This is me!

taken yesterday in Parainen!

A storytelling update

This evening I told a story at a storycafe gathering in swedish-speaking Parainen, on the Archipelago. As I travelled there & back with a fellow blogger, I was reminded that I haven't written about this for a while. Too much weather!  (NB snow's nearly all gone)

A few weeks ago I told a "big" story at a storycafe gathering in Turku. The story was a traditional Irish tale - The Children of Lir - and it was the first time I had told it. It went well but I was very nervous beforehand... it was almost 25 mins long and I was telling to a gathering of Finnish, Swedish & English speakers. Amongst them were two visiting storytellers from Scotland. One of them, Claire Hewitt, I have mentioned before. The other is Judy Paterson, who I also met during the Nordic Voices Festival last Autumn. They have both become "mentors" in my journey into storytelling, so I really wanted to do well.

Claire & Judy were here in Turku for a week, revisiting the schools who are participating in the Story Harvest and Finscot Projects. At the start of the week, I spent a day with them at Puolala School listening to stories, learning new techniques and enthusing teachers. As well as catching up on all our news and having fun at the storycafe, Judy ran a worshop for teachers and we had the opportunity to socialise a little...

The workshop was originally aimed at teachers but only 2 came along. It meant there was time for Judy to answer lots of individual questions about her work, the schools projects and tips for the future of storytelling here. Also more socialising - pizza at Tinta - nice cafe by the river (which has now melted, but hadn't then - the river, not the cafe!). 

When I told the story of St Patrick to two classes at Puolala School in March, I also spoke to the principal about the possibility of an running afterschool club starting in August (the new academic year). She was quite enthusiastic, so Judy's workshop gave me some ideas and insight into how to run the workshops.

When we were at the Story Cafe in the Book cafe, Brinkalla, we were invited to attend another storycafe in Parainen and hence our trip today. The story I told, Two Trees, is from a book of stories given to me by Claire. It is a collection of Scottish Traveller Stories as told by a Traveller himself. He was aware that the travelling traditions were dying out and he agreed to have his stories transcribed - word for word. It is an interesting insight into a way of life that is dwindling fast. The storyteller, who died several years ago, was Duncan Williamson; the book is "Fireside Tales of the Traveller Children". Thank you Claire.  

So the winter continues to creep away and the storytelling continues. 

Oh! and I saw some crocuses today! YEAH!