what is storytelling?
Long, long ago-before books-stories were passed from mouth
to ear by storytellers. The telling of the story created a magical
thread like delicate gossamer connecting person to person. Traditionally
the storyteller's role in the community was 
one
of great importance. The storyteller was the keeper of the culture,
the educator, the carrier of news as well as an entertainer.
During storytelling the listeners play a crucial role. The audience
assists the telling of the story.
There is no written word for the storyteller
to follow. The delivery of the story will be moulded by the
people present at the time of the telling. The storyteller is
connected to the story and when the audience connects to the
story, the story becomes a meeting place for listener and teller.
This is the intimacy of TELLING the story. It is very different
from reading a story and different from acting out a story.
The storyteller draws pictures with words and delivers them
to the imagination of the listener.
is storytelling just for children?
Most certainly not! Storytelling is for all ages and most
definitely for 'grown ups'! The storyteller you see giggling
with the pre-schoolers could just as easily send chills down
your spine with a powerful telling of a Greek myth or Norse
legend or hold adult audiences spell bound during an epic such
as Beowulf or the Mahabharata.
what
sort of stories do you tell?
Almost
any kind of story! I love telling original stories as well as
stories from India and Ireland but I tell a wide range of stories
including folktales, fairy tales, Aussie yarns, spiritual stories
and children's stories. One of the skills of a good storyteller
is the ability to match the story to the audience.
what is required of
the audience during storytelling?
Generally the audience needs to remain as quiet as possible
and listen to the words of the teller. Being attentive is important
because a story requires the listener to follow its thread from
start to finish. However, there will often be times when the
storyteller will invite the audience to take an active part
in the story.
how
did you start out as a storyteller?
I come from a small country town in Victoria called Orbost
which is situated on the Snowy River. Although I now live in
Melbourne I return to Orbost regularly. I was home one Christmas
(1989 I think) at my sister's house when I came across an old
1987 issue of the Australian Women's Weekly. It carried a story
about the Eastwood Storytelling Festival in Sydney.. I was astounded
that people were actually telling stories. I thought it a dead
art and that the only way to communicate stories was through
the written word and visual media. I was very excited and eventually
made contact with the storytelling guild in Victoria. Here I
found willing mentors and a supportive network. I have been
telling stories ever since!
jb the young storyteller
