Why would you buy a story CD or digital download for your child and what is storytelling anyway? Storytelling can stimulate imagination, build emotional resilience, develop concentration and shorten journeys.

 The story is told eye to eye, mind to mind and heart to heart. -Scottish Traveller Proverb

Storytelling is the perfect antidote to our overly technological and impersonal age, where we can be overwhelmed with often meaningless ‘soundbytes’. Our children get bombarded with advertising messages via TV, ipods and the internet.  Many of these messages we’d rather they never heard.

Good stories hold buried treasure: food for the soul. They also  hold the listener’s attention in such a way that deep tranquility can be experienced as the heart rate and breathing slows and the mind concentrates on picturing the unfolding story. While recorded stories may not be delivered eye to eye, they can feel very much like they are coming ‘mind to mind and heart to heart’.

For more on storytelling, read our about page and/ or explore our resources page.

About Jenni 

Jenni Cargill is an Australian storyteller with unbridled enthusiasm and passion for her art and four award-winning recordings to her name. She offers her skill and her passion in a diverse range of ways. Jenni employs a wide repertoire of dramatic skills and a beautiful singing voice to hold her audience. Her training includes a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Sociology from the University of Queensland, a Diploma of Education (Secondary English) from Southern Cross University, classical singing training, and therapeutic storytelling training with Susan Perrow and Nancy Mellon and a diploma from the Drama Action Centre in Sydney. There she studied clowning, improvisation, dance, singing, mask, mummers, percussion and workshop facilitation, specialising in storytelling.

 Jenni’s professional performance experience was gained in over twelve hundred schools in Australia and New Zealand, both solo and as member of the Musica Viva ensemble ‘Pastance’. She has performed at corporate events, for ABC Radio National as well as ABC TV’s ’7.30 Report’. She has performed and presented workshops for the Jung Society Brisbane, the National Storytelling Conference, the Woodford Folk Festival since 1993, The Townsville May Month of Learning, Byron Bay Adult Community Education and The Byron Bay Writers Festival.

Jenni now lives in the vibrant NSW North Coast town of Mullumbimby with her two children, Tamlyn and Layla, and her partner, Max Strong – aka Salty Pete the Pirate. The children can be heard on the Story Tree CD  in “Lily and the Fig Tree” and “Shelley and Rustle” and on Mermaid’s Shoes the “Two Russian Goats” track.

 Jenni moonlights as a tutor and guest lecturer at Southern Cross University working within the ‘Storytelling’ Unit for the School of Education. She is also a trained high school English teacher and has taught Advanced HSC English.

About Max Strong aka Salty Pete 

Max is Jenni’s partner. When they met he had just won the finals of the Tenterfield Bush Poetry Competition and had been a contemporary and bush poet and English teacher for many years. Jenni’s passion for storytelling rubbed off on Max and after they had two children, he began telling bedtime stories to Tamlyn and Layla. More at Max’s page.

Enter the world of story now 

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Hear more from Jenni via her storytreetales blog.

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Our Story Tree: a giant strangler fig

V-Day logo

The ‘One Billion Rising’ movement was initiated by Eve Ensler, author of the ‘Vagina Monologues’.The scale of the movement is breathtaking and exciting: currently 187 countries have signed up to join in. Authors, politicians, filmmakers and celebrities have recorded You Tubes about why they will ‘strike, dance, rise’ on Feb 14. The one billion rising org website states:

‘V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sex slavery.’

I am practicing the dance for V-Day so I can join in on our local action in Byron Bay (see FB event page.) The anthem and dance tell a story about the empowerment and solidarity of women. While the song and dance are American, there is the opportunity to create your own version and in many countries woman have done this.

For years, I have seen “Reclaim the Night’ rallies and actions which have not attracted me. I have been a feminist for as long as I can remember. This informs my choices in story: the way I retell and adapt folktales and myths as well as the way I write original stories and songs. I love tales of the feminine. This year I working on a new performance of the Inanna myth cycle, which I closely base on Kramer and  Wolkstein’s “Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth”. The ways women and girls are represented in stories of all kinds has a huge impact on the way we think and feel about ourselves and the feminine. This extends out into the way we act in the world. I have always chosen to tell stories of strong, empowered females.

However, I have never been personally touched by sexual violence. It was of concern to me, but not enough of a concern to turn up to a rally.

Logo for the ‘Uprising of Women in the Arab World’

However, lately a number of things have made me feel much more connected to the issue of sexual violence towards women and girls worldwide. I started a Facebook page as a business move, to keep connected with storytellers and people who like my work. It has it’s major drawbacks of course, the first being how much time one can spend on it , but it also makes everyone seem closer. I have been following the posts of the Uprising of Arab women on FB, where I have seen many, many Arab women and men hold up placards declaring their desire for women to be treated with respect and have equal rights. After reading them for weeks, I began to feel like I knew these women.  I have read articles from the ’50 million missing campaign’ about ‘femicide’: the savage and murderous treatment of women, girls and girl babies in India. I saw images of the men wearing skirts to protest the rape culture that says if a women wears a skirt she is asking to be raped! What wonderful, brave, adorable men!!

Male feminists wear skirts in India to protest rape culture

Most recently, here (in Australia), I had the great privilege of working with with a wonderful group of teenage girls through the The Chrysalis Girls Program . They were girls who had extra challenges to deal with in their lives. Some of them had experienced sexual violence or were at risk of doing so. I told the female initiation story of ‘Baba Yaga and Vasalissa’. We discussed the symbols and meaning and then they dove into making a doll (like the one Vasalissa has in the story) to represent their feminine intuition -see image below.

Vasalissa dolls made by teenage girls inspired by the story “Baba Yaga and Brave Vasalissa”

 
So for all those reasons I have been practicing the dance, even though I am quite terrible at learning steps! I want to be there in solidarity with women of all ages and from around the world. I feel I have a particular obligation, because I can do it very easily. I won’t be persecuted if I make a stand. Women in some countries will have to be extremely brave to take action, so if they get news of how strong the movement is, they may be greatly encouraged. To read more about the movement which was started by Eve Ensler, go to the V-Day.org home page here.

The easiest version I found of the ‘Break the Chain’ choreography is from the women of Sheffield.  (There are different dances and music being used around the world). It is roughly the same as the Debbie Allen one, just a fair bit simpler. They dance it once through, then once in mirror view, then teach it step by step, then do it again so you can watch from behind as you might in a crowd.

If you are good at steps here is the full version of “Break the Chain” which is very beautiful and really just a little harder. Here the choreographer, Debbie Allen explains the meaning of the moves and teaches it bit by bit .

If are totally awesome at steps and/or have practiced for a while it is great to watch the fabulous young black American women zip through it in mirror view (so when they step right, so do you). I find watching the non-mirror versions fairly confusing until I have it pretty well down….

Anyway I hope you join in, do your best and HAVE FUN! Free dancing to the music and occasionally joining in with a move you know would still be demonstrating solidarity! If you can’t be there in body, be there in spirit and spread the word!!

Find your local event at the one billion rising org website or if you are an Australian Byron shire local, see you at 7am Main Beach on Thursday, February 14. More details at the FB event page.

story magic

 Mostly when parents tell stories to their children, the children are enchanted, enthusiatic and appreciative! But  not  always! This blogpost is dedicated to any parents who are telling stories to their offspring and being met with  disapproval.

If this is you, here is a warm pat for your back and a sympathetic nod. Yes I have been there too! This can be an  indication that we need to work on our storytelling and/or choice of story. However it can happen for some of  us that our own kids are our worst critics! Somebody else’s kids may be just delighted to listen to you tell.

I am a professional storyteller. Some kids who own one of my story CD’s go all shy when they meet me. However my son is quite a different kettle of fish! There were times when his comments about my storytelling have left me feeling withered- even though he is generally a sweet boy.

A friend recently came to a small story gathering at my house and told a fantastic 9000 year old story. It was about ‘The Half Boy’ and he accompanied the story with a heart beat rythmn on his jembe. It was fantastic. This storyteller is a groovy, fit looking guy with a big Celtic tatoo and a strong precense. He is a confident teller and tells for boys and men often for Pathways to Manhood and for teenagers he volunteers with. My 10 year old son had decided he wasn’t going to listen to the stories, yet he walked in mid-story. I thought- ahhh he has heard the drum and the story has attracted him. But no- he had just come in to sit by the fire.

Oh well, I thought, now he’s here, he’ll be enchanted enough to stay and listen to this great story all about a confused teenage boy growing into a man. My son rubbed his hands a few times in front of the fire and walked out again- well before the story ended. Sigh. At least it’s not my storytelling that put him off, I thought.

My son, now 12, has not been into storytelling for some years. When he was only 8 years old he thought it was pretty uncool. “No offence Mum, but I’m not into it.” I kept telling stories in his class anyway and after his friends decided it was cool (and so was I) he showed some interest again.  One night my heart leapt when he enthusiastically ASKED for a story- and he wasn’t even after anything! (The way to some mothers hearts is to admire their cooking- the way to mine is to admire my storytelling!) However- alas- that phase didn’t last very long! Last year at his school around Halloween, I told an American Indian ghost story “The Vampire Skeleton” which even Year 6 kids find quite scary. Other kids were impressed and enthusiastic. From my son I got “That  was quite good Mum.”

However luckily for me I have a second child -a girl, who adores storytelling. She loves listening and she loves telling too! We don’t tell every night as she is 9 years old and it is also important to read books while she is learning to read. Most nights she listens to recorded stories or we read together to help her with her reading, but sometimes we tell stories. But one of our greatest pleasures is collaborative telling. I start the story and keep asking for ideas along the way. We don’t do it enough really. Whenever she tells a story she tells with such conviction and confidence that I can completely be immersed in her tale. (Both of my children are featured in two tracks I have recorded: “Two Russian Goats” on ‘The Mermaid’s Shoes’ CD and “Lily and the Fig Tree” on ‘The Story Tree’ CD.)

One night we used props for our telling: a beautiful smooth palm sized gemstone and then a sliver lamp that looks a bit like something from 1001 Arabian nights. I forgot to write down what came up but it was great at the time!

This Sunday she’ll be helping me tell tales at the Tweed Art Gallery, Murwillumbah NSW Australia.  If you are a local, maybe I’ll see you there. In the mean time have fun telling stories and if you are starting out with a tough audience, take heart! While you need to be sure you have chosen the right story for the right group at the right time and polished you telling, if it’s still not working, maybe it’s not you. Someone else may adore your stories!

Jenni and Layla in character telling ‘Molly Whuppie’ to Kindy students.

Jenni telling ‘Molly Whuppie’ at the Tweed River Art Gallery

“Tales from Under the Sea” with Jenni Cargill-Strong – storyteller extraordinaire in the Ken Done ‘Sea Gardens’ exhibition space.. Two 30-40 min sessions of participative stories and songs for the whole family to enjoy at 11.30am and 12.30 pm. From the depths of the ocean to the beaches of Byron Bay, meet the likes of Shelley the Leatherback Turtle and The Mermaid of Byron or hear Kipling’s playful “How the Whale got his Throat”. Suitable for all ages – great for families. Stories may vary. Entry by Donation. Jenni tells Jack and the Beanstalk at Tasmanian International Storytelling Festival

My repurposed book

XMAS GIVEAWAY: WIN A FREE STORYTREE CD by writing your ending to the folktale below! Ends 17 December.

Please read the following tale and write your own ending in the comments section. Write a short or long ending. I will choose my favourite on December 17 and the winner can choose their favourite Story Tree CD!

Usually I channel my creativity into storytelling, performing or teaching. I have never been particularly crafty, except when making Vasalissa dolls. But a good friend must have sensed just what I was needing recently. My friend Melaina, (author of ‘The Circle Series’ and other books), sent me the perfect thing: two CD’s from a series by Clarissa Pinkola Estes- “The Dangerous Old Woman” and ”The Joyous Body”. (Yes Estes is author of ‘Women Who Walk with Wolves’.)

As I listened, an urge began to bloom in me to be creative with something tactile. Inspired by the sculpture show my daughters school hold each year, where parents are welcome to enter something, and a book I found in the local library “The Repurposed Library”, I carved a heart into a red hardcover book using a very sharp cutting blade. The title inspired me: “The Naked Heart”. I read it first to check it wasn’t great literature (until 3 in the morning!) and began carving the next day. After carving the heart, I saw in my mind, the sculpture I wanted to create: a heart on a bed of rose petals. After buying the clay, I remembered a well known tale I had read called “The Perfect Heart”.

Next I was inspired by my storytelling friend and colleague Bettina Nissen. Bettina recently gave a TEDx talk in which she described working in a community setting where she would tell 3/4 of a story and then get people she was working with to make up the rest. So I decided to do the same.

The Perfect Heart

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

Adapted by Jenni Cargill-Strong

There was once a place where all the people carried their hearts around in their hands. One young man boasted that he had the most perfect, beautiful heart of all. His heart certainly looked perfect with not a single flaw.

One day as a crowd gathered to admire his heart, a little girl said, “It is perfect, but it is not beautiful. You should see my grandma’s heart. It’s reeeaaaally beautiful!” The young man was not happy with the little girl, but he followed her to her grandma’s house. “Grandma could you please show this man your heart?”

The old lady looked calmly into the young man’s eyes. He began to feel like he was in an ancient forest. Then she opened her hands to reveal the ugliest heart he had ever seen. It was covered in scars that had lumpy edges. It had staples and holes in it.

“You’ve got to be joking!”, snorted the young man. “How could THIS be more beautiful than MY perfect heart?!”

“The reason there are so many marks on it” the little girl explained, ”is that whenever grandma loves someone, she gives them a piece of her heart. When they give her a piece of theirs in return, it never fits quite right so it makes a lumpy edge. See, here is my piece. Sometimes she gives a piece of her heart to someone who doesn’t give a piece in return and that is what the holes are from. Grandma says ‘Love is a risk.’ That is why I think my grandma’s heart is more beautiful. When I grow up, I want mine to be just like hers.”

The cover of my repurposed book

The young man grew quiet. The old woman pulled off a piece of her heart and offered it gently to the young man. ✪

That is most of the story of ‘The Perfect Heart’. 

What do you think happened next? Write your ending in the comments section- it can be as long or brief as you like! Then if you like, you could google the story and see how it usually ends. As a sometimes-English teacher I’d love to try this as a story starter with students.

Nicole wrote her own beautiful ending and wins a CD of her choice as prize. Well done Nicole!

Nicole’s ending: The young man eyes widened and slowly reached out for his gift of heart. He looked at the old woman intensely and asked “doesnt it hurt when you give your heart away ? The old woman said gently with nod – “yes, some times” The young man says” why do you give it away then?…The old woman says with loving eyes and both hands on her chest – “because my dear boy the feeling of recieving a piece of another heart makes you feel happy and warm inside here …”try it, put this piece of my heart on yours…The Young Boy ‘s face lighted up and enjoyed his special moment of recieving love for the 1st time on his perfect heart. Have you given a piece of your heart out today?

“The Repurposed Library”

the wonder and beauty

To tell the truth, I have a love-hate relationship with Woodford Folk Festival. That is because it is usually either stinky hot and dusty or very, very muddy. It’s a bit like after a woman gives birth, you say “Never again”. Then the baby is so cute, you forget how it hurt and off you go and have another and it’s both wonderful and terrible. As I’ve gotten older and also now that I’m a Mum, usually just after Woodford, I say “I’m not going next year.” Then application time comes around a few months later… I get excited and so does my partner. We put in our applications. Then packing up time comes. I think of heat, mud, crowds and finding a camping spot and I think “I’m not going next year.”…. Then we get there and it is absolutely fabulous, and I think “How could I have POSSIBLY considered NOT coming?”…..and the cycle continues. I have been to Woodford Folk Festival (including Maleny as it once was) 16 times. All but one of those I went as a season camper and all but twice as a performer.  Since having a family eleven years ago, I have gone nine times with my partner Max and two children. So why have I gone so many times and why might you? Why go?: I love Woodford for a million reasons, but to name a few I’ve whittled it down to the following. (Ask me another day and I’d rattle off different things.) I love the sense of community, the respect for culture, diversity and children, the spontaneity, beauty, attention to detail, music, dance, poetry, bucket loads of fun, inspiration and idealism.

This year I could only go for two days as I had work on at home (marking Storytelling assignments by Education students at Southern Cross University). I went to compete in the Finals of the Spirit of Woodford Yarn and Storytelling Competition. I took my daughter Layla (8). Usually my partner Max (aka Salty Pete the Pirate) and son also come and we arrive early, camp and stay an extra two days. (More about that next post). This year the weather was perfect! It was fine with a few light showers and cool breezes. The mildest Woodford I have ever been to. What did we see this year in our two days? I’m glad you asked!

Backdrop for the Kids show of the same name.

We spent most of our time in the Kids Festival and Circus tent, which constitutes about one millionth of the entire options at the Festival! Layla played with her best friend- the daughter of a couple who work at the Children’s Festival and are friends of ours. Brie and Layla met when they were tiny and have been fast friends ever since. The Children’s Festival: Within The Kid’s Festival the girls joined in with Hip Hop and Zumba dance workshops, saw ‘The Great Big Story Book’ show, a Japanese storytelling show, made a puppet from recycled bits, made a pottery mushroom, played together for hours in the cool, shady sandpit and had their faces painted twice. We listened to large groups of happy people playing and singing in the Kids daily ukelele’s workshop too- though there seemed to be far more adults than kids!

Performance outside one of the circus tents

Circus: We saw several Circus Shows in the Circus Tent which we loved. One was a family-friendly pole dancing show. I checked if it was suitable before we went in- usually adult shows are late at night. One of the performers was a champion pole dancer. She was all muscle and completely defied gravity. We saw the most amazing hula hoop act I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen a few). We enjoyed a clowning circus act which was not your usual clowning routine. The set had a Film Noir black & white (50’s) flavour with a live band on the stage. Four men and one woman and lots of slow humour. Lots of pregnant pauses- not fast paced adrenaline pumping and totally enjoyable- because of that. The audience went wild at the end. We saw the Side Show Alley Freak Show- which was well freakish! We both had to cover our eyes at times. Not quite sure I should have taken Layla, but she seems unscarred! We saw the fire show at night and saw another woman with a hula hoop but this one had flames on it. Beautiful. The next day Layla joined in at the Circus tent where she borrowed a hula hoop, but to my frustration, steadfastly refused to listen to any of the teachers circus skills gently and cheerfully teaching anyone who was interested. (Parental sigh.) Street performers: We saw street performers-  the ladies with rocket bosoms and a couple with a strange winged contraption. We saw indigenous band Sol Nation at the “Alter-native” venue and while I had a great little boogie in the white sand while the girls pretended to be nocturnal animals. Butterflies: We walked the butterfly walk and saw two butterflies, enjoyed the cool shade of the canopy and the informative butterfly posters. Food: We ate Chinese pork buns, Portuguese tarts (mmm), mango drinks, chicken kebabs, jaffles and fruit smoothies. When we season camp we mostly cook back at camp.

Our favourite juices, smoothies and jaffles stall

Bubble fun: There is a stall opposite the juice and jaffle stall in slightly shady  crossroads in the middle of the festival where a man and woman sell bubble wands. Layla adored catching the bubbles as did most kids at the Festival. He wears out his shoulder- constantly and patiently making bubbles- whether the parents look about to buy or not. Maybe because he emanates calm and fun, his sales seem to be nonetheless steady.  Watching bunches of kids swoop delightedly on the bubbles, like excited butterflies, I often feel it is an apt metaphor for the joy and innocence of many events and happenings at the Festival. I did catch some of Buffy St Marie’s set at the Concert Stage. She and her three male band members use the American Indian calling voice in their songs. It was a style that took a little bit of getting used to, but I found it profoundly appealing because it was so earthy and soulful. She has been a star and extremely successful songwriter since the sixties and her songs have been covered by the likes of Janis Joplin, Cher, Roberta Flak, Elvis Presley and Neil Diamond.

Buffy Sainte-Marie

She is now 60 and what a powerful, svelte, dynamic and  charismatic woman she is! She looked so gorgeous and funky from a distance at Woodford and here in her close-ups she looks amazing too. But what really hit me from quite a distance was her powerful charisma and earthy integrity as she spoke and sung. Her song “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” about corruption and Indian land rights was haunting. Last year Woodford was intense. The cyclone further north created flooding which did a lot of damage to Woodfordia and to their ticket sales which put them in a terrible financial predicament. To read how Woodford accidentally got involved in a sponsorship controversy and how they responded (very well I believe), read this article. To see more 2011-12 Woodford images, go to the photo blog “Yes I can Too” and here is a compilation of images and blogs on Woodford at Squidoo. To read and watch more about Woodford go to their official site or watch a news report from ABC TV on this year’s event. Also if you plan to go next year, there is now a Woodford program app which you can download to your iphone or ipad rather than buy the gorgeous book for $10. Oh and a well known local writer and poet called Archie (Robin Archibald) won the Spirit of Woodford Award for Spoken Word. It was a great story he had worked on for ten months and he deserved to win. Maybe I’ll see you at Woodford next year?

Photo Credits Photo collage made up of A,B and C: A. Courtesy Northern Star newspaper: Girl and bubbles; Two girls at Kids Festival; Samba dance workshop and Yasmin Matahari makes grass and flower hair pieces at ‘Coconut Island’ Woodford. B. Courtesy Tourism Queensland www.pleasetakemeto.com.au : Aboriginal didgeridoo players C: Courtesy Woodford newspaper: Street theatre women and colourful horses. Photo of Buffy from www.creative-native.com Courtesy noosa-journal.whereilive.com.au Street sign “No walking on the water” Golden fairy, Story Book and Outdoors Circus performer  photo’s by author.

 Listen to my retelling of this tale for FREE via Soundcloud.

Have you ever wondered, why those of us who celebrate Christmas, bring a tree inside our homes and wind silver tinsel around the tree from the bottom right up to the top? And why lots of us hang a fairy at the very top? I’ve always wondered about that -and maybe you have too. There was no tree or fairy involved at  the birth of baby Jesus and though Santa Claus puts presents under the tree, he doesn’t seem to hang out with fairies.

It was a mystery to me until I met a woman called Morgan who told me this story. She said this story had been passed down by word of mouth for many generations – which means they had never written it down, they just told it to each other. Now Morgan’s family said that the fairies got their name- not because they had fair skin from living in the deep, shady forests, but because they were fair of heart and fair of mind. So the Gods and Goddesses had given them the gift of the knowledge of magic.

Well I like that idea a lot, but I just can’t tell it that way, because I’ve heard so many stories about fairies that were kind and fair some of the time, but like we humans they could also be  bit cranky and mischievous at times. Also what I’ve always heard that fairies LOVE to party, so I added a fairies ball! This is not the final version- this is a draft. Let me know how you retell this story!

The Fairy at the Top of of the Christmas Tree

Long ago in the lands we now call Europe, before Santa Claus and even before baby Jesus, no-one celebrated Christmas yet. What people did celebrate was Mid-Winter’s Eve. Children got especially excited because they might meet the Queen of the Fairy- and even have a wish granted! Back in those olden days, there were many great forests and only a few human tribes. Deep in those forests lived the fairies. Now fairies love eating, they love dressing up, they loveto sing and dance and they love to have parties. For each season and each time the seasons changed, they would have a big party.  But the party for Mid-Winter was one of the biggest.

As you have probably noticed, when Winter comes, the days get shorter and the nights get longer. But mid-Winter’s Eve is the exact time when the days get longer and the nights get shorter.  So the people and the fairies celebrated. Now the fairies, at least most of them, quite liked children because they were playful and funny.  So they would invite all the children of all the human clans and tribes to their mid-Winters Ball in the middle of the forest. The children dressed in their warmest clothes and thought a lot about the wish they would make.  This sometimes caused a lot of sighing, jiggling and twiddling of hair. The Queen of the Fairies knew that human children would get lost in the dark or trip over tangled roots and vines. So she asked the spiders to weave their webs from the outside of the forest in to the center, where the Queen sat on her magnificent, carved wooden throne. Then with a graceful wave of her wand she would turn the webs into threads of silver that sparkled under moonlight and starlight.

NB:  Feel free to read or tell it to your family- or create YOUR own version and let me know. Folk tales are dynamic and grow better with each retelling. Write a comment here or share your ideas on my FB storytree page. Happy Solstice!

Listen to my retelling for FREE via Soundcloud.

Jenni tells to families at the Tweed River Regional Gallery

Storytelling has an enormous number of applications. Millions of people worldwide are rediscovering it’s power. They are also creatively adapting it for modern needs: in education, business, health and social welfare.

Internationally there are storytelling organisations, celebrations like World Storytelling Day, festivals, conferences, storytelling competitions and storyslams, storytelling recordings on CD and as digital downloads, you tube sites (labx), blogs, podcasts, facebook pages, digital stories, itunes, radio shows and university courses. There are also movements and organisations dedicated to storytelling in particular professions. Here are just two: The Healing Story Alliance and Organisational Storytelling.

Within Australia there are active state storytelling guilds in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, A.C.T. and Western Australia. Discussions are in progress for the development of a national website to link storytellers across Australia which may  include New Zealand. More links can be found on my Resources page. However, here I will focus on the benefits of storytelling in education. I will outline the benefits and talk about the ways stories can be woven through your classes.

Storytelling doesn’t need to be another thing to be squeezed into an already bursting curriculum. Rather, storytelling can be a valuable tool to heighten student engagement with almost any subject. While storytelling is a very worthy end in itself,  it can also be used as a powerful means to help a teacher achieve their educational ends in the classroom. Some stories lend themselves to more subjects than others, but with a little imagination it is amazing how relevant one folktale can be to different key learning areas. What follows are just starter ideas- the possibilities are endless and the books and links below can help you find more.

English: Talking and Listening Outcomes. Students can debate the ideas and ethics presented in a story. They can also sequence the storyline or create a story board or comic strips.

The Story Tree and other nature tales CD

History, Environment, Science and Geography: Children can explore different cultural values presented in tales from many lands. Older stories have historical facts embedded within them (e.g. famine, war) or portray the way people once lived and the beliefs they held. Stories can be used to inspire respect and care for the environment. My story “Shelley and Rustle” on ‘The Story Tree and other nature tales’ CD would be a great stimulus for researching sea turtles and the impact of plastic on the environment. This can be followed up with practical activities- like collecting litter.

Personal Development and Health: Outcomes like respect for others can be achieved with many stories. Storytelling can strengthen the trust and community spirit within a class. Elisa Pearmain’s book is a very rich resource (see below).

Creative Arts: Students’ imaginations are greatly stimulated as they listen and visualise. This can be followed by discussion and re-enactments.

Digital technology: Stories translate perfectly into the digital realm. Students can make digital stories with simple programs available on the web like PhotoStory or imovie, or even animations. This can be far less confronting than standing in front of a whole class for shy students and so makes a great warm-up to telling to a group. They can also watch international storytellers via You Tube or labx. Storytelling enhances imagination and visualisation, increases vocabulary, improves listening skills, models speaking skills, nourishes a students’ intuitive side and enhances writing skills. (Collins & Cooper)

Gardeners Multiple Intelligences: Storytelling engages students because it can engage them via many of Gardeners Multiple Intelligences. Storytelling can stimulate and enrich not only verbal and linguistic skills; but also interpersonal (sensitive to facial expressions, gestures and voice); intrapersonal (learns from stories about kindness and compassion); kinesthetic (as students join in with movements); musical (when songs are woven into the story) and naturalist (likes to hear and retell environmental stories). (Chace) Research confirms that without established context and relevance, the human mind is unlikely to remember new information, and is even less likely to ever recall it.

• Coles (1989) “Stories enhanced recall, retention, application of concepts into new situations, understanding, learner enthusiasm for the subject matter.” and ”Stories enhanced and accelerated virtually every measurable aspect of learning.”
• Engle (1995) “Children learn storytelling many years before they master logic, persuasion, writing, and other forms of information delivery. Story is an essential precursor to mastery of expository and logical forms.” (Haven via Chace)

So many reasons to use storytelling, yet teachers are busy, busy people! If your school is in or near the Northern Rivers area of Australia, you can invite me to lead a workshop for teachers and/or parents. If you are not from my region, contact your local storytelling guild or association (above) and book a storyteller. Or follow some of the links on my resources page to learn from home, especially The Art of Storytelling podcast. Finally, I will leave you with a short 4 min video of me explaining ‘Why stories are so powerful’ by my fireside.

I am currently a member of the team for the Storytelling Unit at Southern Cross University (Australia) originally written by Susan Perrow. (It is offered externally through the School of Education, but is open to students from other disciplines and some partner Universities.) This clip is the first in a series of ten available to students of the unit. It forms part of the Week 1 material for the unit. You’ll need itunes on your computer to watch it. Enjoy!

Sources and Recommended Reading:

Collins R  & Cooper P. 1994, The Power of Story: Teaching through Storytelling  Waveland Press: Long Grove USA. www.wavelandpress.com

The National Storytelling Association (USA). 1994, Tales as Tools: The power of story in the classroom, National Storytelling Press: Jonesborough, USA Hamilton,

Martha & Weiss, Mitch. 2005, Children Tell Stories: Teaching and Using Storytelling in the Classroom, Richard. C. Owen Publishers, New York. See the You Tube showing extracts form the DVD. An extremely readable, user-friendly and comprehensive guide for teachers.

Pearmain, Elisa. 2006, Once Upon a Time: storytelling to teach character and prevent bullying: Lessons from Multicultural Folk Tales for Grades K-8, Character Development Group, Greensbooro, NC, USA.www.CharacterEducation.com Library of Congress Number: 2007934445

Perrow, Susan. 2008, Healing Stories for Challenging Behaviour, Hawthorn Press, Gloucesteshire, UK.www.hawthornpress.com ISBN 1-85230-339-5 Susan is Australian and has Steiner teaching  background. Her website is www.healingthroughstories.com

Thanks also to  Karen Chace’s Storybug site for many of the storytelling research facts which were compiled and generously shared by renowned storyteller and educator, Kendall Haven in his new book Story Proof – The Science Behind the Startling Power of Story, available through Libraries Unlimited

Interior at Newgrange Image courtesy www.knowth.com

On Wednesday, at least in the southern hemisphere, it will be the winter solstice. This year I celebrated early with a small story gathering. We ate soup, then shared and improvised stories by our cosy fireside. I love the sight, sound and scent of a wood fire! Stories and myths come from the realm of dreams and visions, so these long nights are perfect for sinking deeply into this mysterious realm! So ancient, relaxing and reassuring. Stories and myths come from the realm of dreams and visions, so these long nights are perfect for sinking deeply into this mysterious realm. A few appropriate stories for older children or adults are Mother Holle (or Mother Winter), stories of darkness, the sun, moon and stars (eg The Legend of the Big Dipper), and stories of the creatures migrating in your region. Here in Byron Shire, the Humpback whales are on the move to warmer waters to have their babies. (See the story of ‘Kondili the whale’). I found some beautiful ideas for preschoolers here.

Aerial view Newgrange Image from www.knowth.com

Traditionally in Europe, people lit fires and candles in an effort to help the sun rekindle it’s strength. It was also a time to surrender outmoded habits and beliefs. There was a beautiful tradition amoung the sun-worshipping people of Ireland (thousands of years ago it was a sunnier place). Initiates would walk inside a mother mound the evening of the winter solstice. A mother mound is a round building with a long passage inside it (see picture to the right), made of stone and covered in earth and grass. They waited for father Sun to penetrate the window or lintel above the door. Once father Sun’s rays reached the back of the mother tunnel, the iniates emerged reborn. I found an exquisite photo series which shows modern people doing this. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the arrow on the snowy mother mound image. Take a peek here . For a modern celebration, you could create a labyrinth. Or more simply, draw a spiral in the sand on the beach. Walk in holding a question and as you unwind, allow the answer to arise. You can write old beliefs onto paper and throw them into the fire. You can fill a bowl with water and floating candles, meditate and invite nourishing dreams. Some people greet the solstice dawn from a mountain top to celebrate the rebirth of the Sun and the lengthening of the days.

Waverly Fitzgerald writes: ”When you light your candles and your fire, do so with the intention of bringing light into the world. What are the ways in which you can help make the world lighter? How do you bring light into the lives of those around you? Make a conscious effort to increase the amount of light you create.”  School of the Seasons

I expect I’ll be tucked up warm in bed Thursday morning before heading south to do some storytelling, but Wednesday night I think I’ll light lots of candles, burn a few bad habits and invoke rich dreams. This is what astrologer Babula Clement wrote about the solstice:

The Winter Solstice is upon us:  Wednesday the 22nd June, the Sun enters the sign of Cancer. Mark the date in a  special way to honour the shortest day of the year. The Sun will then begin its climb higher in the sky as we look towards the promise of Spring to come. In the meantime, stay warm, rest and turn your attention inwards.

Lismore Lantern Parade

Last year my daughter and I celebrated the solstice by attending the Lismore Lantern Parade (near us in Northern NSW, Australia). This is my photo of the Earth Mother lantern. Click here to go view exquisite imagery from past festival parades. Click back to the home page to read more about the festival. While the cold nights can make you want to stay cosy at home, if you get the chance and live near Lismore, DO rug up and make the effort to check out the fabulous celebration that is the Lismore Lantern parade! You’ll be well rewarded! (To read what I wrote about that you can go to my old blogspot.) am so enjoying this winter. I have been retraining myself to go to bed earlier and sleep more. It is so much easier to do this with long nights. It has been so cold that I have been really been enjoying getting into bed earlier, reading for a while and then sinking into sleep and delicious dreams! Whatever you do, have a wonderful and nourishing Solstice!

Carved stone in front of the Newgrange entrance. Image from www.knowth.com

Did you know about the great new ABC site called Re-enchantment? Video’s and audio from the site are being aired on ABC TV and ABC Radio. It is ‘an immersive journey into the hidden meanings of fairy tales’. Warning: It is for adults. It explores the darker themes of popular folk tales and why they have relevance still. It is well worth a visit!

I went and saw the new “Red Riding Hood” film (again- beware it is for adults or teens I feel) and I am still chewing over the version created. The dicussion area would be a great place to engage in debate about this film, the tale and modern and feminist re-imaginings. There are also study notes coming!

Here is a quote from the website:

Fairy tales existed as oral stories for thousands of years before they appeared as literature for children. Fairy tales are set in a distant imaginary past. They do not always have fairies, but usually there is magic: enchantments, transformations, talking animals and people under spells. The term ‘fairy tale’ is taken from the French conte de fées which Charles Perrault popularized in his now famous collection of fairy tales Contes du temps passé (1697). Sometimes they are called ‘wonder tales’ reminding us that they are not simple moral tales for children. Across cultures fairy tales have been retold and changed with each telling. They have been collected and written down, translated and edited in ways that have also altered the stories. However, folklorists have identified many common motifs and story types throughout the world. Fairy tales are cultural snapshots of the lives of men and women, their economic and family circumstances and the conditions of childhood. At the same time fairy tales reflect our Just as the stories are always changing and adapting so are interpretations by writers, social historians, psychologists and cultural commentators. Re-enchantment weaves together psychological, social, historical and cultural interpretations drawing from the many sources listed here. Within the site you will also find FURTHER INFORMATION sections containing quotes and suggestions for further readings and INTERVIEWS that may also direct your research. Re-enchantment also includes the re-interpretation of fairy tales by visual and media artists and popular culture in each story space. The artists can also be sourced in the FEATURED ARTISTS section in the GALLERY. Use the general or psychological bibliographies or writing specific to Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel and Bluebeard stories. Add your own research, commentary or visual re-interpretations using CREATE or DISCUSS. You can read and hear the tales read aloud by Australian actors. This is not the same as storytelling, and I am not so fussed on the way that part has been done, but overall it is a very rich site.

You can watch the 5 min TV segments Friday evenings at 10.25pm, on ABC iView or on the Re-enchantment website:

Click on the MENU down the bottom to bring it up, then click on the FAIRY TALE THEMES tab on the right.

The ten short videos are there.

In the MENU there is a DISCUSS tab – you can contribute to discussion there.

Visit Re-enchantment…

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To lead up to ‘Poem in your Pocket Day’ Thursday April 14, here is one of my favourite poems. I first found it in Jane Yolen’s beautiful introduction to her book, “Favourite Folktales from around the World.” To read more about the Pulitzer prize-winning poet, follow the link below the poem. Why We Tell Stories 1 Because we used to have leaves And on damp days Our muscles feel a tug, Painful now, from when roots Pulled us into the ground And because our children believe They can fly, an instinct retained From when the bones in our arms Were shaped like zithers and broke Neatly under their feathers And because before we had lungs We knew how far it was to the bottom As we floated open-eyed Like painted scarves through scenery Of dreams, and because we awakened And learned to speak 2 We sat by the fire in our caves, And because we were poor, we made up a tale About a treasure mountain That would open only for us And because we were always defeated, We invented impossible riddles Only we could solve, Monsters only we could kill, Women who could love no one else And because we had survived Sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, We discovered bones that rose From the dark earth and sang As white birds in trees 3 Because the story of our life Becomes our life Because each of us tells The same story but tells it differently And none of us tells it the same way twice Because grandmothers looking like spiders Want to enchant the children And grandfathers need to convince us What happened happened because of them And though we listen only Haphazardly, with one ear, We will begin our story With the word and

You can read more about the Lisel Mueller at this link: Why We Tell Stories My other favourite poem is ‘Loaves and Fishes’ by David Whyte, which you can read in my previous blog ‘Bread for the Soul’.