching, and serving as a resource on Native American Spirituality.
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York, NY
The First Presbyterian Church, Cranford, NJ
United Methodist Church of Linden, Linden, NJ
United Methodist Church of Summit, Summit, NJ
Annual Community-wide Service of Praise and Thanksgiving, The Council of Congregations of Union, Union, NJ
St. George's Episcopal Church, Maplewood, NJ
RESUME: Kenneth Little Hawk
Native American Heritage: Micmac (Mi'kmaq), Mohawk
Little Hawk's great-grandmother, a Mi'kmaq, traveled from Nova Scotia across the Canadian border carrying his grandmother on a cradleboard on her back. She journeyed through the upper Mohawk Valley into upstate New York and settled in the Catskills. There, Little Hawk's grandmother married his grandfather, who was Mohawk and Cree. Little Hawk was raised by his traditional grandparents. In his family, it was part of his culture for the oldest to look after the youngest. He was taught he was a reflection of his elders, so his behavior with the young ones was critical.
Little Hawk believes that since all humans live together on this planet, we need to honor, cherish, and preserve our home. He teaches all must work together to mend the global hoop that encompasses all two-leggeds, four-leggeds, winged ones, and plant life. He also teaches respect for differences as well as appreciation for the "common thread that binds us." When he performs, Little Hawk says, "The most important message is that we can make choices to live in harmony with one another and we can make choices to live in harmony with the environment."
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Professional Memberships: Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity
STORYTELLER: Shares Native American culture, traditions, and musical instruments in a lecture, storytelling, and musical demonstration format. Little Hawk performs for a wide variety of audiences, including young children, teenagers, college students, and senior citizens. He has performed in hospitals, nursing homes, and for the homeless and disabled. He adapts the performance to the interests of the audience. His themes include Native American culture, cultural diversity, self-esteem, and respect for others and our environment. Little Hawk's performances are always met with enthusiasm, no matter what his audiences' age or background.
RECORDING ARTIST: Composes, sings, and plays Native American music on flutes, drums, rattles, and other traditional instruments for movies, plays, television, radio, and concerts. His music and singing are heard in the films The West and Lewis and Clark, both produced by Ken Burns. The soundtrack for The West, produced by SONY, includes Little Hawk's original music and singing. Wind, Sun and Stars was nominated for Best Children's Recording of 1998 by Native American Music Awards. In a Very Real Way, In a Good Way, and The Great Mystery are on the 2002 Native American Music Awards' Finalist Ballot for possible nomination of 19 awards in 13 categories Little Hawk's recordings include First Light, The Hawk Project, From the Heart of Little Hawk, and Brothers of the Wind. Composed and performed music with the Westchester Philharmonic, New York.
ACTOR: Powerful presence and dignity in the roles of Native American Elder, Chief, Shaman, Medicine Man, Spiritual Leader, and Peacemaker, with mesmerizing delivery of comedy and tragedy. Little Hawk appeared in Black Elk Speaks at the Denver Center Theatre Company and at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. He played Chief Joseph in Indians at the McCarter Theater Company in Princeton, New Jersey. He portrayed a Native American Elder in The Inheritance, a film directed by Mark Williams, New York University, Department of Film and Television. He played an attorney in the film Petty Crimes, directed by Michael Ferry, and a storyteller in the film Campfire Stories, directed by Andrzej Krakowski and Jeff Mazzola.
VOICE-OVERS: Little Hawk's voice has the sound of an ancient voice that echoes in the present. His rich, deep voice is heard in The West, Lewis and Clark, and Land of the Eagle.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
FILMS, TELEVISION, AND VOICE-OVERS
Campfire Stories- A film directed by Andrzej Krakowski and Jeff Mazzola, Campfire Stories Publications, 2001. He plays a Native American storyteller, a principal role.
Petty Crimes- A film directed by Michael Ferry, 2001. Little Hawk plays a Native American attorney, a principal role.
The West and Lewis and Clark- Two TV series produced by Ken Burns, Insignia Films, Public Broadcasting System in 1996 and 1997. Little Hawk composed and arranged music, and performed traditional instrumentals with Lakota singers. Performed voice-overs.
Land of the Eagle- A TV series by Time-Life, Inc., Channel 13, WNET, New York City. Performed voice-overs. His voice was used for the roles of 12 different Native Americans in this eight-volume series.
The Inheritance- A film directed by Mark Williams, New York University Department of Film and Television. Little Hawk received an award for excellence in acting and this production won best film award at the First Run Student Film Festival in 1991. He played Cash, a Native American Elder, a principal role.
STAGE
Black Elk Speaks- A play directed by Donovan Marley, Denver Center Theatre Company, Denver, CO, October 1993, that won the American Theatre Critics Association's New Play Award. Little Hawk played the roles of Crazy Horse's father and a Cheyenne Chief. Every performance received a standing ovation. Little Hawk was invited to return for the second run of this play at the Denver Center Theatre Company in 1994 and the third run at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in 1995.
This Land is Whose Land?- A series of ten one-act plays produced by the 52nd Street Project, The Ensemble Theatre Company, New York City Police Athletic League, in 1992. Little Hawk composed, performed music, and played a principal role in each play of this series.
Indians- A play directed by George Faison, McCarter Theater Company, Princeton University, in 1991. Little Hawk composed, performed music, and played the principal role of Chief Joseph.
