Phil Rush: storyteller, poet and raconteur (one that got away!)

One of the things I love most about the Australian summer festivals is the opportunity to meet with other people working in the oral tradition.  At the Cygnet Festival 2014 I had the pleasure of meeting Phil Rush, originally from Victoria.

Born in 1939, Phil worked as a teacher for 36 years. He was drawn to the country and spent most of his teaching years in one and two teacher schools. In the early 80s he took on the job as Educational Consultant for an area that included Rosedale, Malacoota, Tubbut, Omeo, Swifts Creek …  In 1957, alongside the teaching, Phil began working as a Methodist preacher (later the Uniting Church).

With his teaching and work for the church, Phil has been in a great position to refine his craft and absorb stories. No wonder they say, ‘Phil Rush has a story about anything’.

Read the full article about Phil HERE

Jan "Yarn" Wositzky: Victorian Storytellers are building up for a busy 2014

How long have you called yourself a Storyteller?

 Since 1983/4 when we put together the show 'The Fruitcake of Australian Stories' a show that ran in Melbourne for five weeks, and was billed as a cultural cabaret from black, white and olive Australia.

What has been you involvement in Storytelling Australia (Vic) 

 Doing the odd gig here and there.

What do you love the most about storytelling?

 It's the essential breathing in and out of our lives - we breath in life, we breath out stories.

What is your favourite story?

 Not possible to say.

What is the most memorable moment you have experienced either as a listener or a teller?

Listening to Brian Hungerford for the first time at Woodford Folk Festival telling the story of Tam Lin (which he called the story of Janet, because she is the hero, not Tam Lin), where an audience of hippies, bikies, old country ladies, folkies, intellectuals and others were totally enthralled. It was a revelation.

Describe a busy week?

Writing, phoning, driving, going to a gig, playing banjo, trying to cook, writing, cooking up a show, entrepreneuring a gig, writing, rehearsing, building the garden, going to the market, writing, meditation.

What are you planning at the moment?

BILARNI - a show about Bill Harney, Australia's greatest yarn-spinner and in the 1950s the 'expert' on Aborigines.

Thanks Jan. You forgot to mention that you will be in Canberra April 18 - 20 with 'Bilarni' and  appearances at the National Folk Festival, so I'll say it for you. 

Check Jan's website for details and his gig list: HERE

Teena Harnett: Victorian Storytellers are building up for a busy 2014.

How long have you called yourself a Storyteller?

 I've been a storyteller my whole life but have only dared to say that's what I do professionally for the last few years! 

What has been your involvement in Storytelling Australia (Vic)? 

 I joined the organisation last year so I'm very new! This year I'm helping to co-ordinate a storytelling gig with Storytelling Australia (Vic) and BOYD Community Hub to celebrate World Storytelling Day.

What do you love the most about storytelling?

The transformative effect that stories have on the teller and the listener. I get completely carried away telling a story and I'm cocooned in another world when I hear one. I think they are so powerful and healing as well as entertaining.

What is your favourite story?

 Mmm, I can't choose just one but as a teller I adore telling 'La Calavera (Lady Death) and 'The Girl Who Loved the North Wind'. As a listener I love ALL stories.

What is the most memorable moment you have experienced either as a listener or a teller?

 Watching and listening to Jackie Kerin with her Kamishibai is very exciting for me!

Describe a busy week?

This week is a good one to describe as I had 'Enchanted Evening' on Sunday night - volunteering telling stories at an old people's home in Moorabbin and preparing for an upcoming gig as well as all the other everyday things like a job and running a house.

What are you planning at the moment?

As well as helping coordinate the event with BOYD Community Hub and Storytelling Australia (Vic) to celebrate World Storytelling Day, I'm also planning a storytelling event to be held south of the Yarra river as I live on this side of town and always find myself heading north for anything story related! I'm in the process of sourcing venues and thinking about dates etc. I have a gig coming up on the 16th so I'm planning what stories I will tell for that.

Have a wonderful, creative and story-filled year Teena.

Learn more about Teena HERE

Dreaming and Planning Day with Kate Lawrence 2014

It was a small gathering for the AGM and Dreaming and Planning Day but effective. Thank you to those who sent apologies - we appreciate it.



Storytelling Vic is lucky to have Kate Lawrence as a member. Kate has a passion for stories and telling but is also skilled in leading groups though creative discussion, towards cohesiveness and stronger connection.

Perhaps one of the unique things about traditional oral storytelling groups like ours is the diversity of minds that the art form attracts. It seems that no two of us use, share, perform, recite or think about storytelling in the same way. This is surely a strength to be valued.

We all have some work to follow up on the day and members will hear the results in due course.

Thank you Kate; it was exhausting, a reality check and inspiring.


More about Kate HERE



pics north to south: Kate, JB Rowley and Jan (Yarn Wositzky), Gael Cresp and Ann E Stewart.

Kamishibai Library of Swaps has been updated 2014

For those interested in Kamishibai storytelling, there is a Library of Swaps hosted on UK Storyteller Derek Carpenter's site. To get a story out, you have to put one in. However if you are not the artist type and don't have any original stories to exchange, you can negotiate with the maker.

Derek's website has just been renovated. Its worth a visit, as not only can you check out the library, you can learn a little about this form of Japanese paper theatre storytelling.

Pictured is Derek on Skype, at home in Newcastle on Tyne, having just received (as pdfs) a set of story cards which have been sent from Australia. Magic or what!

Learn more about the Kamishibai Library of Swaps  HERE

Invitation to WORLD STORYTELLING DAY 2014

Storytelling Australia (Victoria)

invites you to celebrate

WORLD STORYTELLING DAY 

This year the theme is MONSTERS and DRAGONS

 WSD logo designed by Mats Rehnman

World Storytelling Day is a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling. Its celebrated every year on the first day of the autumn equinox in the southern hemisphere and the spring equinox in the north.

Our inaugural event started with an invitation from the Dutch Storytelling Foundation, they were inspired by the Swedes and the Canadians

Come and listen to storytellers, Niki na Meadhra, Roslyn Quin, Kate Lawrence, Anne E Stewart, Jackie Kerin,Teena Hartnett and others. 

If you wish to tell a story contact Teena Hartnett oden77@gmail.com or Anne E Stewart. anne@anneestewart.com.au

Date: Saturday 22nd March

Time: 11am -1pm

Where: BOYD Community Hub, 207 City Road, Southbank

Melway reference: Map 1D, M6
 Tram: 55

The Boyd will also be celebrating with a community arts day that includes the painting of a giant rangoli, fence weaving, live music, and a BBQ with Rotary and the KereKere cafe will be open.

NB WSD logo designed by Mats Rehnman

Port Fairy Folk Music Festival 7 – 9 March 2014

The Australian Storytelling Telling (Victoria) banner will be flying.

I’ll be at the Festival alongside Jim Haynes, Bill Kerns and Greg Jenkins

Jim Haynes has a new book out, The Best Australian Yarns and other true stories. Jim’s collection is a great compliment to the work of Bill Wannan, Graham Seal and the Oxford Companion of  Australian Folklore. For those of you interested in the Australian oral tradition, the book is chock full of tall stories from the bush, racetrack, shearing shed, railways and show business, Aboriginal stories and humour, diggers yarns, ghosts, monsters, Yowies …

I’d love to meet any storytellers at these events. Particularly the Pat Glover Award – participation is what keeps it going! Jim’s book is dedicated to the memory of Pat who passed away in 2005 – ‘the Port Fairy

Shanakee’.

This is the program but do check when you get there.

Saturday

12.00 - 1.15   Tellable Tales (Lecture Hall)

2.30 Jim Haynes Book Launch St Pat's Hall

Sunday

12.00 True Blue/: Are stories better in rhyme, prose or song? Jim, Jackie and Bill (I think St Pat's Hall)

2.00 - 3.00 Workshop Lecture Hall

3.00 Pat Glover Story Award. Lecture Hall

Jackie Kerin HERE

Port Fairy Folk Music Festival HERE