World Storytelling Day 2018

This is the fourth year we've celebrated World Storytelling Day and it grows a little bigger each time.
Building on the work of Teena Hartnett and Susan Hall, Durgah (Dee) Devi Palanisamy embraced the task for 2018. With a theatre background, Dee took one look at the performance space in The Dock Library and said, 'This is the place for WSD!'


The Library were welcoming after we approached them about a partnership event and the rest is history. Thank you Melbourne Library for making us feel comfortable and supported in your beautiful space.

The storytellers who committed to telling on the day rehearsed at Fabled Nights in Newport, and others recorded and sent videos of stories from overseas: Donna Washington (USA), Peter Chand (England), Douglas McKay (Scotland) and Tom Van Outryve (Belgium). We had a late scratching because of ill health, from one of our senior tellers, David Demant but we even managed to share his story via you tube! I won't list all the teller's names here as they are credited in the video.

Dee was keen to have a display in the space in front of the theatre and it looked fabulous with books written by members, storytelling resources and the kamishibai storytellers were out in force.

We did our best to cover the day so we could share with those of you who couldn't be with us and also for those who participated, its nice to have a record. As well as photos and video recordings, we had digital artist Rex Smeal with us who drew the stories and the tellers.

So please enjoy these videos, and next year, I hope if you missed out this time, fingers crossed you can join us.


In 2019 we will make sure we check the date of the AFLW Grand Final so there isn't a clash! GO DOGGIES!! (Did I just type that? Sorry).

I attended Mojan Javadi's (film maker and member) workshop on  making movies on phones and the embedded movie is the result. Not quite a Hollywood production but I have ambitions!

Happy World Storytelling Day to you all from us here at SAV central,

Jackie Kerin (president and on behalf of a dedicated and hard working committee)

SCHOLARSHIP NEWS

We live in a world shaped by stories. Stories are the threads of our lives and the fabric of human cultures. A story can unite or divide people(s), obscure issues, or spotlight new perspectives. A story can inform, deceive, enlighten or entertain, or even do all of the above. Personally as a story worker, I think stories are the building blocks of our world.

Our SAV vision is one where storytelling is valued as a skill and practice in the same way as reading, writing, arithmetic and art. Our purpose is to nurture the art of storytelling.

Our Storytelling Australia Victoria committee offered a scholarship to the to Sydney International Storytelling Conference to support the building of storytelling skills in our community. We want those skills to be taken our into the world to participate in our vision of seeing storytelling as a valued skill and practice. We see this scholarship as a way to nurture members of our community in their art of storytelling.

We had a few very strong applications that shared with us their using of storytelling to create a better world. Using stories to connect with (young) people, to introduce ideas of love, and justice and equality.

The SAV committee is very happy to announce that Daniela Bücheler-Scott has been awarded the 2018 scholarship that includes attendance to the Sydney International Storytelling Conference, covering the cost of registration for the event and $200 cash to go towards accommodation and travel.

Dani in the RAW Garden September 2016 (photo: Jackie Kerin)

It was a really hard decision to make -  to decide who to award the place to, as the applications were so strong. But what we know is that we have amazing storytellers who value storytelling in the same way the committee does, and that SAV is excited to nurture the art of storytelling by offering this scholarship.

Many on the committee hope that the scholarship is something that becomes an annual event - and a lasting legacy of the current committee.

We wish to thank everyone who applied, and to congratulate Daniela on this scholarship - we know that you will get an extraordinary amount out of attending the conference!

Yours In Story,

Lana Woolf
Secretary & Memberships of the SAV committee

DAYLESFORD: Anne E Stewart March 10 - 12

We Can Live A Rainbow

 Storyteller Anne E Stewart has lived in Daylesford for 27 years and has watched her small country town turn into one of regional Australia’s most gay friendly towns. This prompted the question, some years back, “Why is it so gay friendly?" What followed was an interesting social history explained in her show, “So who was the first gay in the Village?"
 
With the passing of the marriage equality act she attended celebrations at the local Daylesford Hotel and started pondering on a different set of questions
 
The recent birth of her granddaughter had Anne thinking on rainbow families and the stories they tell their children.
“My granddaughter looked so like her dad, I wondered how gay families told their children about their genetic makeup. Who was their dad, their mum? Were there any restrictions on IVF treatment?"

From a literary family, Anne wondered how rainbow families were depicted in literature. What were the stories that spurred and encouraged their children?
 
This all had Anne wondering on conversations with gay families. Are you able to ask about donors, or is that off limits? How are their families planned and conceived? What was the journey?
 
A straight women, Anne’s passion for storytelling and love for her home town have her working through some of these questions.
 
"There are many rainbow families in Daylesford and I was just keen to celebrate this with respectful discussions."

​
Story house and garden's resident storyteller, Anne E Stewart, shines a light on rainbow families to uncover language and etiquette around respectful communication and relationships.

Refreshments supplied
Saturday 10th March 3pm -4.30pm
Sunday 11th March 3pm- 4.30pm
Monday 12th March 1pm -2.30pm
Story House and Garden: 52 Millar Street, Daylesford

BOOKINGS HERE 

*photo of Anne courtesy of Michelle Dunn

Port Fairy Folk Festival

Jackie Kerin is off to the Port Fairy Folk Festival with story collaborator and musician buddy, Sarah Depasquale.

Saturday March 10
The Pavilion
10.45 am Tales from the Flyway 
Stage 4 
2.00 pm Lyrebird! A true story. (children's event)

Sunday March 11
The Pavilion
10.45 am The Amazing Case of Dr Ward an other stories
12.30 pm The Pat Glover Award (open storytelling opportunity)

Tales from the Flyway  takes you on a journey following the path of migratory shore birds, from south-east Australia to Siberia, along the East Asian Australasian Flyway. The show is playful and occasionally enlightening.

The Amazing Case of Dr Ward and other stories asks the question: when you bite into a mango, spread a picnic rug under a shady elm or pop a fuchsia bud, do you ever wonder, how these plants come to be in Australia?

 *Our Amazing Case was made for us by the Hobson's Bay Men's Shed. It is a scaled down replica based of one of the oldest Wardian cases held in Kew Gardens. Cases like these were used to transport plants around the world from 1833 -1962

Off site in the Port Fairy township

Sunday March 11
Blarney Books
3.15 pm Talking Phar Lap the wonder Horse and other iconic Australian stories.

Full program for Port Fairy HERE

World Storytelling Day at The Dock: March 24

 WISE FOOLS

World Storytelling Day is a global celebration of oral storytelling and this year Storytelling Australia Victoria is excited to be supported by The Library at The Dock. 

We invite you to join with us in an afternoon of stories: true, folk, fairy and tall tales. 

Come along and celebrate with us and meet some of the Storytelling  Australia Victoria storytellers. We will also have a display of storytelling resources and information about our organisation and future events.
 
WHERE: Library at The Dock 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade
WHEN: Saturday March 24
TIME: 2.00pm - 4.30 pm
BOOKINGS: (a good idea) HERE
COST: Free
SUITABLE: Adults and children 12 +

Learn more about this wonderful day and see how others celebrate around the world. Visit the World Storytelling website HERE

* WSD logo  designed by Swedish storyteller Mats Rehnman

Fabled Nights is back!!!

Fabled Nights in Newport is an open-hearted space for people who want to learn to craft true tales, traditional stories, tall tales and yarns; heart to heart and without notes. We welcome beginners and experienced folks. So come and strut your stuff, share what you know, try out a new story or tell a tale for the first time.

There's room for around 10 storytellers and we ask that stories be no longer than 10 minutes, give or take. We ask that stories be said not read.

We reserve 2 - 15 minute places for people who want to try out longer stories.
 
This month some of us will be rehearsing our stories for World Storytelling Day at The Dock. Check it out: March 24 - details HERE

Let kind hearts and commonsense prevail: racist and homophobic stories hurt people so please don't bring them to Fabled Nights.

COST: $5.00 or $3.00 (Storytelling Vic and Newport Fiddle and Folk Club members). No Booking required.
*WHEEL CHAIR ACCESS
* FABLED NIGHTS is an inter-generational event. Children welcome at parent/carers discretion

Fabled Nights in Newport is a partnership event with Hobsons Bay Libraries and is supported by the Newport Fiddle and Folk Club.

PARKING: There is free parking at the rear of the building. Coming from Mason Street, turn left at Durkin Street then left into the car park. Entry to the HUB is from the park.

*Banner image by Rex Smeal http://rexsmealart.com/