Mama KoKu’s Story

Donna Kokumo Buie, (aka. Mama Koku), is a Master Storyteller and children’s writer.  She is also an educator who has taught children at all age levels, from pre-school to high school.

Koku graduated with honors from North Carolina Central University, majoring in Theatre Arts with concentrations in Performance and Education. During her studies at NCCU, she received several awards from both the Education and Drama departments for outstanding achievements in scholarship, performance and service. Koku also holds a current CDA degree, (Child Development Associates).

Koku is a member of the Kuumba Storytellers of Georgia, The National Association of Black Storytellers, and the Southern Order of Storytellers.  She is the Official Teller of Coretta Scott King Book Awards Book Fair.  Mama Koku is a “Rambler” for The Wrens Nest House Museum, a Featured Teller for Everybody Wins Atlanta, and a Teaching Artist for Fulton County School’s Teaching Museums.

As a writer, she is the author of two Children’s Picture Books, Zuri the Fairy, Illustrated by O Makeba Waddy. and Little Black Fairy, Illustrated by Kevin Bell. Koku’s creative writing abilities were also utilized when she wrote and performed original stories for the Georgia International Convention Center grand opening, College Park’s Merchant’s Association 25th Anniversary, CARE International’s Day of the Girl, Co-writing The City of East Point’s 117 Anniversary with storyteller Jeanette Vaughn Waddell, , and special stories and presentations geared toward creatively teaching academics through storytelling.

Koku was the Official Teller for the National Black Arts Festival’s Children’s Educational Village for several years while hosted by the Woodruff Arts Center and Centennial Olympic Park.  She was also a roster artist for Woodruff Arts Center’s Young Audiences, (later Arts for Learning).  She’s performed not only at various Georgia venues but across the US. Maybe you’ve even caught one of her performances….