The art of oral story-telling
It seems ironic that internet technology should be used to spread the following message, but what better way to get the word out. It was supplied to Ballina Info by Jenni Cargill-Strong …
The ancient art of oral storytelling has been enjoying a revival around the world in the last few decades.
Just as the Slow Food Movement grew from people being tired of fast, highly processed food, people tired of fast-paced impersonal, electronic communication are turning increasingly to the gentle art of storytelling.
It is a sociable and intimate way of relating that stimulates our imagination and can help us tap into a deeper wisdom. Storytelling can be used to entertain, enchant, teach, celebrate an anniversary or simply get a point across in a captivating way. It can also be used therapeutically, to model problem solving, foster emotional resilience or help people debrief from traumatic experiences.
Professional storyteller Jenni Cargill-Strong established The Story Tree Company to provide storytelling performances, workshops and recordings. Jenni has been a guest at the Byron Bay Writers Festival and a regular at Woodford Folk Festival.
Her first children’s storytelling CD won an award from the National Library of Australia. Now that she is mother to two small children, Jenni has had to give up the life of a travelling storyteller and so she is hosting a series of storytelling workshops in the beautiful hinterland of Byron Bay.
The common thread in the series of workshops is story and storytelling — whether you are learning to write your life story, enliven your corporate or community presentation with stories, deepen your spiritual quest or simply gain confidence to tell stories to your grandchildren.
People from all walks of life and levels of experience are more than welcome to participate. You don’t need any experience in storytelling to come along. In fact, you don’t even need to know what storytelling is! Just bring your curiosity! In the workshops participants work at their own level and won’t have to get up and perform in front of others –unless they want to!
I chose the name Story Tree after surveying my supporters who voted two to one for the name. The tree connects our roots with our fruits. In an age where our survival largely depends on us reconnecting with nature, I find the Story Tree image very healing and grounding. I imagine stories as the fruits of this wise, wild old tree, perhaps gnarled and twisted with age, yet still majestic, vibrant and able to provide nourishment.
At the end of April (28-29), Susan Perrow (M. Ed) will lead a weekend workshop “Storytelling for Children” at the Cape Byron Steiner School.
Then May 11-13, Donna Jacobs Sife, pictured, writer and award winning storyteller, will lead the first retreat for the year ‘Spinning Straw into Gold’. The retreat will be held at Samaya near Rosebank.
Donna is regular guest on ABC Radio’s ‘The Spirit of Things’ and ‘Encounter’. She has written articles about reconciliation for The Sydney Morning Hearld, The Age and international publications. For nearly two decades she has travelled widely throughout the world teaching and telling stories. She has told stories from Woodford Folk Festival to peace rallies to United Nations events. Donna will alternate between traditional and personal stories, drama, creative writing, dream work and poetry so that participants can ’spin their straw into gold’.
Check out the full programme of workshops, pictures of the tutors and the retreat venue or register online at www.thestorytreecompany.com.au
You can also call Jenni on 66846548 or email her at jenni@jennicargill.com.au for inquiries or bookings (though the office will close for a week over Easter).
Take a bite of the fruits of the Story Tree — rich, ancient and deeply nourishing!
