How to Survive Ngoromera

from Advice from Students in Ms. Ott's Third Grade Class at Erickson Elementary

How to Survive Nevelson Dark

Masimba Hwati

Ngoromera, 2020

Brass, iron, copper, carbon steel, and plastic

Museum purchase made possible by the University of Michigan Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the Director’s Acquisition Committee, 2020

Group 1

First, you enter through the tunnel and go all the way around until you find the entrance. And then you go looking for giant lollipops, chicken spaghetti, and green beans because you need food to survive.

Then, you go to the red jewel at the end of the world that makes you fly, and you go find your base in the mouth of the trumpet to go to bed, and slide all the way down to the tunnel to the lollipop forest so you can gather more food! You should go to the bathroom in the little hole because you have been holding it all day so you should run into the door. You might fall on your face and your knees. You decide to call it the tootoo.

Next, you need to find some supplies in the black tube. In a backpack, you find some toilet paper, crayons, colored pencils, paper, and clay so you can make art like you see in a museum. You might almost fall off, but an eagle person will swoop you into the trumpet hole and you’ll be safe.

Last, you slide all the way to the end of the tube. You might almost fall off again. Use your flying power to go all the way to the magic tube and poof yourself back into the big world. You should bring your infinite bowl of popcorn and you will still have your powers. And you’ll be flying all over town and can eat your infinite lollipops.

Group 2

First, you turn on your flashlight to see inside the tubes. You have to get the hanging cups on the side, so put on your sticky climbing gloves so you can climb over to it. These cups can be used to get some fresh water. The water comes up the clear tubes and is stored in the black pots. There’s fish in the water too.

Then, you find steampunk cats and cheetahs and lions in the tubes. The cats are scary and chase you to the narrow sharp spiky end of the sculpture. You give the cats the fish you found and they start purring and become nice. To escape, you have to find a way off of the spikes.

Next, you find a bodysuit and spiky gloves. You can put these on and they can help you climb up the structure. You want to escape, and there’s a thin wire attached at the top. Using the shiny copper coil and your bodysuit, you can shimmy up the wire.

Last, you go through the vents in the ceiling and escape to the outdoors!