Bana Konesans

When the children defy the ban on entering Grandma Yo's cellar, they discover ancient African masks and, with their father and grandmother, learn about the ancestral origins, spiritual significance, and traditional manufacture of masks in Africa.

Without a phone, Sarah-Akéli thinks she is hallucinating when she hears music coming from the basement. The whole family then learns about the history of the kora, other African musical instruments, and the role of griots in oral tradition.

Sarah-Akéli and Max discover the history of the transatlantic slave trade through a board game created by their grandfather. The whole family learns more about the deportation of Africans, its impact, and the racist prejudices that still exist today.

When Sarah-Akéli and Max find their grandfather's radio, they discover the African roots of modern music (jazz, hip-hop, their TikTok refrains) and the plagiarism suffered by African musicians such as Manu Dibango.

Max and Sarah-Akéli steal $25 from their family. Their misdeed reveals the story of Viola Desmond, a civil rights pioneer, and prompts the family to talk about racism, African-Canadian heritage, and teaching respect, unity, and forgiveness.