Stories for Our Times
When it Feels Like the Sky is Falling
How can a simple old folktale be useful for activists and changemakers in complex modern crises? In tabloid papers, Chicken Little has at times been used by cartoonists in extremely dismissive and sometimes savage ways to imply that environmentalists warning of...
How a myth helped me shine again🌞
Last year for a long time after our so-called 'climate election' was lost here in Australia to a coal-loving party, I felt extremely deflated. I couldn't find much motivation or desire to shine my storytelling light, when ordinarily that is the very thing I feel...
Stories for a More Beautiful World
Earlier last year, confronted by the news, I regularly struggled with the temptation to go hide under the bed covers. Sometimes I confess I gave in. As I write, the world watches in horror as walls of flame engulf vast tracts of Australia, while our government...
The Fairy at the Top of the Christmas Tree
A story is a gift that lasts a lifetime. The story your child will remember the most will probably be the one you tell them, which is why each year, I repost this sweet Solstice tale and encourage story lovers to have a go at telling it themselves in their own way. It...
Never Give Up
Have you ever felt like giving up? With so much dire news coming at us at the moment, it's easy to want to, even though we know it'll do us no good! Below is VIDEO 5 in the GIFT OF STORY series, I briefly explain 'Never Give Up', a sweet Russian folktale about a...
The Monkey’s Heart: friendship, trust, betrayal, boundaries
Here I explain 'The Monkey's Heart', an ancient Indian folktale from the Panchatantra collection. This delightfully funny, yet suspenseful story explores friendship, trust, betrayal, staying safe, following one's own moral compass and also differentiates between a...
Loving ourselves and celebrating diversity with the tale of ‘Ananse, Ahso and Never Give Up’
What is your super-power and what are your quirks and short-comings? Don't we all have BOTH and isn't it perfectly natural and OK to have BOTH? That is one of the underlying messages in this wonderfully funny and adventurous Ananse tale. Ananse is a trickster...
Why the Sky is Far Away
In the GIFT OF STORY video series, I am briefly explaining various tales I have recorded. Here I describe this delightful and playful Nigerian folktale which encourages respect for nature, respect for boundaries, responsibility, fairness, care for the environment. It...
The Old Lady and the Fig Tree
I explain in this video * how I rewove this story from an old English folktale 'The Old Lady and the Oak Tree'. I changed the setting to Australia, swapped the oak tree to a fig tree and wove in details from a very quirky family member into the main character. This...
The Legend of the First Strawberry
In the 'The Gift of Story Series' I explain in just over 2 mins one of my recorded stories, their plot and themes and how I think they may be helpful to your child and family. VIDEO 2: The Legend of the First Strawberry In today's video, I introduce a romantic...
The Legend of the Big Dipper’ a story of kindness, sacred water and stars
For me, it is the end of an era. My hard-copy story CD's are nearly out of stock. So to celebrate, I am releasing one super short (roughly 2 mins) video a day starting TODAY, in which I explain seven of my recorded stories and how I think they may be helpful to your...
Stories for Challenging Times
In this era of fast-paced change, drought, bushfires and angry political rhetoric that seems disengaged from the pressing matters of our age, let alone common sense, I have days when I wonder just how much relevance and value whimsical oral tales really have. Then I...
Storytelling for Changemakers at the Byron Writers Festival
Yesterday I facilitated another 'Storytelling for Changemakers' Workshop at the Byron Writer's Festival office with a truly inspiring group of changemakers and writers, including a social entrepreneur and a corporate consultant. I have been teaching and developing...
Stories in the Club LIVES ON! Changes and Continuity
The next Stories in the Club has been put together by the new curator, John Allan. WHEN: Sunday, 8 September, 4.00pm - 5.30pm WHERE: Mullumbimby Ex-Services Club Entry by donation It gives me enormous pleasure to introduce the new curator of 'Stories in the Club' to...
Stories in the Club gets a new leadership team on it’s 2nd birthday
Morag, Jennifer and I had thought that at the upcoming Stories in the Club on Sunday, August 11, we would celebrate our second birthday, but also announce it's ending. I have just moved my family to Ballina, and Jennifer and Morag are also ready for new adventures....
JUNE Stories in the Club: Toastmasters spin Mullum Magic
Leave behind your world-weariness and allow yourself to be enchanted at 'Stories in the Club', on Sunday, June 9, as members of Mullum Magic Toastmasters weave tales of life, transformation and wonder, from 4 pm at the Mullum Ex-Services Club. The tellers range in age...
May Stories in the Club: Courage
On Sunday, May 12, please join us for Welcome from Athol Compton who joins us most months, plus stories on the theme of Courage from a mostly male line up of tellers: Joseph Raya, Martin Killips...
February Stories in the Club: What Do You Stand For?
Our first community storytelling gathering for 2019 is coming up on Sunday, February 10. We have a new format too which feels exciting. For me, coming together in community and sharing stories rekindles my...
The Fairy at the Top of the Christmas Tree
Each year I repost this sweet Christmas tale, which has no mention of Santa, but a focus on trees and forests, connection to earth. You can also listen to my retelling via Soundcloud. I hope you retell to the young ones in your life, perhaps under your Christmas tree...
October Stories in the Club: Getting Here: Migration
Tellers: Jan Olley, Bobbi Allan, John Imbrogno, Alicia Vella, Luis Santos and Jenni Cargill-Strong Jan Olley is the coordinator of Byron Bird Buddies and sits on the Regional Advisory Committee for National Parks. She grew up in the Northern Rivers and trained as an...
