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In
this series, we share our gorilla research and care activities
with you through the following features:
1)
Caregiver Corner (what
it's like to interact and communicate with gorillas Koko, Ndume
and Michael)
2) Research Revelations
(what we're learning through interspecies communication and
what it means for humanity)
prepared
by our staff under the supervision of Dr. Penny Patterson, Director
of Research. (Journal PhotoBlog
Archive) |
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| Koko's Farewell to Mister Rogers |
March 25, 2003 |
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Dr.
Francine "Penny" Patterson has a Ph.D. in Developmental
Psychology from Stanford. She is President and Research
Director of The Gorilla Foundation, and a Member
of the Board of ApeNet - a consortium of foundations
supporting the welfare of great apes through interspecies
communication. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of
"Gorilla, the journal of The Gorilla Foundation/Koko.org."
"Penny's Journal" provides insight into her facinating
relationship with Koko and a way to share with us
her experiences as Koko lives, learns and communicates
"The
differences between humans and gorillas are greatly
overshadowed by what we have in common — and by
communicating with them, we can learn as much about
our own true nature as theirs." Penny Patterson |
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| Koko Greets Mister Rogers |
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As many of you know, Fred Rogers (TV's Mister Rogers)—who's been a friend
and mentor to children for several decades—passed away recently.
You may not be aware that Koko was one of those "children" who watched Mister Rogers regularly on TV,
and was a great admirer of Fred Rogers (as was Koko's late companion, Michael, who referred to Mister Rogers as "head boy.")
On July 28, 1998, Koko was featured on an episode of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.
The show was part of a week-long series entitled "You and I Together," addressing the fears that young children often experience when faced with a new situation or a person who is different. The lesson is that there is more to people—and gorillas—than what you see on their "outsides." The images of Koko with Mister Rogers, like the images of her cradling tiny kittens, have had an impact on viewers young and old.
The following excerpts are from the videotape transcription of the visit.
(You can also view a special 43 second video clip, entitled Koko's Farewell to Mister Rogers,
on the KokoTV section of our website.)
Penny enters Koko’s kitchen, followed by Mister Rogers. Ron Cohn is already inside with the camera.
Penny: Hi, Koko. We have a visitor.
Koko: Koko-love.
Mister Rogers: Hello Koko. Hi Koko...
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Mr. Rogers Chats with Koko
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Koko purrs and signs Koko-love and hurry as Penny unlocks her room gate, and she opens the gate herself as soon as it is unlocked.
Koko first looks in the tote bag Mister Rogers brought and finds a stuffed Daniel Tiger toy. She puts the bag and toy down, holds Mister Rogers’ hand to her lips, and smells his hand. She pulls him close and touches his face gently. Then she unceremoniously unzips Mister Rogers’ trademark cardigan sweater.
P: You know how to work a zipper. Very good.
Koko holds Mister Rogers’ hands, studies his tie, and then takes him by the hand
and leads him into her room.
P: Show Mister Rogers your room. Oh, good idea.
Koko removes Mister Rogers’ sweater, checks his mouth for gold teeth, and then invites him to "chase" her around the room. She blows a few notes on the harmonica he brought, and spends quite some time taking pictures with his camera.
P: You seem to want to do pictures today.
K: Come. (To Mister Rogers.)
She takes his hand and he sits down.
MR: How do you say love for sign language?
P: Can you show him how to say love? How do you say love?
Koko is busy exploring Mister Rogers’ fingers with her lips.
K: What that, flower? (Touching Mister Rogers’ cufflink.)
P: She’s asking you about your cufflink, is that a flower.
MR: That’s a sun. And my grandfather gave me these.
P: It’s a sun. It looks like a flower though....
K: Hurry...
P: Can we talk a little bit about love?
K: Frown.
P: Frown? Oh, honey! What? Love?
K: Love you visit... (To Mister Rogers.)
MR: Love. (Trying the sign.)
K: ...Koko-love.
MR: Oh, thank you, Koko.
P: That’s very nice, she loves her visitor.
MR: Well, I love visiting with you.
At the end of the visit Mister Rogers is in the kitchen sitting on a chair, and Koko is on the floor with the camera. She takes a picture.
P: Oh, Koko fixed the camera! You’re so smart!
MR: Should we give it to Penny? He attempts to take the camera from her, but Koko
keeps using it. She blows on the lens to clean it.
P: Yes, good girl! (Penny takes the camera and winds it. )
P: I think we’re almost
to the end. Got one more left. (Penny gives Koko the camera and Koko takes a picture
and hands the camera to Mister Rogers.)
MR: Good! Thank you.
Mister Rogers and Koko exchange "blow greetings."
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Koko, Mister Rogers and Penny say Their Goodbyes
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MR: Thank you very much, Koko, for the visit. I hope that we’ll meet again.
K: Foot.
She takes his hand and pulls it toward her.
K: Hurry sit on.
MR: OK, we will. OK. I hope we have another visit soon again, ‘cause we’re friends now.
Koko stares at his face, perhaps realizing that this new friend is about to depart. She gazes into his face for a long moment, then picks up the stuffed alligator and touches its mouth to his knee.
Koko and I will long remember and treasure the visit Mister Rogers made to her neighborhood.
Penny
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Please
email us at research_feedback@koko.org
if you have any questions, or would like to share an observation
or insight about the preceding interspecies conversations.
Your feedback can inform our research and is a vital part
of our mission.
Thank you,
Dr. Francine Penny Patterson
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