Jackie Kerin: Kamishibai at MOOMBA 8 -11 March 2013

MOOMBA:  A festival for the people still going strong after almost 60 years.

This is a festival that has always sought community involvement - its crazy, diverse and part of the social fabric of the city of Melbourne. Something to be proud of!

I'll be there with my kamishibai and my collection of stories from around the world, each one unique and illustrated by me. And yes folks  ... I will attempt to speak Spanish!

Full program here. You will find me listed under 'KIDS'


Maybe I'll see you there. Fingers crossed for fine weather.

Learn more about Jackie Kerin

The thin place at Castlemaine's Public INN. Wednesday 27 February 2013

    Bookings essential info@publicinn.com.au or 54723568

Not suitable for children under 12

Learn more about Andrew McKenna 

Storytelling Australia (Vic) welcomes new member Pat Grayson. 2013

Pat Grayson is the man behind Heart Space Publications Australia incorporating Graysonian Press South Africa. Pat's interest is in publishing inspirational, books that change the world. You can browse through the list of publications at you leisure on the Heart Space Publications website. However Pat joins us with a particular interest in oral storytelling

Although born in Australia, Pat has spent the past 30 years living and working in South Africa. Welcome back Pat.

Pat, you have published a book called the Halo and the Noose: the power of storytelling and story listening in business life.  Did you commission the authors Dorian Haarhof and Graham Williams or did they come to you with the idea?

Dorian Haarhoff knew of our company and approached me with the manuscript. Instantly, I loved it because it was a way of supporting people through story as opposed to intimidation or guile. Since then Dorian has become a firm friend.

What is the history behind your interest in oral storytelling?

As a boy growing up in Sydney I was in the cubs and later the scouts. On many a camp, under a starry sky, with the glow of fire giving an eerie blend; stories were told. These could have been of the Min Min or  war stories as endured by our scoutmaster. And of course many were of Rudyard Kipling's Kim or The Jungle Book. I remember going to bed after an evening stories, somehow expansive or enlivened.

Then later as an avid reader story was important me.

Most of my personal work (when not publishing) is about inspiring and motivating people and I learnt many years ago that short stories written for the purpose is far better than ‘didactic lectures. As a writer I find the combination of writing skill and the ability to conceive story most gratifying. I have written quite a lot of inspirational stories and it is these that I have bought these to small audiences (very small!), with the idea of entertaining and inspiring and hoping that they go home feeling a bit more expansive.

The book is an anthology of pithy tales, can you expand on the themes?

Most stem from myth and moral and as the orientation states in the opening chapter; stories can free us or trap us. They are like the two edged sword that can open us up new possibilities or keep us choked by or strangled in existing paradigms and orientations - whether these be about belief systems, values, religions, thinking styles, business and life journeys, strategies or behaviour patterns. 

What makes this book different from other collections of wisdom tales?

For a written story to work well the writing has to be good and in the case of The Halo and the Noose the writing is excellent. That is one differentiator. Another is that there is a mix of myth and contemporary ideas, chiselled out for a modern audience.

It is also a handy book as the stories are categorised in chapters such as; Why Stories? or Story Listening. Towards the end of the book it has a large section called; Art and Craft: Story-telling Guidelines.

So the book teaches how to tell story through stories. It is a great reference book for all who interact with people.

Oral storytellers working with global tales are concerned about cultural property and the potential to cause offence. Are the stories well referenced?

Some of the stories are the authors copyright, many others come from folklore, and others from teachers known and unknown, old and modern. The bibliography has about 130 references and some of the names are as follows: Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, T.S Eliot and Khalil Gibran.

Are you a storyteller yourself?

When I was little my mother said I told such ‘big tales’! But to be truthful, wanting to tell a good story only descended upon me about eight years ago and as it did I was besotted.  As I learnt more (I have so much to learn) I realised that the stories that I was telling from my own writing had to be re-scripted because you could not just take a written story, memorise it and tell it. The one requires metaphor and imagery to get across. The other requires all of those but it also needs personal expression to give it to wings.

Who is this book for and how may they use it?

It’s primary focus is on people of influence in any business setting, such as managers or team leaders. But to my way of thinking it is far more than that as it is for anybody who wants to teach or motivate or support individuals or groups. It is a great book for storytellers, motivational and public speakers, personal trainers. It will help writers as there is much wisdom and knowledge to be gleaned from within its pages. Lastly it is really a fascinating read.

The Australian Storytelling Community is vast. There are many interest groups: librarians, teachers, performance storytellers ... where do you see yourself fitting?

As I mentioned above, I want to entertain and inspire and so my storytelling will be the vehicle.  So I guess the audience would come from those who are seeking better ways of living life.

The Halo and Noose is an cryptic title, can you explain?

The authors borrowed (with permission) from Dan MacKinnon who advises, ‘a Halo has only to fall a few inches to be a noose ”.

Pat, you have a Halo and Noose website http://www.haloandnoose.com/. Would you like to explain the site to us and how our storytellers can best use it to expand their practice?

This site was put up to be an interactive and ongoing extension of the book. It is where people who are interested in story can stay informed and learn more from the research that is placed on the site.

Martin Jefferd in Melbourne: February 2013

 Once again Storytellling Australia (Vic) had the pleasure of hearing Martin Giffard (UK storyteller) tell stories.

Martin and Christine have a very good reason to visit Melbourne regularly as their grandchildren live here.

Our Storytellers are so scattered across Victoria, its hard for us to meet but we were able to combine our AGM with an informal story share to fit in with Martin's schedule.

Its wonderful to hear what folk have been up to and their plans for 2013. As we so rarely have the chance to enjoy each others skills, this kind of relax exchange is a treat.

Martin shared two masterfully crafted stories with us and then it was our pleasure to decamp to DeGraves Street, drink a little wine and hear more about the storytellers in the UK and Bristol in particular.

With luck, Martin will return next year. If so, I think we should try for a real celebratory Story night!

Thank you Martin - you're in inspiration. 

Safe travel and best wishes from your storytelling friends in Australia.

Announcing Two Conferences of Folk Belief & the Supernatural: Shetland (UK) in March 2014

Usually information about about conferences is shared via our Facebook but this looked so interesting I've posted it on our blog as well.

The Island Dynamics organisation is putting on a pair of interconnected conferences in Shetland in March 2014 concerning folk belief and the supernatural.

“Folk Belief and Traditions of the Supernatural: Experience, Place, Ritual, and Narrative”, 25-30 March 2014, Shetland, UK

Web: www.islandynamics.org/folkloreconference.html

This innovative conference explores the nature of folk belief and supernatural experience through a series of excursions into the remote communities of the North Isles of the Shetland archipelago. Our small, international group of delegates will speak with tradition bearers and visit sites of local legend. The final days of the conference will be spent in Shetland’s main town of Lerwick, where conference presentations will take place alongside those of “The Supernatural in Literature and Film” conference (below). Due to the unusual nature of this event, if you are interested in attending, it is necessary for you to register and reserve a space as soon as possible. This conference is a collaboration of the Folklore Society, Indiana University’s Department of Folklore & Ethnomusicology, and Nanzan University’s Anthropological Institute.

“The Supernatural in Literature and Film: Ghosts, Fairies, Aliens, Vampires, Monsters, and Demons”, 29-31 March 2014, Shetland, UK

Web: www.islanddynamics.org/supernatural-2014.html

This conference will bring together researchers and practitioners to discuss the role of the supernatural in books and movies, past and present, worldwide. The opening days of the conference will consist of conference presentations to a mixed audience of academics and non-academics. These presentations will take place alongside those of “Folk Belief and Traditions of the Supernatural” (above). On the final day of the conference, delegates will take a storyteller-led tour of some of Shetland stunning sites of natural and cultural heritage. The final deadline for abstracts is 1 October 2013, but to take advantage of early registration rates, you must submit your abstract by 1 June 2013 at the latest.

If you have any questions about either of these events, please check out the websites or e-mail me at agrydehoj@islanddynamics.org.

All the best,
Adam Grydehøj,
Director of Island Dynamics

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A STORYTELLING ADVENTURE IN HAWAII? July 2013

CALLING ALL STORYTELLERS

       ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A STORYTELLING

       ADVENTURE IN HAWAII THIS SUMMER?

YES? We would LOVE to include visiting mainland storytellers in our 3^rd Annual Talk Story Camp (right on the edge of Windward Oahu).  Come as a camper, or apply as a featured guest performer/teacher and contribute. Either way,         You’ll never see and hear Hawaii like this again!

It’s now a fact- it WILL happen! I am sharing this fact with you and invite you to plan to attend.

    A narrative & photos from last year at  www.talkstorycamp.com

So What’s Camp Cost? Dunno yet, but it’ll be cheap to attend. And we will organize excursions before & after as well,

EXAMPLE: We’ll  likely do a group Spooky Tales Show at Kailua Park for TEENS on Monday, July 22, 6-8:30pm

We will take guests to local museums if visitors are interested. Polynesian Culture Center is nearby. We also visited local farms one year and hiked. We arranged performances in Summer Fun Programs one year too. There are Bed & Breakfasts nearby, and Waikiki is 30-45 minutes away for those who don’t enjoy the thought of beachfront camping.

Structure: I don’t know (yet exactly), but it will mix a choice of organized sessions (adults and for kids)(story with crafts, story learning, story swaps, local and visiting talents) with common meals, Imu (stone cooked dinner) dinner Saturday night, canoe rides each day, and free time (swim!). We do have families as well as storytelling enthusiasts. So if you want to add your name to the talent pool for this programming, let me know!

Want to be considered as a Featured Guest Teller/Teacher? If you want to offer a workshop, have a specialty (storytelling or puppetry or story craft or nature walk)(kids and or kid/adults andor for adults) tell me about it. Speak up.

Send me to a website, YouTube, whatever you have to introduce me to your work and tell me what you want to offer.

We pay featured performers what we can: a gorgeous long weekend on the beach, with local talents and families in

a camp right on the beach where we ‘talk story’. We can cover your camp and food at camp and some of your on-island transport and possibly some housing before & after, OK? Bring your own tent if you can.

Basically, fly yourself here and we’ll help with the rest.

For Both of the past two years our Featured Guest Tellers were Gene Tagaban, Lyn Ford, Linda Yemoto

So just send me a note on what you are thinking. More details will be shared with those expressing interest.

Speak up and let me know you are curious/interested/enthusiastic and pack you swimsuit!

Aloha,

Jeff Gere

www.jeffgere.com

Cock and Bull host two storytelling nights in different locations around Melbourne. 2013

Cock and Bull host two storytelling nights in different locations around Melbourne. There’s a good chance there is one near you!

Cock and Bull brings together some of Australia’s best storytelling comedians, musicians, writers, poets, taxi drivers, journalists and eccentrics to tell their very best tales based on a different theme each show.

Cock and Bull (Fitzroy)

Bazaar Tales (City) 

More info about Cock and Bull: HERE

If you wish to tell a story, please contact Cock and Bull on Facebook or at podcast@cockandbull.com.au. 

You can also contact the individual event pages on Facebook.

Join the Cock and Bull Facebook page for locations, dates, times and themes:

https://www.facebook.com/cockandbullpodcast

And ... check out the podcast: 

https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/the-cock-and-bull/id628237052