Category Archives: The value of oral storytelling

It is getting very exciting as the first ‘Stories in the Club’ Concert date draws closer, enthusiasm in the community is building and people are coming forward to offer wonderful tales of place and hope. August and September concerts are now full! August tellers will include well-known locals, traditional custodian and former screen actor, UncleContinue Reading

As the power of story has been increasingly recognised, the quote ‘the best story wins’ (1) has enjoyed high circulation. Organisational storyteller, Annette Simmons used it in the title of a book and subsequent workshops. So let’s unpack for a bit, why stories are such a powerful way to communicate. We are hard-wired to process information in the formContinue Reading

This year (2016), I have begun a new business called “Stories on Foot: Tales of Byron Bay and the Rainbow Region”. Here I make a start on the story of why I started it and what I want to offer people through these tours. When my kids were still quite young I had the ideaContinue Reading

In my last blogpost, I wrote about the inaugural Golden Tales Local Stories Concert, which I co-ordinated with the Byron Circle of Tellers. The locals who came to tell stories included Lois Cook, Nyangbul storyteller and traditional custodian. Lois was recently featured on ABC TV in an exquisitely made and profoundly important, mini-documentary, “Babe in the reeds:Continue Reading

LISTEN TO GOLDEN TALE STORIES HERE: https://soundcloud.com/bayfm/sets/local-stories-under-the More stories will progressively be uploaded. ‘Local storytellers, bards, fablers, yarn-spinners and raconteurs, take note: a new storytelling festival needs you! ‘The Golden Tale Local Stories Competition’ will be one of many exciting story events planned for the inaugural ‘Festival of the Golden Tale’, which will be staged aroundContinue Reading

  I just got asked three great questions about storytelling and my upcoming Green Storytelling workshop in Indigiscapes, Capalaba.     1. Why tell stories? (in an age of mass distraction)     2. How can stories help ME? (ie: in this ‘i-generation)     3. What can story do for our world environment thatContinue Reading

As we all know, mothering is a pretty big job. Modern women have parenting courses, books and blogs to help navigate this challenging pathway. In ancient times, some cultures had initiation rites, not only for young men, but also for young women. These rites of passage helped girls to overcome their fears and develop resilienceContinue Reading

This is a response from Laura Simms to the situation unfolding in Ferguson, which is now reverberating through many parts of the US and the world. Laura is an award-winning storyteller, recording artist, teacher, writer and humanitarian based in New York City. She is also a founding member of the Healing Story Alliance. I amContinue Reading

Many years ago I wrote this article about ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. I was holding off publishing it until I had recorded and/or published my version. However I think this article needs to be released from it’s confines (after eight long years) and perhaps it may generate discussion. Jo Henwood of the recently established AustralianContinue Reading