At the visit to the Horniman Museum to see the African Worlds exhibition, the pupils had listened to Viv talking about the Shona headrest catching dreams and after this Amoafi told two stories about DREAMS (the keyword of this project). The pupils recounted these with Amoafi on Day 3 of the project back in the classrooms.

The first Dream Story was about a poor man whose mother was blind and whose wife could not have children. The man was very sad and wanted to take his own life. One night a spirit talked to him in his sleep and said it would grant him a wish. He wished his mother could see his wife rocking a baby in a golden cradle. The wish was granted and fulfilled all of his dreams as he was rich enough to buy a golden cradle, his wife had a child and his mother could see.

The second story is written below. Next the class talked about dreams and how they were also wishes. Amoafi had asked the pupils at the museum visit to try to remember their dreams as these would form the images for their dream cushions. The pupils then took it in turns to tell their dreams to the rest of the class.

Their dreams were about: "computerised mini-scooters going ito space; a cloud with spaceship inside landing in garden; toys; Kung Fu; ghosts eating jelly; a brother in hospital with water; watching a comet from earth; vampires and trees; animals; houses; racing cars having accidents and putting out fires". Read them below.

The second Dream Story from Amoafi was about a man and his wife who lived together. The woman looked after goats and chickens. The man counted the money his wife made from selling goats milk and eggs.

One night the man had a dream and he was granted two wishes. He wanted more money and so he decided he would ask firstly for money and secondly for more money. When he asked his wife what she might want she said she would wish for good health and happiness. The man got so angry with his wife he said "I wish you would turn into a goat!" So she turned into a goat - that was his first wish used up. Then the man begged her to come back as his wife so that she could wash and cook for him. So he used his second wish to turn his wife back from being a goat into his wife again. In the end of the story he helped her to look after the goats and chickens and they lived a healthy and happy life together which is what his wife wanted to wish for in the first place.

Dreams

Sometimes I dream
About dragons eating me

Sometimes I dream
My brother is shooting in the night

Sometimes I dream
About sleeping in my mum's bed

But my best dream of all is
When I get a hamster for my birthday

Click here to read more DREAMS