Njacko Backo – Storyteller and Drummer

Since 1986, Njacko has worked with a vast number of children, students and teachers throughout Europe and North America in classrooms, summer camps, institutions, after school programs, festivals and workshops all across Ontario. It is working with young people that Njacko believes that he can truly make a difference. Njacko has frequently been invited to talk to York University Teacher Candidates about his teaching philosophy and the importance of music in education. In public and private school systems, he works both independently as well as through non-profit organizations including Club 2/3 (Quebec), Mariposa in the schools (Toronto), and The Inner City Angels (Toronto). Since 1992, Njacko has led more than 1000 workshops in Quebec schools alone about music, dancing, singing, and making instruments from recyclable “trash.’

Njacko worked at the Granby Zoo’s AFRIKA pavilion in 1996 and 1997 as the music director. In this position, he prepared and delivered daily educational programs both in English and French including African music and story telling for more than 350,000 visitors. He delights children and adults alike by inviting them on-stage to make music with him, and by captivating them with his talents as storyteller with a repertoire of over one hundred tales and legends.