Lacina Coulibaly

Until the lion tells the story there is no glory

New York Live Arts Studios
JANUARY 15, 1PM

During my research, I was amazed by the qualities of observation, patience, analytical thinking, and mindfulness of the ancient Egyptians, which enabled them to understand the fundamental functions of nature. They understood that everything is linked and affects one another, just as the Nile River affected their lives. Egyptians observed, measured and noted everything. They ended up doing the unthinkable, the unimaginable thing. They measured a drop of water and developed the 1 cm scale, which became a universal constant, the element that allowed them to master the notion of measurement. The blueprint for geometry was born.
Using drops of water, the ancient Egyptians called roughly 1 cm the Royal Finger, and a decimeter equaling 10 drops of water is called the Royal Hand. A meter equaling 100 drops of water is called the Royal Leg. They measured Pi and Phi, the Golden Ratio, which is also called the addition sequence or golden rectangle. They invented the screw pump or so called Archimedes screw. And there is much more to discover from them.

The Egyptians called their land Kemet, or Black land, and their kings were known as Pharaohs. It is said that the lion is the king of the bush, but it is more accurate to say that the lion is of the savannah. All of these ideas inspired my new solo, Until the Lion Tells the Story, There is No Glory.