Do Tell!

October 4, 2006 in Uncategorized

This weekend some of the finest storytellers in the United States will gather at the revered National Storytelling Festival in tiny Jonesborough, Tennessee.

It will also be the site of an upcoming Thelma and Louise Roadtrip by me and my older daughter, Emma (minus, of course, the drugs, sex, murder, and Brad Pitt). We went last year and laughed our heads off at Andy Offut Irwin, a storyteller you should hear if you get a chance.

Emma’s taking a digital media class in school and has decided to focus her documentary film project on storytelling. To do so, she’ll impersonate a Junior Reporter at the Festival, fedora on her head with one of those reporter cards sticking out of the band (her sartorial decision), videocamera and tripod, and questions (Do you have storytelling dreams? Do you ever feel like you’re in the wrong era? What is your best mistake as a storyteller?).

The featured tellers have all been so generous in their response to her request for an interview: NPR regular Kevin Kling, Grammy award-winner David Holt, Appalachian treasure Sheila Kay Adams, and Japanese storyteller Kuniko are just a few of the tellers who have graciously responded positively.

Will you be there, by chance? If so, I’d love to meet you – and perhaps Emma could ask you a few questions as well (Do you think stories are best told over a fire? What is more important to a storyteller–listening or telling? If you could only take 3 stories to a desert island, which three would you take? Has the pursuit of a story ever become the story?). Just imagine: Here’s your big chance to be featured on the High School Morning News! Or, if you can’t go, how about posting your answers to some of those questions in the comments section for use in Emma’s project?

Do tell!

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

9 comments to " Do Tell! "


Cindy

October 5, 2006 AT 8:13AM

Story telling. The art and skills of the story teller.

It reminded me of the time when I was growing up in rural Malaysia 40, 50 years ago. Without television, radio is our only connection to the outside world (meaning outside of our village and our small town). Apart from music and news, my grandmother and her soap-operas, we LISTENED to soccer games, comidies, even motor and motorcycle races! Our imaginations would run wild along with the excitement the commentors on games and other sports, or laugh and cry along with those ‘faceless’ actors and actresses …

There is this particular Cantonesss story teller, it is ashame that I cannot remember his name, we would tune in to his kong-fu story day-after-day. From his voice, we ‘see’ vivid kong-fu fighting between 2,3 5, 6 or more persons, his voice sent us the ‘pain’ when our hero is hurt …

Even today, I still retain the habbits of ‘listening’ to TV soap-operas. Or movies. I prefer to let my imagination runs. That I think is the reason why I am not interested in things like pod-casting, or other form digital visual media such as TV. I think a good and great story teller does not need other form of ‘artificial’ help. To me, all the additional colour, noises take away the power of imagination.

Perhaps without all these digital devices, we take more efforts to be a better ‘communicator’, and more effort to be a better listener.

Sally

October 5, 2006 AT 11:16AM

Hello, Patti,

A wonderful book about storytelling is Ireland, by Frank Delaney (here’s an Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Ireland-Novel-Frank-Delaney/dp/0060563486/ref=pd_sim_dbs_b_1/102-0924589-9153716?ie=UTF8). It’s full of great stories about the history of Ireland intertwined with a wonderful tale of a young lad who becomes fascinated with the art of storytelling. I loved it.

Sally

Chris Kondrat

October 5, 2006 AT 12:37PM

What is most important to the storyteller-listening or telling?

It’s kind of a chicken and egg, which comes first–
However I think since the purpose of the story teller is to tell a story that the listener will receive, I think listening and incorpating feedback to change the story is most important.It’s more about the audience. What and how are they reacting? Are they getting the message? Is it clear and concise enough that they will remember the essence of it and pass it on?
By a fire?
I think anywhere is fine as long as the listener can remain focused and undistracted.

Shelley

October 5, 2006 AT 7:34PM

Wow, I’m going to have to put this festival on my life list… so cool!

I am at the very beginning of a project in which I try to write down some of the life stories I’ve honed through re-telling over the years. (You can click here if you’re curious: http://tinyurl.com/felvq

My five year old son’s favorite stories are “true life stories,” and he’s particularly partial to those in which “someone gets hurt, or yelled at, or in trouble.” Lest I fear for his future, he is quick to reassure me: “It’s not that I like that the bad things happened, Mommy. I just like HEARING about them.”

As for Emmma’s questions… hmmm, I’ll try to get back to you on that.

Ren

October 23, 2006 AT 9:09PM

My Mum was a storyteller and I have fond memories of the storytelling guild that would meet at our home occasionally. I also have fond memories of our first storytelling festival in Jonesborough…so fond that I moved here last year!!:)

Thoroughly enjoying your blog. Very nice. I lost my Mum four years ago and could really relate to your writing about how our society deals (or rather doesn’t deal) with death.

patti digh

October 26, 2006 AT 6:52AM

Ren,

Lucky you, living in such a special place, the epicenter of story! I am working in Iowa this week and yesterday drove down I-35 South through Story County and Story Center! How do you like living in Jonesborough?

I’m so sorry about your mom – the grieving process is lifelong, I believe.

Thanks for your note!

patti digh

October 26, 2006 AT 6:55AM

Cindy – I loved the stories of your “listening” childhood – thank you. I, too, believe that digital devices – and the ways in which we supply images rather than suggest them – can separate us, eliminate the need for us to really listen. And, paradoxically, they can have the opposite effect as well. Thanks for the food for thought!

patti digh

October 26, 2006 AT 6:56AM

Sally – thanks so much for the reading recommendation. I’ll definitely put it on my list of books to read!

patti digh

October 26, 2006 AT 6:57AM

Chris – thanks for the fabulous questions!