Victoria Storytellers' Guild

September Stories at Fern Review

2011-09-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

Our warm host on Monday evening, September 19, 2011 was Anne Forester. Margo McLaughlin provided gentle music on her Hang drum between stories.

Jacquie Hunt led off with a Spanish story told in the first person so effectively that we felt transported to Madrid, where it took place, to witness, with her, the distress of the gentleman she observed daily with no overcoat in the cold of winter. Her concern for this man, a widower whose wife had taken his coat to the cleaners before she died, and the solution she found for him by raiding her own husband's closet, touched this listener's heart.

Anne Beatty titled her story "Changes and Beginnings - "The PalmTree" a Stuart McLean story about 'bonding' with an unlikely object, a palm tree found in a corner store that was not only instrumental in effecting the sale of a home in the nick of time to enable the purchase of the perfect new home that its owner had always dreamed of, but became deeply rooted in that owner's affection.

Lavana Kilborn took us on a timelss journey, the musings of an aging farmer as to whether events that befell his acquaintances were Good or Bad, depending on their timing, circumstance and eventual outcome. One of those well-travelled, borderless stories to be found world-wide.

"Just Deserts", (yes this spelling is correct) Andrea Samuels' story of a vengeful school principal who forced a young pupil to eat a whole chocolate cake in front of his peers as punishment for a minor misdeed had, I suspect, most of her listeners feeling uncomfortably full themselves ! Told with great humour, we cheered inwardly along with the schoolboys' who witnessed the happening and were glad of the pause before ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Jennifer Ferris' hilarious telling of another cake story: "The Wedding Cake." A cautionary tale if ever there was one, with the moral that ordering a cake for a special event must always take place in person. Ordering over the phone can have dire consequences indeed!

After all that 'storycake', lo and behold, the teabreak was a veritable banquet, including Patricia's seasonal plumcake made from scratch which, together with Sandra's delicacies, kept us lingering, disobediently, in the kitchen after the call to return for more stories.

The first, related by Lee Porteous, once again had us spellbound, this time learning of the merits of the "Electricity Elixir," a cure for every ailment that could afflict the gullible folk in Chuck Larkin's story of that name. If, as is asserted, laughter is good medicine, then this story delivered us all a good dose!

A change of pace then with Catherine Sheehan's Korean Folk Tale of "The Story Spirits", another cautionary tale, this time telling us the terrors that can befall those who hoard stories instead of sending them out into the world for others to share.

Last,but by no means least, Mary Mahoney brought us "The Maiden Without Hands" collected by the Brothers Grimm in the days when reality, and stories of those times were indeed grim and often gruesome. Featured were all the ingredients of an old-fashioned fairy tale: the devil himself, the promise of gold in exchange for a poor miller's daughter, trust in the kindness of strangers, loss of limbs and their restoration. A theme with many variants brought into the present by no less a writer than Margaret Atwood according to our mutual friend Google !

submitted by Janna

VSG ANNUAL SUMMER PICNIC Sunday August 7, 2011

2011-07-28T20:48:00.001-07:00

The countdown is on towards the VSG annual summer picnic for Guild members and their guests.

WHERE? The home of Andrea and Richard, 3910 Finnerty Road (We’re about 150 yards from UVIC. (250 294 5790) WHEN? August 7, Sunday, from 3-7pm.
ROUGH PLAN: 3-4 PM: Relax and chat in the garden,
Walk through Haro Woods for the energetic or
Storytelling, DVD Clips from the Rootcellar on home cinema, check out stuff from the Guild archives..
4-5:30 PM: Stories 5:30-7 PM: Potluck picnic (timing is loose)
DIRECTIONS: Please look it up on a map. Give yourself extra time. Carpooling is sociable, sensible, and cheaper, too.
SPECIFIC TIPS: Park on Edgelow road if driveway is full.
BRING: A friend or partner
Sunscreen & sun hat,
Folding chair, if you have one,
Whatever you want to drink. I’ll supply lemonade.
A potluck dish: I have dishes and cutlery.Aaaaand STORIES!!!

VSG Founder Barbara Hutcheson Passes Away

2011-07-13T09:23:00.000-07:00

Storytelling in Victoria and the establishment of the Victoria Storytellers Guild began thanks to the work of Barbara Hutcheson and Margaret Toakley. They were senior in the Central Library's Children's Department. Twenty-two years ago they brought in tellers 'from away' for performances and workshops. The first to come were Nan Gregory and Melanie Ray. Those who participated were asked if they wanted to establish a storytelling group locally, et voilà, the VSG was born. The library gave us a free place to meet for the first year and remained supportive in lots of ways. Barbara led the first few gatherings and then cast us off to sail away on our own.

A graveside memorial service was held at Pender Island Cemetery on 3 July, 2011.

Storytellers Conference in Yellowknife, NWT

2011-06-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

It was my great privilege to represent the Victoria Storytellers Guild (VSG) at the recent 19th Storytellers Conference in Yellowknife, NWT called Story North. Here are a few of the highlights.

As the Air Canada flight began it’s decent into Yellowknife one could see large snow covered areas and it was apparent we had arrived in “the north”. VSG President, Al Fowler, and I were joined by a group of Alberta tellers and we all boarded the waiting bus to take us to the registration desk at the Explorer Hotel. Excitement was in the air as we were given our bags of conference materials. I was then picked up by Velma who had graciously offered to billet Melanie Ray and myself. The three of us had dinner together that night and talked long into the night, which almost doesn’t happen when there are 20 hours of sunlight in each day. It felt strange to watch beautiful sunsets at 10 and 11 o’clock at night. Velma’s house overlooked a lake from which we could access a paved path that took us downtown in about a 25-minute walk.

Thursday morning 20 of us attended a day long workshop called “How to Shine the Light on Storytelling” by Inga Petri of Strategic Moves, an Ottawa company that teaches marketing skills. The workshop was intended to raise awareness of how to promote storytelling in the community and elsewhere. The material was given to us to share with our groups at home and I am happy to do so. Questions such as “who is the target audience”, the clarity of the message and it’s consistency were addressed.

Later that evening we had the official welcome and introduction to this year’s Story Save. Lorne Brown from Toronto had been chosen as this year’s teller. He not only tells stories he also sings ballads and songs. He has been part of the Toronto storytelling scene for decades. His CD’s are now available in our libray, The Root Cellar. Following the Story Save launch 4 tellers were chosen from the 4 directions of Canada and told stories that highlighted the culture of their communities.

Friday, May 25th. began with a wonderful welcome story called “The Breaking of Bread” by Dawn Lacey. She must have stayed up all night baking as she stood before a long table filled with freshly baked breads, muffins, home made jams and butter, which we all shared at the end. Dawn was dressed in bakers costume and told stories of her mother and grandmother’s love of baking and sharing bread, the ingredients used, and importance in the community. There was always extra bread baked for those in need. This was followed by workshops planned by Storytellers of Candada - Conteurs du Canada (Sc-CC). I attended ”Partnership and Audience Diversification” facilitated by Ruth Stewart Verger on how to promote storytelling and attract larger audiences. Judging from the comments, Victoria is doing very well by comparison in this area.

Following the fabulous lunch buffet there was a concert to promote “Next Gen” tellers in the high school auditorium, which tended to be more performance than telling.

On each of the three days there were concerts called “Caribou Dropping” featuring tellers from the three territories, the Yukon, NWT, and Nunavut. It was through their stories that we learned of the history of the people, their amazing survival skills and resilience. I will share briefly some of these at our September Stories at Fern.

Michael Kusugak draws his stories from deep within his Inuit cultural roots in Nunavut. His interest lies in the healing properties of stories and how stories are the key to building healthy individuals and communities.

Scott McQueen from the Deni Nation of the Northwest Territories shared family stories of heroic adventures living in the north with only dogs and canoes to acquire your sustenance.

Ivan Coyote from the Yukon told her stories at 2 of the concerts as well as giving a workshop titled “Accessing Your Greatest Resource.” I loved her workshop and learned so much from her. She told us how she had recently been the “distinguished speaker” and delivered the Carol Shields Memorial lecture at the University of Winnipeg after which she received a long standing ovation. She is truly the master of personal reflections of her own space and the world that surrounds her.

One thing that needs to be mentioned is the fabulous food, which was presented daily in buffet style at the Explorer Hotel. Even when we arrived at various storytelling venues there were platters of fruits, cheeses and drinks. I had not expected such a feast as we often hear that there is a shortage of fresh fruit and vegetables in the north. Apparently in Nunavut it is a different story however as the food subsidy originally given by the government of Canada has been rescinded and now a jug of milk costs $22.00.

The conference days flew by and it was soon time to say good-bye. During these days there were 43 storytellers from across Canada that met together and shared many stories, hopes and dreams. We gained a deeper understanding of what it means to live in “the north”. I certainly did not realize the impact mining has on the livelihood of the people. The gold mines in Yellowknife have closed and the diamond mines have taken their place. Interestingly, Australian companies, DeBeers and BHPBiliton, own them. Quite a change from the way our first nations people lived on the land for centuries.

I am very grateful that our guild gave me this opportunity to experience these tellers and a part of my country I did not really know. I hope I can be of some use in the future in passing on this awareness. Please do not ever hesitate to ask me questions you may have about “Story North” and my experience in Yellowknife.

Thank you so very much.

Patricia Houston

June Stories at Fern

2011-06-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Our host, Dianne Gilliland, who presided over a full house and a full slate of tellers, opened with a surprise poem setting a fine example of humour and good storytelling before introducing the first teller of the evening.

Lee Porteous’ Chinese tale, “The Living Queen,” showed virtue rewarded by the Goddess Kuan Yin and along the way turned a snake into a dragon, a mute girl into a wife and a seeker who had relinquished his right to 3 questions into a rich and happy man.

A youthful Stephen Yeager brought skill and poise to his story, ”The Great Delivery,” in which a pompous dentist receives 2 magic figs in payment for his services and “goes to the dogs” as a result.

Jan Hockin’s yarn, “The Muckle Muckle Stone," was muckle indeed. The Scottish tale moved from digging a simple well to the king’s entire court trying to unearth the precious stone against the warnings of their wise man that “it will destroy them” and being banished for his trouble – muckle trouble.

A picture book entitled, “Sylvester and the Magic Donkey,” was Victoria Cownden’s source and she brought along the pretty red stone that created the magic that granted wishes if only you held it in your hand – or at least touched it closely.

Recently returned from the Yellowknife Storytellers’ Conference, Patricia Houston waxed eloquent about the special feelings evoked by stories told by First Nations and Inuit tellers. Patricia shareed several small vignettes including the poignant scene of an old man turning to meet a large bear to kiss it goodbye before leaving the village for a care home.

“That’s the way it was meant to be!” was Shirley Rutliffe’s comment looking back to her days with the Saint John’s Ambulance service when an unwanted shift in her service station produced a very personal meeting with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.

“A Patchwork Quilt” was the title Al Fowler gave to his reminiscences of his days as a young pastor in New Brunswick. Describing both land and people with loving detail, his description of quilt making was itself a patchwork quilt of the old days.

Using “The Other Way to Listen” by Byrd Taylor and Peter Parnall as a source, and her own melodious voice, Michelle Hibbins invited her listeners to move beyond what everyone hears and tune into the trees and flowers to hear their songs. Michelle added that as she was singing to the hills, the hills were singing to her. Michelle plans to share this story again at the Theartre SKAM Bike Ride along the Galloping Goose Trail on Saturday July 16 from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Prepared by Anne Forester
Photo of Diane Gilliland by Penny Tennenhouse

Kim Weitkamp featured in Monday Magazine

2011-06-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

Check out the good news about Kim Weitkamp's concert Penny Candy Love on Saturday June 4 featured in Monday Magazine. A big enthusiastic crowd enjoyed the show. Kim was amazing!

May Stories at Fern

2011-05-18T20:26:00.000-07:00

Molly Raher Newman as Emily Carr

Sandra was our lively host while Margo once again provided brief, gentle interludes of music on her Hang (a Swiss instrument, pronounced “Hung”) for an evening that included visiting tellers who surprised and delighted us. The first was no less a personage of renown than Emily Carr in her 'second life', portrayed by Molly Raher Newman. Molly, as an EDUTAINER, provided us with lesser known insights into Emily's life and had us all singing along with her, accompanied by her mandolin.

Sarah Vincent, one of four talented youngsters 'scouted' by Lee at the Festival of the Arts, personified The Killer Cat in "The Diary of the Killer Cat and Trip to the Vet", referred to by the veterinary staff as a "furry psychopath." Hilarious!

Jaya Scott then told the Japanese tale, "The Man Who Bought a Dream,”about a poor farmer who, against his wife's wishes, took what little money they had to follow a dream in search of hidden treasure, only to find it gone. The disappointed farmer, afraid to return home empty handed, found his wife jubilant as golden coins poured from their attic. The gift-giver was a golden bee who valued the distribution of wealth to the less fortunate.

Mary Vincent's story, "The Brave 7th Grade Viking Warrior," by Taylor Mali touched all our hearts. The Viking Warrior was a boy who, when he lost his hair to chemotherapy, found that his classmates had joined his hairless predicament by having their heads shaved, too. The history teacher's class project, to create a miniature Viking ship from popsicle sticks and balsa wood, became an unforgettable lesson when they burned their Viking ship, according to ancient custom, to carry their young Viking Warrior's soul to heaven.

Meghan Scott brought us "the Boy and the Devil,' a convoluted tale of transformation and trickery from which the Devil, used to having the upper hand in encounters with humans, learned to be very wary of boys who can read.

Shoshana shared the oral version of her story "Frida's Flute," which was published recently in an anthology of Canadian Folklore by the Edmonton School Board. Shoshana told us how the story got started in Poland in the 1700's and then evolved into a more modern version after the fall of the Soviet Union. Then she launched into her tale of Frida, a talented young musician who saved the world with music and learned how to read in the process.

Shirley once again wove the gift of homemade merriment into a story of her family's delight as they surprised their Dad on a special birthday. Remember her "Hide and Seek" story from January when her Dad hid under a big hat, among a group of picnickers in the park? This time, total strangers waiting in the arrivals area of an airport became the world’s first “Flash Mob” as they sang “Hello Wally” to the tune of “Hello Dolly” while sporting "Welcome Home Wally" buttons. Shirley’s shy brother, faced with the barrage of unknown welcomers, was now the one who wished he could vanish into thin air.

Jan, with the Cowboy Poem "the Whole Load," took us into a new-to-some-of-us genre: the world of Waddie Mitchell from Nevada, a "...renowned cowboy storyteller and buchaneer poet," according to Wikipeida where you can go to find out more about the 'homespun' philosophy of his poetry.

Anne's musings on the horizontal vs. vertical cutting of a very fine muffin led to her mother's tale of a couple married for half a century. Blessed with the delivery of a freshly baked breakfast roll each day, their tradition of each asking the other which half they preferred continued for 50 years before their true preferences were revealed.

The timid among us were advised to cover our ears to avoid hearing the gory details in Jennifer's story, a tale of a husbandless grandmother who became a professional assassin but, by a twist of fate in court, convinced the Judge that her despatch of a terrible monster was true.

Submitted by Janna

Theatre SKAM Bike Ride, July 9, 10, 16 and 17

2011-05-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

Storytellers from the Victoria Storytellers Guild are taking part in the Theatre SKAM Bike Ride in July. On Saturday July 9 from 3:30 - 8:30 p.m. and Sunday July 10 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., two talented sisters, Cat and Meghan Thom, will weave ancient traditions with original compositions through story and song. On Sundays (July 10 from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. and July 17 from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m.) cyclists on decorated bikes get to choose which object from Shoshana Litman's plateful of stories becomes the most amazing tale, before riding off to see other lively, short theatrical, dance, spoken word and music performances. Emerging storyteller, Michele Hibbins, will reveal her own sweet tale on Saturday July 16 from 3:30 - 8:30 p.m. Cost is $15 and includes bicycle decorations, route maps and all the performances. What a deal!

Congratulations to Canadian Children's Book Tour Teller : Shoshana Litman

2011-05-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

It has just been announced that Shoshana Litman has been chosen to be one of the tellers during Canadian Children's Book Week 2012. These tellers, who are members of SC-CC, are chosen by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre staff. Applicants are scored by an anonymous jury of experienced peers from provinces across Canada. In addition to the costs of accommodation, travel and meals, tellers are paid for their performances. Congratulations Shoshana.

April Stories at Fern

2011-05-03T09:28:00.000-07:00

Photo of Margo McLoughlin by Katherine McGinnis

Shirley Routliffe hosted another full house of listeners at Stories at Fern on April 18. We had the pleasure of hearing Margo McLoughlin play her Hang between stories, giving us time to let the stories settle within us.

Janna led off with a story of her connection to the royal Coronation Coach at the end of World War II and on a later visit to London in the Buckingham Palace Mews - celebrating freedom to visit the Royal Household, - a visit to the House of Commons - celebrating freedom to witness the heart of democracy in action, a visit to Westminster Abbey - celebrating freedom to worship, with acknowledgment of those who gave their lives to preserve those freedoms. The title of her story: "Fanfare for Freedom".

Anne Beatty took us South of the border with "Computer School" a story about two teachers at the beginning of the computer age who decided to play hookey from required, but infinitely dull, computer lessons. They made their escape to the dog track, absorbing sufficient information about its workings to gamble and win a tidy sum.

Tessa Owens - invited to tell after Shirley attended her performance at the recent Festival of the Arts - told us "Road Rage" by Dave Barry, a fun telling of a number of 'rages' that seem to be part of our society's current speedy, affluent circumstances. Tessa we hope to have you with us again and, this writer hopes, that a Young Tellers evening at Fern will be reinstated before too long.

In the Aztec legend "How Music Came to the Earth" Al told how the wind and the sun did battle over the celestial music of the spheres, the sun forbidding the musicians to leave, the wind finally triumphing with such a blast that the musicians were scooped up, bringing their celestial harmonies down to Earth for our delight.

Victoria told us the Korean folk tale "Story for Sale" of a couple who, sadly, had no stories in their lives, the wife, in desperation, sending her husband out into their small world to buy a story. Victoria's rendition of both the story and the heron within the story, unforgettable.

Catherine Sheehan told the Japanese tale "The Master of the Tea Ceremony" in which the gentle tea master accidentally affronts a samurai and is challenged to a sword duel. From a Zen master our tea master learns to confront the warrior with such absolute calm and concentration that it is the warrior who retreats, the tea master free to return to his master's household intact.

I should not surprise us to know that Jacquie's parents were storytellers, particularly her mother, who told, through her daughter Jacquie, of the howling, wailing ghost who inhabited an old house. The kind of ghostly encounter no one believes until they experience it for themselves.

Margo brought us a timely tale in this present election era, of the difficulties encountered by the animals when trying to choose a King. One by one those presented for consideration were speedily discounted by a recitation of their negative rather than their positive qualities. At the end, only the dog was left. They dressed the dog in royal robes but when his mouth began to water with the smell of meat cooking on the fire he threw off th robes, snatched the meat and ran off to the woods. "He's no king" was the cry,"just a thief" The gathering broke up, and to this day, they have no king !

Lee rounded out the evening with a Vancouver Island story, a tall tale if ever there was one, of ByGod Stafford, the man who milked a whale to help her because her calf had died, then used the milk to feed piglets. A thieving bear put an end to the pig farming and offspring refused to eat anything from cow or goat and headed off to sea, following a mother whale. Believe it or no, after a while, a pod of pink whales was spotted in the waters near Ocean Falls and the Queen Charlotte Islands, now
Haida Kwai.

submitted by Janna

Consider Attending Story North

2011-04-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

Just got the latest advert from StoryNorth, The annual SC-CC AGM and Conference. This year it will be in Yellowknife, NWT 26-29 May. More info from Peg Hasted, Patricia Houston or Al Fowler.

Award Winning Guild Member

2011-04-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Victoria Storytellers Guild Member, Sylvia Olsen, who won the Lieutenant-Governor's Medal for Historical Writing for her book, "Working With Wool: A Coast Salish Legacy and the Cowichan Sweater."

The B.C. Historical Federation's annual award recognizes the best non-fiction book representing an aspect of British Columbia history. "Working with Wool" has also been nominated for the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize. (This notice appeared recently in Victoria's Time-Colonist Newspaper.)

Listeners of the World, Unite!

2011-04-07T15:31:00.000-07:00

Photo by Katherine McGinnis

"Listening to a story is not a passive experience. It is an action-filled colorful event in the theatre of the mind. Storytelling, by its nature, is an audience-involving art form. As the storyteller's narrative, shared in words and gestures, is perceived by the listener, vivid images are created in the listener's imagination. Costumes, scenery, characters, come to life with as much complexity and detail as the creative listener devises. Even when the teller shares stories with a large group, there is an intimacy and an immediacy to the art form that bonds the teller and the listener as the journey of the tale unfolds...Since the imaging on the part of the listener is rooted in their own personal imagination, the transfer of the tale is both a group event and a highly intimate exchange between the teller and each listener. There are as many stories being heard as there are ears to hear the teller."

- From "Joining In. Some Thoughts on Audience Participation" by Heather Forest

2011-04-06T00:18:00.000-07:00

For details of what's happening at this year's annual conference of the Storytellers of Canada- Conteurs du Canada, check out Al Fowler's storytelling blog #yyjstoryteller.

Kim Weitkamp in Penny Candy Love

2011-04-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

SATURDAY JUNE 4th 2011 at 7:30 p.m.
A humorous look at life, love and other quandries with:
KIM WEITKAMP - HUMORIST, SINGER/SONG WRITER, STORYTELLER

Grace Lutheran Church, 1273 Fort St. (Northeast of Moss St.)
Tickets: Advance $15.00 and $20.00 at the door
Tickets Available from: Chronicles of Crime, 1057 Fort St.
Munro's Books, 1108 Government Street
Ivy's Bookshop, 2188 Oak Bay Ave.

Kim Weikamp is an award winning performer who shares original stories and songs at theaters and festivals across the continent. She is a master at building bridges from story to song to story. Her album, Penny Candy Love, recently won two World Storytelling awards. Victoria storytellers who have experienced Kim's warmth and extraordinary ability can't wait to share her awesome talent with you.

For more information, contact publicity@victoriastorytellers.org or call 778-433-0979

World Storytelling Day 2011 Summary

2011-03-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

Photo by Katherine McGinnis of VSG VP, Lee Porteous, and Treasurer, Andrea Samuels, selling tickets to this sold out event.

World Storytelling Day Concert at Intrepid Theatre Club
Water, Water, Water
March 20, 2011
Summary of Stories
1. Pat Carfra – “The Selkie of Skule Skerry” – a Scottish folktale.

A selkie emerges from the ocean and transforms into a man, who joins the village and lives with a young woman, who has his son, not knowing his identity. He reveals himself and tells her she must give up her son when he is 7 and he and the boy return to the ocean. She later marries and her new husband fulfils a prophecy by killing the selkie and his son, brining their pelts back to her.

2. Margo McLoughlin – “The Chief of the Well” – adapted from Harold Courlander’s book, The Piece of fire and other Haitian Tales

God answers the petitions of the thirsty animals and provides a well for all to use. The guardian of the well becomes a tyrant who refuses water to all, even God when he comes to investigate. The guardian is banished and can only drink from puddles. The new guardian, the frog, sings welcome to all to use the water, for although someone may “own” the land around the well, God has provided the water, which belongs to all.

3. Faye Mogensen – “A Pitcher of Water” – adapted from a story by Diane Halpin

During a drought in Saskatchewan, one family’s well continues to give water but runs dry when everyone has to use it. The neighbours, men, women and children decide to wait together behind the barn, until the next day to see if water will come back into the well. The family’s children share their ration of water (each has a glass) but the waiting people despair and some talk of suicide. The father brings his fiddle to the barn and the children encourage everyone to join him. He plays until even the men come in and all are cheered and calmed by the music. He plays until dawn, his fingers raw and bleeding, and the well produces more water (and hope), so everyone does get at least a drink.

4. Jennifer Ferris – “Lake Elm” – an Estonian legend adapted from the Kalevala and a version by Geraldine McCaughrean

A lake that is abused by the actions of robbers who begin living on its shores, takes its treasure of water, fish and other gifts, to transform a parched land whose people respect and care for it.

5. Jacquie Hunt – “The Aqueduct of Segovia” – adapted from Leyendas espanoles de todos los tiempos by Jose Maria Merino

Although we now know that the Romans built this aqueduct, for hundreds of years this magnificent structure amazed the local people, who could not imagine human beings being able to create such a structure. A legend grew about how a young woman servant, exasperated with the repetitive and tiring task of hauling water, bartered her soul to the devil if he would deliver water to the house every day BUT at the last minute specified the first delivery had to be before dawn the next day. The devil constructed the aqueduct but the girl, immediately repenting of her foolish bargain, implored Heaven so passionately and purely that God was moved to intervene. The wheels of Heaven were speeded up so that the devil was placing the last stone when dawn broke. The girl’s soul was saved and the people of Segovia received the majestic, and useful, aqueduct.

6. Diane Gilliland - “Skeleton Woman” – an Inuit story told by Mary Uukalat, published in Women Who Run with Wolves

An unfortunate young woman, murdered by her father who threw her into the sea, was reduced to a skeleton which a young man accidentally hooked with his fishing gear. He brought the whole skeleton to the surface, tangled in his line, and it “chased” him to his hut. Through the night, due to his compassion and her magic, she regained her form and the two lived a long and prosperous life together.

7. Shoshana Litman – “Soap, Soap, Soap” – an Appalachian folktale based on a version by Mike Lockett, the Normal Storyteller

Jack is sent to the store for soap, and to make up for his bad memory chants the subject of his mission. He has various encounters and the people whom he first offends by his chant and then helps, give him different things to chant until, at last, he is reminded of his original “soap” chant and to his mother’s amazement, actually brings her the soap she asked for.

8. Peg Hasted – “Place of Many Winds” – a family story from the west coast of Vancouver Island

The hey-days of the fishing fleet and the excitement of its presence in Kyuquot, when Peg was a child and her father was a fisherman are recalled, along with a dangerous run for home, in a severe storm that threatened the whole family aboard – an example of why the First Nations name for Kyuquot was “Place of Many Winds”

Music provided by Margo McLaughlin (Hang drum) and Nadia Engelstoft (fiddle)

March 2011 Stories at Fern

2011-03-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

Jennifer as host welcomed a full house of tellers and listeners, old and new. At the Membership table a box for donations to the Red Cross to bring aid to Japan following the recent series of natural disasters there, earthquake, volcanic eruption and tsunami. Jennifer's story "The Burning of the Rice Fields" told of the sacrifice of a rice farmer's harvest to save his fellow villagers from extinction by a long-ago tsunami. The old farmer, who stayed on high ground for his afternoon rest while the younger ones celebrated harvest time at sea level, watched in horror as the sea was sucked away from the land, anticipated the overwhelming onrush of water, and torched his rice harvest to bring the villagers up the hill to extinguish the flames before the full force of the water swallowed them. So powerfully told we felt the terror of the happening as it must have been, only two weeks ago, for the people on the North East coast of Japan.

In this World Water month, another watery tale by Peg was the tale of the student requested by his teacher to bring him water. The student searched for his finest bowl to bring the water in only to be asked by the teacher why he brought a bowl when he had only asked for water.

Sandra, as a tribute to her own mother, told us with such grace of motion and voice, the story of Claire "The Girl Who Wanted to Dance". A young girl being raised by her father and grandmother, haunted by her grandmother's tale of her own daughter, Claire's mother, passion for dancing. A story that left some of us teary-eyed.

A change of pace with the telling of a Tanzanian folktale that took no notice of man-made borders and made its way to Ethiopia. Her first visit to Fern but no stranger to storytelling, Pauline Grainger of Puente Theatre, delighted us all with the antics of Jackal's and Leopard's endeavours to outwit one another. Pauline, please pay us another visit soon!

Catherine Sheehan - would you be wondering if she was Irish with a name like that? took us on a voyage to the undersea home of a Merrow named Coumara who captured the souls of drowned sailors and kept them in cages. A story from a collection by Malachy Doyle that included such characters as Jack and Biddy Doherty and plenty of that powerful potato drink poteen of which those of us without the Irish in our blood should beware !

Sujeong Kim, Serra while in Canada, a Korean student of English in Victoria and first-time storyteller, bravely told us a Korean folk tale that not only accounts for the origin of the moon and the sun, but illustrates to what length a mother will go to protect her children. This writer was entranced with the idea of the fierce tiger, which had already gobbled up the mother, doing voice exercises to make him sound like the mother who had forbidden her children to open the door to strangers.

Thanks to the Island e-vine maintained so ably by Deidre, Sandy Cole, a Nanaimo storyteller who visited Victoria to both inherit Janna's Little Blue Hippo (see February Fern blog) and tell us a story, chose "What a Squirrel Saw", a precautionary tale from "Tales out of Africa". She enjoyed the evening so much she vows to come back.

Shirley took us back in time to the Vienna of with the story of Grimaldi, the famous circus clown of the early 1800's, whose persona was to bring laughter and joy but who suffered from deep melancholy. Advised by the doctor treating him for "sickness of the soul" to do away with himself he endeavoured to do so in circus/theatrical fashion of various means. In his last effort to fall to his death from a height he was saved by his wonderful suspenders and that made him laugh so much his melancholy was cured!

A brief opportunity to tell a tiny story to a neighbour sitting beside or in front or behind us resulted in story noise filling the room, followed by Jennifer's invitation to come forward to tell us all a story just told and THAT resulted in a hilarious telling by newcomer Phyllis Graham of a singer father's desperate efforts to get his baby to sing.

WHAT A GRAND EVENING!!

Submitted by Janna

Grants for Storytellers

2011-03-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

The next deadline for Canada |council grants for professional storytellers is 15 April. Read the details at http://www.canadacouncil.ca/grants/writing/io127227335980156250.htm

Story Fest 2011: Spring into Stories

2011-03-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

Intrepid Theatre Club (Fisgard at Blanshard).
Our kick-off event, World Storytelling Day (featured in the above photo by Penny Tennenhouse) was such a hit, we had to turn people away at the door. Our April, May and June concerts were lots of fun as well. For more information about future concerts, contact: Lee Porteous atevents@victoriastorytellers.ca

Story Fest 2011 is a series of concerts highlighting the joy of adult storytelling told by VSG tellers who love to tell. Here’s a taste of the incredible stories told at our May 6 Mother's Day concert:

 Jennifer Ferris’ original tale, "Graduation," featured unexpected journeys on her son's graduation night.

 Moira Walker's moving narrative, "The Perfect Foot," revealed a mother’s anticipation of the birth of her child.

 "The Girl Who Wanted to Dance," a bewitching fairy tale by Amy Ehrlich retold by Sandra Johnson, honored the call to artistic life and those who heed it.

 A suave stranger married the daughter of the redoubtable, Tia Pia of Spain, in "Don Demonio's Mother-in-Law" retold by Catherine Sheehan.

 Listeners travelled to Budapest with the guest of honor at a lavish wedding to discover what a shoemaker, a goat and a broom had in common in "The Wise Shoemaker of Studena," a Jewish folktale retold by Nejama Ferstman.

 Jacquie Hunt surprised us all with her mysterious tale, "My Mother, A Storyteller."

 In "The Advisors," Shirley Routliffe intertwined a charming folk tale from India with a personal story from Canada.

Shirley hosted the May Mother's Day Concert while VSG Vice President, Lee Porteous, (who also had a great story up her sleeve for the May event) hosted in April and June. We hope you enjoyed the show(s) and look forward to seeing you at future events.

Stories at Fern

2011-03-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

FALL INTO STORIES IN OCTOBER
Listen to and tell stories with the Victoria Storytellers Guild:
MONDAY, October 17, doors open at 7:15 p.m.
Stories start at 7:30 p.m.
1831 Fern St. (Park on Begbie.)
Admission: $5.00 Students $3.00 (includes tea and goodies)
Do you want to tell a story? Contact host Lee Porteus leeporteus@shaw.ca
We're looking forward to seeing you in October. Enjoy the harvest!

Water, Water Everywhere

2011-03-07T21:55:00.000-08:00

Celebrate World Water and World Storytelling Day
March 22, 2011, 10:30 a.m.
Oak Bay Library, 1442 Monterey,
Free. Registration appreciated: 250-592-2489
Enjoy fun, participatory stories and songs for children aged 5 to 10 (all ages welcome). Explore rivers, oceans and mud puddles through the magic of your imagination, movement and voice with Juan de Fuca Library Branch Head, Andrea Brimmell, and storytellers, Cat Thom and Shoshana Litman.

It's Storytime Month at Tall Tales!

2011-03-06T23:16:00.000-08:00

In honour of World Storytelling Day, Tall Tales Books (795 Fort Street) is hosting extra Storytime sessions this month.

In addition to regular Wednesday Storytimes, the store added two Friday sessions with Shoshana Litman during Spring Break and a "Teddy Bear Picnic" themed Saturday session with Peg Hasted. You can expect some great Teddy Bear stories from Peg and stories about "water", this year's theme for World Storytelling Day, from Shoshana. Here is the list of Storytimes for this month:

Wednesday March 9, 11:00am with Shoshana Litman
Saturday March 12, 11:00am with Peg Hasted (click here for details)
Wednesday March 16, 11:00am with Shoshana Litman
Friday March 18, 11:00am with Shoshana Litman
Wednesday March 23, 11:00am with Shoshana Litman
Friday March 25, 11:00am with Shoshana Litman
Wednesday March 30, 11:00am with Shoshana Litman

For more information about Tall Tales Books, please visithttp://www.talltalesbooks.ca/

World Storytelling Day: Water Water Water

2011-03-05T21:56:00.001-08:00

Intrepid Theatre Club: 1609 Blanshard at Fisgard

Sunday March 20, 2011

Afternoon concert for children and families: 2 - 3 pm

Evening concert for adults and mature children: 7 - 9 pm

Storytellers: Pat Carfra, Jennifer Ferris, Diane Gilliland, Peg Hasted, Jacquie Hunt, Sandra Johnson, Shoshana Litman, Margo McLoughlin, and Faye Mogensen.

Evening Concert Host: Lee Porteous

Tickets at the door; afternoon concert by donation; evening concert $10 per adult and $5 per child

Contact: Lee Porteous at 250-370-2964, email events@victoriastorytellers.org

For local news stories about these event please click here or here

Come celebrate water stories with children accompanied by their favorite adults on World Storytelling Day, Sunday March 20 in the afternoon. In the evening, you can travel the world with watery tales from Estonia, Spain, Scotland, the Arctic, the Appalachians Mountains,

Haiti

and our own wet coast. Here’s a taste of the incredible stories you’ll hear:

Faye Mogensen will "…tell a true story of wells gone dry and the human kindness that brought hope.”
Water is in short supply in Chief of the Well, a Haitian story retold by Margo McLoughlin. “When God supplies a well, who will control the resources?”
“Navigate a wild, west coast storm…” with Peg Hasted and her family in Peg’s true account, Place of Many Winds.
“Challenge the devil,” with Jacquie Hunt in the Aqueduct of Segovia.
Pat Carfra will unveil how, “…by the light of a solstice moon, an enormous seal hauled itself out of the sea, shrugged away its heavy coat, revealing a handsome man who walked toward the little fishing village nearby.”
In Lake Eim, an ancient story from Estonia retold by Jennifer Ferris, you’ll discover “…a lake that would not lie still.”
Meet Skeleton Woman, an Inuit tale retold by Diane Gilliland, “…about how to create love so enduring it will make your eyeballs run to the back of your head.”
“Explore thick, slick Tennessee mud and cross a mighty river in an irresistible rhythm…” with Shoshana Litman.

Since 1991, on the spring equinox, people around the world celebrate the art of oral storytelling by telling and listening to stories on the same day. Each year a different theme is chosen. This year the theme is water. For more information on World Storytelling Day, please visit http://www.freewebs.com/worldstorytellingday/

Watch for the Guild’s Story Fest 2011 Concert Series on April 15^th, May 6^th & June 17^th at Intrepid Theatre Club where you can continue to revel in a world of stories all spring long.

Your chance to tell:

2011-03-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

Tell-Tales presents:

TALL TALES, LOUD LIES - stories that only an April fool would take seriously.

Friday, April l, 2011

7:00 pm

At Serious Coffee - 230 Cook Street Village, Victoria, BC

Come and tell a 5 to 8 minute story that could be:

- a personal story that stretches the truth

- a far-fetched folktale

- an out-and-out lie

Entrance fee for tellers - $5, $3 for students(to cover sound system costs)

Listeners - FREE (and we are not fooling)

To hold a spot contact Jennifer Ferris and Peg Hasted at tell.tales.events@gmail.com

You can also sign up night of, space permitting.

Stories should be told not read.

Special Saturday Storytime: Teddy Bear Picnic!

2011-03-04T15:15:00.000-08:00

Special Saturday Storytime: Teddy Bear Picnic!
Saturday March 12, 11:00am

Bring your Teddy Bear (or other favourite stuffed friend) to Tall Tales Books for the Teddy Bear Picnic! Join us for a special Saturday Storytime with Peg Hasted as she presents some Teddy Bear themed stories and songs.

Perfect for ages 2 to 5, but open to everyone!

Smoked Fish, Bannock and Indian Tea, Bringing the Stories Home

2011-03-01T22:34:00.000-08:00

Richard Wagamese, an acclaimed Ojibway story teller, memoirist and novelist, will demonstrate the importance and value of storytelling in a performance he will give at Royal Roads University on March 9, 2011. Several of us were impressed by this tellers performance at UVic. This will be an entirely different performance. It's free, except for parking, and it will be theatrical, hilarious and touching. Locarion is the Grant Building - Quarterdeck from 7-9 pm. Space is limited so we would appreciate your RSVP to Indigenous.Development@royalroads.ca.
For more information: http://www.royalroads.ca/rru-events/mar-9-richard-wagamese-smoked-fish-bannock-and-indian-tea-%E2%80%93-bringing-stories-home

Stories At Fern - February

2011-02-25T15:10:00.000-08:00

The following is courtesy of Anne Forrester and Janna

In keeping with the Valentine's month Love theme, hosted by Sylvia Olsen, a large crowd of listeners tried out a new, theatre-style seating arrangement on which the Executive will appreciate comment from members.

Janna's "unlikely love story" told just enough of "The Blue Faience Hippopotamus", to whet listeners' appetites for the whole story of his transformation, with the help of a kindly magician, into becoming the object of 'his' princess's love. Having acquired a replica of such a little hippo, and in keeping with the Wisdom Book's adage that "there's a time to keep and a time to let go" Janna is delighted to be passing him on to another granny on the Island who loves to tell his story.

Love of gambling was the theme of Pat Carfra’s song. The ballad chronicled the success of the gambler and flowed along with Pat’s lovely voice and her guitar, then came to its final climax! Having cleaned out all the card players, they accepted his final challenge “put up the name of your town as the stake.” And as always, he won. Ever since, to the loser’s chagrin, their town has borne the gambler’s name - “Weaverville”.

Jennifer told of another Pharoah's daughter, this time beguiled by the flute of a peasant boy as she sat in her garden. A boy who chose transformation into a warrior, "The Black Prince" as he came to be known, to win the Pharoah's favour and his daughter in marriage. Warned there would be no going back to his former self by this less-kindly magician, the warrior prince returned to claim his princess only to find her still in love with that former self, the simple boy with the flute.

Andrea, our new Treasurer and first time teller at Fern delighted us with her parents' love story. As young people she, a talented seamstress, he an apprentice carpenter who wooed her with his persistence and gifts of his craft in kind, survival of their love through years of separation, and eventual reunion and marriage in England . So expressively told, we look forward to more of her stories.

A necklace of hearts topped by crowns was the topic of Sheila Blake’s impromptu vignette. Wearing the necklace that had been an engagement gift from her husband so very many years ago, Sheila offered her encyclopedic knowledge of Scottish history and a legend about a crusader who died before he could join the trip to the Holy land but sent his heart instead. The kind of necklace she showed us is known in Scotland as “lucken-booth” and Sheila’s closed with telling us that after one day, worrying about her dress when her Naval officer husband took her to be with the top brass, the Admiral’s instant comment on greeting her was, “What a beautiful necklace!’

Perhaps because of the special guest or the extra large number attending, the refreshments offered at the break were extra lavish and plentiful. The array of fruit, sweets and savouries were a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.

Lee Porteous opened the second half of the evening with the intricate details of a well-crafted story that is her special forte. In her story, a prince and a shepherd’s son who have been raised together as though they were brothers are both trying to win a princess who has set her would-be suitors the task of keeping her awake for a whole night. The honour falls to the shepherd who engages the princess right until dawn by intriguing and challenging her with his dialogue with a little wooden doll he has brought along to the vigil. Pretending to argue the merits of each case with the wooden doll, he draws the princess into offering her opinion about who is most deserving, most to blame…. AND as he has won the challenge of keeping the princess awake all night, he also wins her hand.

Our special visitor, Michael the Icicle, as he introduced himself, an Inuit from the Arctic Circle, charmed us with his 'Cinderella' story of an orphan boy rescued by his Big Brother from the family who mistreated him. The tale of Kaugjagjuk - the stone mallet - was told in a seamless blend of Inuktituk and English, another transformation story, this one achieved by the love, care and training poured into the younger brother until, oh sweet revenge - the father and mother from his old home were thrown to three ravenous polar bears roaming the village. And what of the two mean sisters who had tormented him ?? He married them both and left it to the imagination of the listeners to create their own happy or unhappy ending to the story !!

Scene and Heard

2011-01-29T09:29:00.000-08:00

Scene + Heard is a project that connects the oldest form of storytelling with some of the most modern. CineVic: Society of Independent Filmmakers and Puente Theatre's project is the next phase of a collaboration project between local filmmakers and traditional oral storytellers, and will feature six works. Each story is either a traditional story or is the teller's own personal expression illuminating an experience of multiculturalism. Tellers include Jennifer Ferris and Su Ma.

Metro Studio 1411 Quadra Street, Victoria BC

Friday, February 25, 2011 -         8 PM
Saturday, February 26, 2011 -    2PM & 8PM
Sunday, February 27, 2011 -       8PM ferris.stories@shaw.ca

ROOTING THROUGH THE ROOT CELLAR

2011-01-25T22:00:00.000-08:00

VSG members are invited to visit the guild library of books, CD's, DVD's, tapes, magazines:

Monday, January 31, 2011

7:30 - 9 pm

Jennifer Ferris's house - 2811 Prior Street, Victoria

(north of Hillside, #4 bus)

(Prior Street has a yellow corner store and tennis shop at corner)

Please respond by email ferris.stories@shaw.ca if you think you can come.

Jennifer

Stories At Fern - January

2011-01-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

Hosted by Shoshanna Litman, our January meeting once again filled the house, this time to be treated to stories that were “lighthearted and fun”.

Shirley Routliffe took us back to the family fun her father used to create for the whole family by playing hide-and-seek according to dad’s special rules. After creating some pandemonium by hiding right in the middle of a very large Italian family picnic, dad’s comment summed up the family spirit with “We made a whole lot of memories today.”

Inviting us to participate in her folk tale, Sandra Johnson offered a watery version of “there was an old lady…” With the ocean as setting, we joined in with “splish, splash…” as the old lady swallowed ever larger sea creatures – trout, salmon, otter… whale and THEN the ocean itself and that led to the release of one and all as “they all swam out.”

True to her lively spirit, Fay Mogensen described her creative ways of getting out of that official khaki uniform while working as a park naturalist. In the daytime with children she became a fairy, a frog and all manner of creatures. Then at night, leading a VERY Large group into the wilderness to meet owls, every one of which failed to respond to her very authentic coaxing, she redeemed herself by enticing a loon to sound its “Loo loo looo” …

Taking us back to happy childhood memories of Kipling’s “Just So Stories”, Jacquie Hunt selected “How the Rhinoceros got its skin” as one of her favourites. Telling how the Rhinoceros got its just deserts – and new fit for its formerly smooth skin – Jacquie treated us to some very realistic wriggles to show just how the Rhinoceros tried to relieve the itch of all the cake crumbs inside its skin that the Parsee had put there to revenge the theft of his cake.

Wearing a colourful tunic that matched the sparkle in his eyes, Becky Beckwith spoke of his love for Jamaica, the country where he grew up and whose people he knows so well - solid church-goers but hanging on to ancient superstitions; coupling strength with the willingness to laugh in the face of hardships and even death. To have us experience that spirit, Becky asked us to join him with the refrain of the hit song created after Hurricane Gilbert devastated his island home. So as he sang it to us, we joined in with “Back to Back and Belly to Belly!”

Shayne King, who likes to be known as “the King of Magicians” demonstrated his art while presenting his tale of Rose, a lively 87-year-young lady whom he met while going to college. As he spoke of her philosophy – “Growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional” - he timed the end of the story with producing a lovely paper rose he had been creating. Letting it burst into flame, magically he turned it into a real rose which he presented to Shoshanna.

Lee Porteous followed up on the theme of aging with her presentation entitled AAFDS.

After giving us a number of comic vignettes of going back and forth wondering “what did I come here for?” she let us in on the full title “Age Acquired Focus Deficit Syndrome” adding, you may laugh at this, but it’s coming to you too.”

As a bonus she told the tale of an old man who threw an axe at a bear, cutting off its leg which he and his wife put to very good use never knowing that the bear had fashioned himself a wooden leg on which he hobbled over to their cottage and ate them up!

In her gentle Newfoundland voice, Catherine Sheehan told “The Algebra Slippers” one of Ted Russel’s Pigeon Inlet Stories that capture the spirit of the people and their ways of facing life. Having short-changed Grampa in a trade of a couple of sealskins -slightly peppered by holes - for molasses, Josiah the merchant let himself be tricked into admitting that he would gladly sell anything for ten times the amount he paid. With Grampa wishing to buy back the sealskins, the local schoolmaster proceeded to prove to Josiah that based on Algebra fifty cents deducted for each hole in the skins meant “minus 50 cents” and ten times that made “minus $5.00”. So in selling back the sealskins, he would have to pay Grampa $5.00. And that’s how Grampa got his “Algebra slippers.”

Closing a very full roster of fun stories, Shoshanna topped up the riches by taking us to the ancient Polish town of Chelm that is famous for stories told of its Jewish community. Telling of a couple of the kind of foolish things that tend to happen, Shoshanna explained that after God had created the world, he sent down two angels, one carrying a sack of wisdom and one a sack of foolishness. As foolishness was much heavier than wisdom, the sack got hung up on the tip of a mountain and it all spilled out over Chelm. And that was the end of the stories.

Submitted by Anne Forester

Fern St. - December 2010

2010-12-16T16:42:00.000-08:00

Hosted by Dorothy Tubman we had a literally full house of listeners and tellers for an evening of seasonal stories.

Pat, accompanying herself on the guitar, led off with the sung ballad "Christmas in the Trenches", recapturing the true story of a brief time when soldiers from both sides of the warring countries in World War One called an unofficial truce. They shared Christmas songs, the small luxuries of chocolates, 'smokes' and a soccer game before again taking up their positions behind the guns they were required to fire against one another. Listeners reflected on the 'folly of war' in similar ongoing conflicts to-day.

After which Su-Su jollied us up with a fun, participartory story of "Jack and the Three Robbers". We became highly vocal Cats, Dogs, Bulls, Goats and Roosters to frighten the Robbers enough for them to abandon their gold and flee the scene, leaving Jack and the animals to share the loot.

Shirley, a newer member and first time teller, told us of her 13-year-old self as a girl who loved hospitals because they 'embody the whole of life from birth to death". As a member of St. John's brigade at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Montreal, she recounted a touching story of conflicting loyalties to family and the needs of the Children's Ward on Christmas Day that highlighted the true meaning of the Christmas message - care for one another.

Shoshana wowed us all with a Hannukah version of that old favourite "The Gingerbread Man" by turning that runaway gingerbread man into runaway latkes, that seasonal treat of nummy potato pancakes fried in oil. Such fun we had as we followed them breathlessly on their adventures !!

Lee took us to the Babe in the Manger who was much too wakeful with all that was going on around him and in need of a lullaby. Adapted from a Polish folk tale by Josephine Bernard, it tells of the other animals' unsuccessful efforts to quiet the Babe until the cat - who is always washing itself - settles him happily down.

Peg told us a cautionary tale of how to make good choices when rewarded for good deeds. Scrub and Spare, two destitute cobblers with only a field of barley and a field of cabbage to their names, are offered, by the cuckoo they save from burning in his log nest, a leaf made of gold or a green leaf renwed each Spring that will make the owner merry and wise. Scrub seizes the gold leaf which brings him wordly wealth but trouble too, while Spare comes to live at the court of the Lord of the Manor in real contentment as he spreads peace and joy around.

Lavanna's story was of Elinor, a woman spending her late years in a care home, who does not speak despite all efforts to include her in daily life. Only when a sensitive soul is willing to share her silence does she volunteer that as she looks endlessly out of the window she is "looking at the light".

Margo led into her story featuring the age-old wisdom that in order to receive, we have first to give, with the mystical music of her Tang drum. The story of a little girl who dreams of having a doll with dark skin, rather than conventional coloring, for Christmas. Finding such a doll on his travels, her father brings one home for her, they share the joy of the gift before he dies in his sleep that very night making that doll doubly cherished as a memory of her father.

Charles told a Japanese folk tale about the keeper of bad dreams, the bad dream demon, and how a cherry tree - who knew a thing or two - saved the Samurai's daughter from a dreadful fate, and to end the evening...............

Twelve of us joined in the "Twelve Days of Christmas" translated into "The Twelve Days of Christmas North" with "a blue grouse in a spruce tree, two porcupines, three bull moose, four grizzly bears, five mountain goats, six beavers swimming, seven salmon leaping, eight wolves a'howling, nine eagles soaring, ten ravens calling, eleven foxes frisking and twelve whales a'playing" that left us maybe a little breathless but full of the joy of the season.

submitted by Janna

VSG AGM and Pot Luck

2010-12-13T16:01:00.001-08:00

Date: Monday January 10, 2010

Time: 5:30 p.m.

Location: Victoria Cownden's house
For more information, contact Victoria at scownden@telus.net

TEAM UP ! TELL IN TANDEM !

2010-12-06T11:27:00.000-08:00

What is at the top of a storyteller's wish list ?? A book about storytelling that will be a great read and widen the world of their chosen field of artistic expression.

Such a book is TEAM UP ! TELL IN TANDEM ! by Jonatha Hammer Wright of OOps (Ohio Order for the Preservation of Storytelling) . "A 'How To' Guide from Experienced Storytellers" and SO MUCH MORE. A true delight. You can find out more about Jonatha and her husband Harold who 'team up' for telling in real life

by going to their website: www.jonathaandharold.com The book is available through Amazon's Create Space. Go to www.creatspace.com3483177 a website that is also at the top of their website.

Enjoy the hunt and the book if you get it !

Season's Greetings !

Janna (djanna@shaw.ca)

November Stories at Fern

2010-11-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

Pat hosted the evening suggesting a "looseknit theme of Remembrance". As a prelude to Pat's telling of "Dunkirk - a Ballad " by Robert Nathan, Janna set the scene by recalling wartime happenings on the Home Front in Southern England experienced as a 17 year-old at the time of Dunkirk - May 1940 - in the form of 4 memory snapshots. Pat's poem told the story of the 'little ships' that went to the rescue of thousands of British and Allied troops stranded on the French beaches. Both stories well balanced by Lavana's personal childhood story of the effects of war on civilian populations in Europe.

Jennifer's story titled: "High Flier" told, so sensitively, about her sister, Sue, who was born during the Blitz (bombing) of London. A short story of a life influenced by Gran's story of a little girl's night flights of adventure on the back of an owl and Jennifer's certainty that Sue bid her last good-bye perched on the shoulder of a bald eagle on a roadside tree as Jennifer made her way to the airport to say farewell to her dying sister.

A change of pace then with newcomer Charles' hilarious telling of the story of Melisande - a cousin of the Sleeping Beauty - and what fearful things may happen if you cross the fairies! Fun for the child in all of us.

Gerald kept us stitches too with his story of "Big Gray", not only an outsized mule but one with an extraordinary capacity to confound his caregivers. He was followed by another newcomer:

Shirley, who told us about the interaction of Bubbles the therapeutic Clown on a cancer ward with a despondent cancer patient, and how bubble rainbows restored the patient's sense of the beauty and mystery of life to be enjoyed in every moment.

Sylvia Olsen - a published author - see the VSG blog - held us entranced with a true family story of her amazing grandmother Eva MacPherson Snobelen who crossed the Atlantic from England without escort as a 17-year old to meet her beau in New York. The beau failed to show then, found her years later, and vowed to his dying day that she was 'his girl'.

To bring the evening to a close, Lee told the enchanting story of a Prime Minister at the Imperial Court of a Chinese Emperor who sought solace from political wrangling at Court by spending time in a flower meadow. Magically the embroidered butterflies on his robes took flight around him, a sight so beautiful that, renewed in spirit and able to recapture that vision at will, he was able to return to the Court to serve his Emperor.

Submitted by Janna

“A Celebration of Chanukah in Story & Song”

2010-11-29T10:29:00.000-08:00

Monday, December 6, 2010 @8:00 pm

Congregation Emanu-El, 1461 Blanshard Street

Songs and Singalong with

The Jewish Community Choir

Also Featuring:

Stories with Maggidah Shoshana Litman

Greg Davidson, Piano & Josie Davidson, Soprano

Menorah-Lighting (bring your menorah & candles)

Refreshments

Admission by Donation

Food Bank Drop Box Available

Further Information: 250.385-3378

Congratulations to member Sylvia Olsen and thank you for the invitation to your book launch

2010-11-25T18:56:00.000-08:00

Sono Nis Press

invites you to a celebration and launch for

Working with Wool

A Coast Salish Legacy and the Cowichan Sweater

by Sylvia Olsen

•

Sunday, December 5, 2010 7 pm to 8:30 pm at Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, 1040 Moss Street, Victoria, B.C.

Hors d’oeuvres/desserts at 7 pm Author Presentation at 7:30 pm

•

Wear anything Cowichan knit, or that hints of Cowichan, as a tribute to the sweaters, and be eligible to win one of our door prizes.

Cowichan sweater display (the oldest is 90 years old!)

knitting on sale • door prizes

•

Sono Nis Press • 1-800-370-5228 • books@sononis.com www.sononis.com

This event is free and open to the public

VSG Gift Certificates

2010-11-19T11:15:00.000-08:00

Royal Roads Storytelling

2010-11-19T11:03:00.001-08:00

Narrative Bridges: Compassionate Storytelling for Healing Communities, Facilitated by Margo McLoughlin, Royal Roads University Continuing Studies, Saturday January 22, 2011, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Margo will introduce participants to the power of folktales as a vehicle for inspiring reflection and building community connection.

Celebrate Hannukah with Story

2010-11-19T11:02:00.001-08:00

Hanukah Program for Oaklands Elementary School with World Folk Duo, Kouskous (Gary Cohen and Amber Wood) and Maggidah Shoshana Litman, Wednesday December 1, 2010 at 12:45 p.m.

Hanukah Concert and Stories with the Victoria Jewish Community Choir, lead by Jazz Vocalist, Carol Sokoloff, with stories from Maggidah Shoshana Litman at Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue, Blanshard Street at Pandora. Proposed date: Monday evening December 6, the sixth night of Hanukah.

Tall Tale Books

2010-11-19T11:01:00.000-08:00

Storytime continues on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Shoshana Litman and special guests, Sandra Johnson and Peg Hasted, at Tall Tales Books, www.talltalesbooks.ca, 795 Fort Street, Victoria, B.C. Free. Fun, participatory stories and songs for children and plenty of pages for kids of all ages. www.talltalesbooks.ca

Don't Miss the Story in Island Parent

2010-11-15T10:46:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Shoshana Litman,... the writer. With some guidance from Pat Carfra and Peg Hasted, Guild Publicity Director Shoshana had an article on storytelling published in this months Island Parent magazine. Click here to read the article (page 20): "Sharing Stories With Children." It will take a minute to load.

October Fern Street

2010-10-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hosted by Anne Forester - celebrating Harvest Thanksgiving, Women's History and Halloween themes, the evening's stories encompassed the unexpected, the thoroughly spooky, and a variety of unusual love affairs.

Jennifer led off with a tale of a spunky young woman with a kind heart in B.C.'s boisterous gold rush days, one Joanna McGuire, followed by

Janna's version of Hans Andersen's "The Princess and the Pea". A tale that gave our audience the opportunity to hold in their hands a dried pea that was at least in part responsible for the continuity and popularity of the Danish Monarchy to the present day !

Faye's gruesome story from the Scolt people of northern Finland told of the "The Death of a Mother-in-Law" and sent shivers down our collective spines!

Lee told Anna Wahlenberg's tale "The Magician's Cape" in which a wicked magician is thwarted by a single strand of golden hair, which was used to mend his magic black cape and glowed so brightly when he did evil that he had to change his ways."

Nejama's horror story :Kahola de Darne" came from Southern Africa. In her words: "It has something lost and something found, as well as fear, kindness and courage. There is a hideous creature and a monster, mystery and natural consequence."

Another scary one, Sandra's choice was: "Marie Jolie" a Louisiana Cajun tale from J.J.Reneaux told of Elvida, a determined young woman who would decide for herself just whom she would marry but became disenchanted when her choice turned out to be the devil !!

Al titled his story:"Faithful unto death" and took us to the naval base at Cornwallis, Nova Scotia where, in the 1880's, a husband so busy trying to please his wife by building her the perfect home lost his wife to the coachman!!

Sheila recalled childhood Halloweens in Scotland when simple fun like apple bobbing and scones hung from the ceiling were part of the traditional celebration and with the tale of a disfigured nun who is still said to haunt a former priory that later became a school.

Shoshana's "short poem story" introduced the writer to the poet David Whyte whose work it is my intent to read more of. Thanks, Shoshana, and thanks too to Anne who led us in a thanksgiving chant to end the evening.

Submitted by Janna

Storytelling from Around the World

2010-10-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

Shoshana Litman – Jewish storyteller

Mon Oct 25 7:00 to 8:00 pm

in the FirstMet United Church Chapel
(Corner of Quadra and Balmoral - enter off Balmoral)

Shoshana tells stories that come from her heart,

the heart of the Jewish people, and the heart of God.

STORYTELLERS PLEASE NOTE: This is the first of a monthly series of storytelling from around the world. The content does not need to be religious, but may be, or could address things like the social and environmental issues of the day. Stories should be from the heart and come out of a particular religious or cultural environment, other than Canadian. It is a paid gig. If you are interested in performing, please let Al Fowler know.

VSG Member Sylvia Olsen Honoured

2010-10-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Sylvia Olsen, author and VSG member, who won the $5,000 Bolen Books Children's Book Prize for Counting on Hope (Sono Nis Press). The subject of her novel is a teenage aboriginal girl in 1863 on Kuper Is.

Olsen said she loved inspiring young people with her novels.

"I get to be with teenagers and kids and get to see that inspiration," she said. "I'm never going to grow up and write adult novels."

World Storytelling Day Info March 20, 2011

2010-10-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

Organizer Dale Jarvis sends the following:The theme for 2011 is "Water" and there is already a discussion starting on the WSD listserv. If you want to participate in the discussions, you can subscribe to the WSD email discussion list. Send a message to: storytellingday-subscribe@pytte.net

As you plan events in your own communities, members can post their own listings in the calendar at http://worldstorytellingday.webs.com

Dale will try to answer any questions he can about the storytelling Day website. You can email him directly at storytelling@nf.sympatico.ca. If you have questions about what other people are planning, or about the history or philosophy of World Storytelling Day, send your questions to the discussion group!

"Things That Go Bump in the Night"

2010-10-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

Join the Around Town Tellers and special Guests in a great ghoulish evening of stories and music

and who knows what that goes BUMP under the stairs....

Friday evening, October 8,2010

7:30-9:30pm

"Things That Go Bump in the Night"

at the

Unitarian Fellowship Hall

595 Townsite Road, at Millstone in Nanaimo

Tickets at the door: a scary $5.00

Our very special guest is the bewitching Sue Averill on guitar...

September Fern St. by Janna

2010-09-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

Our gathering at Fern on September 20th was hosted by Carol Kenway, ably assisted by puppet Souris, her white mouse, who sat safely on her shoulder through a number of stories about cats !

Pat C. led off with a story of most successful pleas in grandchildrens' handwritten letters to the Sun God begging for sunshine on a forthcoming family wedding day, followed by Lee Porteous' story of a waif cat, Miko, who made her home with a couple whose livelihood was raising silkworms and how Miko eventually saved those silkworms from destruction by rats by learning to STARE !

Diane G. treated us to the Tlingit legend "Raven and Fog Woman" that she had told at the SC/CC Conference in St.John's this summer when Fog Stories were a requested part of the gathering in that often foggy city.

Shoshana - whose mission as a storyteller often portrays peacemaking - told us of a homeless dog, "Keisha - meaning "bright, shining light" - becoming part of their home and the pleasure of one day coming home to find their formerly feisty-with-dogs cat, and Keisha, comfortably sharing space together.

Gerald Harris brought us the long poem: "Chante (with an accent over the e) and the Forest", the story of a little girl who sang the displaced forest on the outskirts of their city back into the city itself and the wondrous changes the forest brought to the lives of those city dwellers.

Al rounded out the evening with yet another cat story that took place at the Northern end of our Island. Soon after his family's arrival there he innocently enquired of a neighbour - on what proved to be a party line - where one might find a cat in need of a home. Within minutes a small boy stood knocking at the door offering two kittens. Such is the power of the party line Al discovered, and went on to regale us with those cats' many adventures !

submitted by Janna

SIXTEENTH ANNUAL FOREST STORYTELLING FESTIVAL

2010-09-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

PORT ANGELES, Washington - "Now There Is This To Tell" is the theme of the Sixteenth Annual Forest Storytelling Festival that will be held on October 15 -17 in the Peninsula College Little Theater in Port Angeles. It is a rare opportunity to experience professional storytelling at its best and is the largest storytelling festival on the west coast of the US.

Over the three days, internationally known tellers will weave their magic for local residents as well as storytellers and story listeners from near and far as they share stories and tales that bridge many cultures and traditions, offering insights into people and places that might be unfamiliar to many of us.

Featured tellers include Laura Simms from New York, Michael Parent from Maine, Kim Weitkamp from Virginia, Heather McNeil from Oregon and Kirk Waller from California. There bios are below and also on our website.

A special feature of the festival will be the raffle of a quilt made and donated by the Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Club. A silent auction and open mic story swap will also be part of the weekend's festivities.

The festival officially opens Friday evening, October 15, when all of the featured storytellers appear in concert, starting at 7:30 pm. The opening event will be preceded by Children's Concerts Friday morning by special invitation and a special pre-festival workshop Friday afternoon, led by master storyteller Laura Simms, an award-winning storyteller, recording artist, teacher, writer and humanitarian. Preregistration is required for the $50 Simms workshop, which will run from 1:00 to 3:30 pm on Friday. October 15. Because the workshop is limited to 30 participants, individuals will be admitted based on the earliest postmark of those who have registered and paid for a Full Weekend pass.

Saturday morning highlights include two sets of concurrent workshops. Featured at 9:00 am are Parent and Weitkamp and at 10:30 am, Simms and McNeil. Saturday afternoon features an Open Mic Story Swap at 12:15 pm, followed by storytelling by Waller, Parent and Simms. All of the storytellers will again be featured in concert Saturday evening.

Sunday's activities start at 10:00 am with an Inspirational Concert featuring all of the guest storytellers. The afternoon features McNeil and Weitkamp as individual storytellers. The festival will close with the quilt drawing.

Cost for the Full Weekend Pass is $65 before October 1 and $75 thereafter. Attendees may also opt to attend individual events for prices ranging from $12 to $20. Children ages 10 to 16 and Peninsula College students with a current student activity card will be admitted at half price to all of the main festival events.

A complete schedule is available on The Story People website at the following web address: www.dancingleaves.com/storypeople/forestfestival. For additional information, please contact Cherie at 360.417.5031 or Rebecca at 360.866.6308.

The Storytelling Festival is generously supported by Peninsula College, Port Angeles Hotel/Motel Tax Fund, Washington State Arts Commission, First Federal Savings and Loan, Seattle Storytellers Guild, Mt. Tahoma Storytelling Guild, South Sound Story Guild, John Wright/Olympic 1st Aid Training, Seven Cedars Casino, Americorps, and The Story People of Clallam County.

Story/Music Concert in Nanaimo

2010-09-20T10:32:00.001-07:00

From: Margaret Murphy

Subject: Fw: Emailing: CultureDaysStoryTellingPosterFinal2010

Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2010 19:28:23 -0700

Hi Dear Story Friends,

Please see the attached announcement about a story/music concert coming up Saturday evening September 25th in Nanaimo.

Nanaimo Centre Stage, 25 Victoria Road, Nanaimo 7:00-9:00pm

Doors open at 6:30pm

Several Around Town Tellers and Friends are sharing stories of culinary delights from around the world:

Laurie Peck, Sandy Cole, Margaret Murphy and Ted Girard.

And Great, Good music is provided by Saje.

Refreshments will be served.

And all this for the stunning $5.00 admission.

Join us for a very special Culture Days Celebration

Port Angeles Storytelling Festival

2010-09-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

I have been twice and found it an excellent weekend of concerts, story sessions and workshops.

The cost is only $65 US (before Oct 1 - then it is $75 US) which includes everything but a pre-festival workshop. Four professional tellers from across the USA present the concerts and workshops, with additional stories from selected local tellers and a story swap session for anyone who signs up.

The webpage is: http://www.dancingleaves.com/storypeople/index.html.

Or you can Google "Port Angeles Storytelling".

Lee Porteous

Rest In Peace:

2010-09-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

Clifford C Clarke, 6 March, 1933 - 3 September, 2010

Victoria storytelling has lost a storyteller, supporter and producer. Many of us will miss his occasional visits to Fern and the annual Christmas production at Cliffe's beloved Toad Hall. A paraplegic, due to an tragic accident in 1998, Cliffe succumbed to lymphoma at his home in Mill Bay.

A Public Visitation will be held at Sand's Funeral Chapel, 1803 Quadra St., Saturday 11 September, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

The funeral will be at Central Baptist Church, 833 Pandora. Thursday, 16 September, 1:00 p.m.
In this lifetime we may see Cliffe no more, but his stories will live on forever.

VSG Tellers Out and About

2010-09-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

B.C. Culture Days: Musical Stories. Saturday September 25, 2:45 to 3:15 p.m. in the Greater Victoria Public Library Courtyard, Downtown Branch. Victoria Storytellers Guild Vice President, Lee Porteous, and Maggidah Shoshana Litman www.maggidah.com hope you’ll join them for this unique cultural adventure. The program, which features B.C. musical talent, runs from 2 to 4 p.m. And it’s free.

Musical Stories will be from 2:45 to 3:10 p.m., approximately.

SC-CC 2010 Storytelling Conference Report by Diane Gilliland

2010-08-29T13:36:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that the 18^th annual Storytelling Conference of Canada International Perspectives in St. John’s Newfoundland is over. My heart felt thanks to the guild for the opportunity to attend the conference. It was 6 full days of stories, music, panel discussions, workshops, dancing and exploring the rocky coastline with 150 delegates from across Canada and internationally. Bus loads of storytellers went to Cape Spear and Bay of Bulls, Cupids – an English settlement celebrating 400 years - and a neighboring harbour community called Brigis.

Here is an excerpt from my journal: “Not sure what day it is, don’t care J I am up on a windy warm outcrop of stone overlooking the sea and a tiny harbour community called Brigis. Sounds of a waterfall splashing down close by and the wind buffeting my ears. Norma yelling, “Hello Diane!” from a higher stony elevation. She’s heading to the lighthouse. Thinking about Tofino and Brigis – both emerald green, wind bossed, mountainous, surrounded by cold sea and sheltered coves and islands. How I have had the opportunity to see both places and be with such wonderful people, I am grateful.”

It was hard to choose between great workshops, running concurrently. I attended Illinois storyteller, Jim May’s presentation on Personal Narrative, Culture and Myth and Irish storyteller, Liz Weir’s workshop on Storytelling and Conflict Resolution. Both were excellent but I found a 1.5 hour workshop way too short for the expertise each of these people traveled far to offer.

Here is an excerpt from my journal dated July 29^th: “Today Margo and I had supper at a Mexican restaurant near the university where Yoel Perez from Israel told us an Arabic version of Snow White called Pomegranite Seed. Yoel trained and worked as a biologist and then a computer scientist before becoming a storyteller.”

SC-CC Provincial Reports

Some interesting highlights from SC-CC Provincial reports include:

The Newfoundland Department of Education is embracing storytelling in school curriculum
Ontario is combining storytelling with different artistic mediums such as dance and digital media
Ottawa has hired a managing director and artistic director for their festival and they are going for more headline storytellers
Francophone tellers in Quebec have a monthly coaching day for members with Michelle Faubert
Saskatchewan is preparing for World Storytelling Day
Alberta storytellers produced a fairytale CD and are active telling in cafes and restaurants
Vancouver tellers are using myths and memories in senior’s homes and Kira Van Deusen is retiring from organizing the epic weekend

SC-CC Job Openings

Jobs opening in the SC-CC include: Editor for La Raconteur, Vice President and Office Administrator.

SC-CC Working Groups

Five working groups were organized to brainstorm, discuss and problem solve core SC-CC issues and projects such as Communications, Funding, Local Happenings, House Concerts and Storysave. You can read the full reports of the working groups on the SC-CC website.

I participated in the Storysave working group as I value recording elders stories. This year’s Storysave CD launch was Alice Kane and is available in the Rootcellar. In the liner notes Alice is quoted as saying with regards to telling stories to children in the poorest neighborhoods of Toronto: “If they don’t hear of these heroes, how will they, in their time, stand up against the mighty powers that contend against us?” The compilation of stories on the CD is entertaining and moving. And her voice is wonderful to listen to but I had to turn the CD off when I was driving with Margo across the island to Gros Morne National Park because I was falling asleep at the wheel!

In the working group we established a protocol for nominating the next voice and an application deadline of October 31^st of each year. People in the nominated tellers home community are responsible for the production, fundraising for production costs and sale of the CD. The SC-CC also auctions a quilt at each conference to raise money for this project. At this conference the quilt raised over 2,000 dollars. The next voice for 2011 is Lorne Brown.

My summary of the working group reports would be this: the foundation for all the working groups and the SC-CC as a whole is communication. The SC-CC needs to use it’s communication effectively to form national networks and partnerships, to write grants with those partners, to find sponsors and to increase the use of technology to advance this ancient art and draw more young people.

For me the most controversial idea put forward was that storytelling needs stars like athletic stars or pop stars in order to draw more people to the art.

The conference officially ended with Labrador Inuit Throat Singing. Here is my journal entry for August 1^st: “The music of the throat singers raised goose bumps on my skin. Their breathing created natural sounds, the breath of daily life and nature itself – water, gulls, a saw, an ulu inuit knife. The two women singers faced each other, holding each others forearms, looking into each others eyes, call- answering in a playful competition that sped up and ended when one of them laughed. Such fun, innocence and incredible skill.”

The next conference is being held in Yellowknife in late May 2011. The focus will be on First Nations and Inuit storytellers of the north. It sounds wonderful!

Enjoy stories along the Galloping Goose Trail

2010-07-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

Cat Thom and Shoshana Litman during the Theatre SKAM bike ride July 10, 11, 17 & 18, from 3:30- 8:30 p.m.

This "mobile feast of live performances," features three easy bike routes that start and finish at Cecelia Ravine Park (475 Burnside Road) where you'll find the box office, bike rentals and refreshments. Bicycle from theatre to dance to music to stories in a world without cars. Free for kids under 6, $5 for 6-12 year olds, and $15 for people 13 years and older. Call 250-FUN-SKAM (386-7526) for more information. To volunteer in exchange for free admission, contact Ericka Bold at ericka@skam.ca.

Storytime, Wednesdays at 11 a.m. at Tall Tales Books

2010-07-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

Storytime! Join us for stories and song presented by local master Storyteller Shoshana Litman (more info about Shoshana here http://www.maggidah.com/). Every Wednesday at 11am!
Please note: as of June, we will have weekly storytimes on Wednesdays at 11am only. There will no longer be weekly Saturday storytimes - these will resume in the fall.
Our July Storytelling schedule: Wednesday July 7,14,21, 28 - 11:00am with Shoshana Litman

www.talltalesbooks.ca, 795 Fort Street, Victoria, B.C. Free. Enjoy fun, participatory stories for children and plenty of pages for kids of all ages

NEW MATERIALS IN THE ROOT CELLAR (GUILD LIBRARY)

2010-07-10T07:56:00.001-07:00

Great Swedish Fairy Tales, illustrated by John Bauer (lots of great Troll stories)

Celltic Otherworld - stories written and told by Mary Gavan (Vancouver) "Mary weaves Celtic understanding into domern events using a fine thread of humour."

The Girl Who Cried Flowers - Jane Yolen (Five tales, hauntingly strange and mysterious....poetic intensity of classic folk literature....)

A new recording of personal stories by our own member, Janna.

Available to members. Please contact Jennifer 250 386-7802 or stories.ferris@shaw.ca

Hear Su Ma on CBC Radio

2010-06-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

Recently, VSG member Su Ma was interviewed by Cheryl MacKay on CBC radio (North by Northwest). Turn up your speakers and click here to hear Su Ma's interview and her adaptation of a traditional Chinese story. Well done Su Ma.

Stories to Last the Summer at this Season's Last Fern

2010-06-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

June 14 - the last Stories at Fern for the summer of 2010 - was hosted by Lee Porteous whom we have to thank for connecting us to the Speech Arts Festival and for bringing two young winners from that event to start the evening with delightful, humorous stories. Jaya Scott told us "Eureka and the Oni", her sister Meghan recounted a Stewart McLean 'Dave and Morley' story about their tricky dog, Arthur, whose idea of heaven was to share their bed !!

The persona of Little Tree was enchantingly brought to life in Diane's telling of Forrest Carter's "The Education of Little Tree". The rattlesnake bite that so nearly took his Grandpa's life, his Granny's wisdom in saving her husband kept us totally involved in a masterfully told story.

Rose Tubman-Roeren (yes Dorothy Tubman's granddaughter), long involved with the Speech Arts Festival, told us of the difficulties that face a would-be registrant in a Bridal Registry when there is no intent whatever to become a bride. Tired of giving, giving, giving through such registries to friends, the 'non-bride' registers for the sole purpose of letting her friends know what SHE would like to receive for a change!! " Non-Bridaled Passion" was the story's title by Kate Shein.

Through Susan Charter's story, Victoria taught us the value of looking through "The Wolf's Eyelashes" to see people as they REALLY are.

Anne Beatty, made her own fashion statement by wearing an elegant scarf herself as she told her own version of "The Scarf", adapted from a Carol Shields short stories so titled. Anne says of her story that: " it included some of my own words which would not behave and stay inside" and ended with a personal reflection on "not knowing how to ask for what we don't even know we want."

In an adapted version of a story she had heard Anne Forrrester tell, Sylvia Olsen presented Honey, the thoroughly spoiled daughter of King Ralph who should have known better than to give his child everything she asked for, and told how Honey's virtual slave John, outsmarted them both.

In Norman Lockett's story "Soap, Soap, Soap," Shoshana took all of us on a lively and noisy errand to the store with a usually forgetful boy, sent by his mother to buy that very item. We slipped in the mud with him on his adventurous and circuitous journey and had fun, fun, fun in the process.

As part of our 2009 Conference concert by local tellers, Jennifer told the true and amazing story of heroine Minnie Patterson in the rescue of the crew of the doomed barque "Coloma" in 1906. This evening, the same story, but cleverly re-told from the point of view of Tom, Minnie's husband, Keeper of the Light at Cape Beale, located on our Island's West Coast. To any reader of this blog who was not at Fern on June 14, a story well worth a "Google"!

A gentle end to the evening, Frances Murphy sang us a conversation between a lilac tree and an apple tree on an abandoned farm. Welcome to Frances, another singer/teller at Fern.

Janna

Storytelling at Tall Tales Books

2010-06-18T15:41:00.000-07:00

Our 17 year old son, Raviv, saw Tall Tales Books (795 Fort Street) for the first time through the window of a bus on his way home from school across town.

“Hey Mom,” Raviv exclaimed one day as we walked together past the store, “You’ve got to check this place out. They’ve even got a storyteller’s chair!”

Downtown Victoria’s newest bookstore for children and teens features “pages for kids of all ages,” colorful child-sized seats, big palm tree cutouts and only the best books and puppets.

When we entered the store soon after it opened in September 2009, we discovered that the bright, young owners, Kate and Drew Lorimer, were looking for storytellers just as much as I was looking for places to tell.

Victoria Storytellers Guild members, Peg Hasted, Sandra Johnson, Pat Carfra and I have told participatory stories to enthusiastic young audiences there ever since. There’s often such a crowd on Wednesdays at 11 that the Lorimers moved their storyteller’s chair to a better spot to accommodate all the sweet babies, toddlers and preschoolers clapping, singing and smiling along with their parents and grandparents in tow.

This is a store with strong community ties. An award winning local interior designer, Ines Hanl of The Sky is the Limit, www.theskyisthelimitdesign.com created the novel decor. Lindsay
Erikson www.tailsandwings.ca , a regular at the Moss Street Market, rounds out the display with her playful artwork, featuring the "Recycled Bag Princess." Tall Tales donated a book prize for one of the young winners at the Greater Victoria Festival of the Performing Arts. Orca Book Publishers often launch their newest novels for children and youth there, recently featuring VSG member, Sylvia Olson, who wowed the record crowds.

You don’t have to borrow a baby to drop by the store for Storytime on Wednesdays at 11 or anytime you’re in the neighborhood Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm and Sundays from 11am to 5pm.

Shoshana Litman

www.maggidah.com

Get Ready for the Annual Picnic - 25 Jul 2010

2010-06-04T22:26:00.000-07:00

Guild members mark your calendars now for the annual summer picnic. This mid-summer storytelling and pot-luck delight will be held at Pat Carfra's residence on Prospect Lake, Sunday afternoon, 25 July 2010. Sorry, but due to space limitations, it's for Guild members only.

Greater Victoria Festival of the Performing Arts 2010

2010-06-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

This year two Guild members participated – Sandy Slobodian in the “Religious Reading – Open” class delivered a passage from the Baha’i scriptures and Lee Porteous in the “Story Telling Solo – Open” class presented “Wee Meg Barnileg and the Fairies”.

The Guild donated a $50 book prize, which the adjudicator awarded to Jaya Scott, who was the only participant in the Story Telling Solo – 13 years and under class. Jaya and her sister Meghan came to a Fern St. evening after the festival last year and told us the stories they had presented in the festival, so Guild members may remember Jaya from that evening.

Meghan Scott and Thomas Allan both told stories in the 9 years and under class. They each received a $25 prize from a donation by Lee Porteous to encourage young storytellers. In addition, the adjudicator selected two other young participants for $25 prizes, Elizabeth Bass and Sarah Vincent, for the storytelling ability they demonstrated in presenting their prose selections in the 9 years and under class.

All of these talented young people have been invited to come to Fern St., either just to listen, or to present their stories, prose or poetry.

Thrifty's Comes Through Again !

2010-05-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

Approval has been received from Thrifty Foods for another year of Smile Card benefits. We have from now until May 7, 2011 to raise $1000. The money must be used the "Tides & Tales III" concerts and workshop. Basically, when you load your smile card with money Thrifty's sends 5 % of that amount to the Victoria Storytellers' Guild. Details will be emailed to Guild members and to others on request. We are thankful for the continued support of Thrifty Foods.

Stories at Fern - Monday, 17 May, 2010

2010-05-22T16:51:00.000-07:00

Another fantastic Stories at Fern. If you weren't there you missed some great storytelling. editor

Janna's Report

Shoshana hosted the May 17th gathering at Fern where the first teller, Sarah aged 9, engaged her audience with charm and aplomb in the telling of Eoin Colfer's delightful story titled "Captain Crow's Teeth". A born storyteller, we hope to have the pleasure of her company often in the coming years.

Sandra Johnson carried us into the world of a lonely child in Steve Sanfield's story of "The Girl Who wanted a Song", that told of the friendship that evolved between a Canada Goose and the girl, each giving one another a reason to sing their own song.

Elizabeth, a recent newcomer to Fern engaged us all in the telling of the African story:"The Turtle of Coca Who Listened", and got the better of those who would make him into turtle soup !

With Becky we visited the oh-so-efficient communications skills practiced in Jamaica long before the advent of cyberspace when care for the recipient of a telegram was included in the system of delivery.

Lee told Samuel Coleridge Taylor's "Kubla Khan". If you missed Lee's rendering of this poem, then I suggest you revisit it on Google and picture Lee sharing it with us.

Shoshana says of her story: "The Storyteller and the Bishop" that "it chronicles the experiences of the first professional Jewish storyteller sent by the Baal Shem Tov (Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, a strong proponent of storytelling as a powerful way to connect with each other and the Divine) just before he died in Poland in the spring of 1760. I've added a little humor, local details and a prayer for peace."

Barbara, another newcomer, accompanied by her essential cane, took us very humorosly on a journey with her personal angel on unexpected travel adventures that took her to a place "where angels fear to tread" !! whereafter.........................

Shoshana had us break into very small groups and tell stories to one another, and the evening ended with.......................

Lee telling us the Jewish legend of the saving of a sick child by a Rabbi Baal Shem Tov. who worked miracles through storytelling.

Janna

Storiography Alive and Well in Victoria

2010-05-10T23:20:00.000-07:00

On 10 May 2010, several of the Guild's senior storytellers gathered with others at the home of award winning author and storyteller Penny Draper to explore the commonalities and difference between literary and oral stories. It's not often that Guild members have talked about story rather than tell stories. While it became clear that participants were looking at the story telling process from many different directions, a consensus began to build about the nature of story and how oral stories differ from written stories. Time passed far to quickly and it was decided to meet again to workshop some sample oral-written transitions and to further the discussion in general.

Be Careful What You Wish For

2010-05-03T00:15:00.000-07:00

Listeners who were lucky enough to attend master storyteller Micki Beck’s performance in Victoria on Sunday May 2 were richly rewarded; they got everything they wished for and more.

Her lilting voice carried all who filled the room into the world of story. Beck’s love of literature and Celtic heritage were in evidence as she shared the wisdom of the past which is our hope for today.

This performance was part of the Victoria Storytellers’ Guild’s annual professional development weekend. The Guild is thankful to our sponsor, Thrifty foods. Without Thrifty’s financial support and the hard work of many volunteers, it would not have happened.

Micki declares that the love of story never dies! "I don't really understand the magic of storytelling" says Micki. "I don't know how it happens. I only know how to invite it and when the magic occurs it is wonderful!"

Micki Beck's Victoria performance was a wonderful experience for everyone.

Seen and Heard at Fern Street - 19 April 2010

2010-04-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

Hosted by our ever gracious Pat Carfra, the evening began in an "unusual" way with dimmed overhead lights and a lit candle on a table in the position of a teller.

The audience was asked to concentrate on the candle and to listen while Janna's "Poem for Six Voices", beginning and ending "We are the storytellers" was spoken by Janna, Pat, Shoshana, Sandra, Jennifer and Diane.

This was followed by Jennifer's contribution to the recent telling in Vancouver of 'the birth of Sundiata" from the Mali epic of the same name. A magical recreation of another long-ago world.

Molly Newman, who plays the character of Emily Carr at Emily Carr house, among other storytelling and musical events, accompanied herself on the ukelele as she sang her first ballad, returning later in the programme to sing Hawaiian songs connecting the Hawaiian/Kanaka people's history to early Victoria.

Jacquie Hunt's rendition of Rudyard Kipling's beloved story of "The Elephant's Child" enchanted this writer and, I suspect, every listener there.

Carol Kenway's story "The Tourist and the Traveller" opened the doorways of the mind to the idea of leaving preconceived ideas of other cultures and behaviours behind when becoming a true traveller willing to travel as opportunity presents itself, rather than within the confines of a predestined tourist package.

Lee told us "Wee Meg Barnileg and the Fairies" with delightful gusto and humour. As Lee writes: "A spoiled young girl meets the fairies and gets her comeuppance. Well, or redeems herself and changes the course of her life. Depends on how you look at it !!"

Janna

editor's note: Janna always keeps track of the happenings at our monthly Fern St meeting. She has kindly agreed to share those reflections on our TMAS blog. If you have never been to Fern or if you have missed it a few times, do come and join in the fun. See our website calendar for details on Fern and on all of our storytelling events.

VSG Members in the Community

2010-04-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

Our Members have been telling in the community:

Lee Porteous and Sandy Slobodian competing in the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival.

The Sweet Spot: An Evening of Love Stories, Saturday, February 13, 2010 at Royal Roads University with Diane Gilliland, Jennifer Ferris, Peg Hasted, Faye Mogensen, and Margo McLoughlin.

“The Art of Storytelling - a Creative Tool for Communicating” for students in the Professional Communication Degree Program at Royal Roads Universityby Faye Mogensen. Thursday Jan 14, 2010.

“Storytime” at Tall Tales Books www.talltalesbooks.ca <http://www.talltalesbooks.ca/> in downtown Victoria, October 2009 through April 2010, with Peg Hasted on Saturdays, Shoshana Litman on Wednesdays, and guest appearances by Sandra Johnson and Pat Carfra.

Storytelling sessions at various Greater Victoria Public Library branches with Faye Mogensen this spring and Shoshana Litman this winter. The two collaborated with Sandra Taylor in “Art as Story: Artful Stories” at Saanich Municipal Hall in September 2009.

Cat Thom told stories through her work at Swan Lake Nature House in Saanich, including the Swan Lake Art Day on March 12, 2010.

Purr-fect Stories: Cat Tales for Kids and Fabulous Felines, Saturday, October 10, 2009 with Jennifer Ferris, Peg Hasted, Su Ma and Lee Porteous at the Intrepid Theatre Club.
Lee Porteous also told stories at an Emily Carr statue fundraiser.

Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival - Speech Arts-Apr. 20 - 28

2010-04-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

April 20th - beginning 9 a.m. - poetry, storytelling and duologue classes

April 21st - beginning 9 a.m. - poetry and solo Shakespeare scenes

- 1:30 poetry solos, religious reading and a story telling class.

The Honours Concert is on Wednesday, April 28th at 7:30 - $8.00. If you can only go to one session, this is the one to see/hear.

St. Matthias Church Hall (600 Richmond Ave.) and cost $5.00, other than the Honours Concert, which is $8.00. The adjudicator is Grant Paterson from Alberta.

See WWW.GVPAF.ORG for more details

VSG Storytellers Out and About

2010-04-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

Storytime at Tall Tales Books, 795 Fort Street, www.talltalesbooks.ca, Wednesdays at 11 a.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. featuring Guild members Peg Hasted (Saturdays), Shoshana Litman (Wednesdays) with guest appearances by Sandra Jones and Pat Cafra.

Lee Porteous at the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival - Speech Arts - Storytelling - Wednesday, April 21 - 2:45 p.m. at St. Matthias Church Hall - 600 Richmond Ave.

Good news if you have published a CD

2010-03-15T10:30:00.000-07:00

Storytelling World Magazine has an awards program for the best stories published in print or CD form during the previous five years. Edmonton storyteller Gail de Vos has just won such an award with her latest book. If you have published a book or CD in the past five years entry details can be found on line at Storytelling World. The next deadline is 31 July, 2010.

Tell Me A Story - Online

2010-03-12T15:42:00.000-08:00

TMAS Online

2010-03-12T15:29:00.000-08:00

Due to popular demand TMAS has returned! (Its that fast in the age of social media...)
Coming soon, a link to "TMAS Online" on the front page of our website.
The new TMAS will not contain permanent information, the monthly calendar, or announcements about strictly VSG events. They are already on the website, the calendar and the blog.
The new TMAS, still under construction but ready to view, will contain such things as the story of the month, announcements of Guild member's activities, other occasional special events and other things that might be useful to the storytelling community.
Take a look at the new TMAS Online by clicking on http://vsgtmas.blogspot.com/ or pasting it to your URL.

New Root Cellar additions from Jennifer Ferris

2010-03-10T22:08:00.000-08:00

Tell Me Another, Storytelling and reading aloud at home, at school and in the Community by Bob Barton.
Storytelling for Young Adults, Techniques and Treasury by Gail de Vos.
Home to a Place Called Peace - Storytelling Movement Theatre "....one mlan's journey from revenge and rage to forgiveness and peace. Eth-Noh-Tec.
T.A.L.E.S. on the wind. Collection of folktales, personal stories performed by Alberta storytellers.
Stories to Tell (folktales) by Bob Barton.
Native American Stories told by Joseph Bruchac.
Next Teller, a Book of Canadian Storytelling collected by Dan Yashinsky.
Best Loved Stories, Told at the National Storytelling Festival.
These books, DVD and cd's are available for members to borrow.

For more information contact Jennifer Ferris rootcellar@victoriastorytellers.org

Storytelling on Facebook

2010-03-10T21:58:00.000-08:00

If you are under 34 or want to advertise your storytelling to people under 34, you should be on Facebook.

A new computer program has come out to help you put your original written stories on the status line of Facebook… in snipped episodes, 250 characters at a time.

Snipisode, a Facebook application developed by Agency Zen, lets you type or paste in a whole story and then with a click of a button snip up the story either by line or by punctuation. Then you choose a frequency for snips of the story to appear as status updates — daily or every two days.

I’m giving it a try. Check out my story on my facebook page starting 10 March at 5 pm.

Albert Fowler

2010-01-19T18:02:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the Victoria Storyteller's Guild blog.

This blog is intended as a supplement to our website and to contain current and rapidly changing information like upcoming meeting details and coordinators.

We hope you enjoy our new blog.

Victoria Storytellers' Guild

September Stories at Fern Review

VSG ANNUAL SUMMER PICNIC Sunday August 7, 2011

VSG Founder Barbara Hutcheson Passes Away

Storytellers Conference in Yellowknife, NWT

June Stories at Fern

Kim Weitkamp featured in Monday Magazine

May Stories at Fern

Theatre SKAM Bike Ride, July 9, 10, 16 and 17

Congratulations to Canadian Children's Book Tour Teller : Shoshana Litman

April Stories at Fern

Consider Attending Story North

Award Winning Guild Member

Listeners of the World, Unite!

Kim Weitkamp in Penny Candy Love

World Storytelling Day 2011 Summary

March 2011 Stories at Fern

Grants for Storytellers

Story Fest 2011: Spring into Stories

Stories at Fern

Water, Water Everywhere

It's Storytime Month at Tall Tales!

World Storytelling Day: Water Water Water

Your chance to tell:

Special Saturday Storytime: Teddy Bear Picnic!

Smoked Fish, Bannock and Indian Tea, Bringing the Stories Home

Stories At Fern - February

Scene and Heard

ROOTING THROUGH THE ROOT CELLAR

Stories At Fern - January

Fern St. - December 2010

VSG AGM and Pot Luck

TEAM UP ! TELL IN TANDEM !

November Stories at Fern

“A Celebration of Chanukah in Story & Song”

Congratulations to member Sylvia Olsen and thank you for the invitation to your book launch

VSG Gift Certificates

Gift Certificates Available:

Royal Roads Storytelling

Celebrate Hannukah with Story

Tall Tale Books

Don't Miss the Story in Island Parent

October Fern Street

Storytelling from Around the World

VSG Member Sylvia Olsen Honoured

World Storytelling Day Info March 20, 2011

"Things That Go Bump in the Night"

September Fern St. by Janna

SIXTEENTH ANNUAL FOREST STORYTELLING FESTIVAL

Story/Music Concert in Nanaimo

Port Angeles Storytelling Festival

Rest In Peace:

VSG Tellers Out and About

SC-CC 2010 Storytelling Conference Report by Diane Gilliland

SC-CC Provincial Reports

SC-CC Job Openings

SC-CC Working Groups

Enjoy stories along the Galloping Goose Trail

Storytime, Wednesdays at 11 a.m. at Tall Tales Books

NEW MATERIALS IN THE ROOT CELLAR (GUILD LIBRARY)

Hear Su Ma on CBC Radio

Stories to Last the Summer at this Season's Last Fern

Storytelling at Tall Tales Books

Get Ready for the Annual Picnic - 25 Jul 2010

Greater Victoria Festival of the Performing Arts 2010

Thrifty's Comes Through Again !

Stories at Fern - Monday, 17 May, 2010

Storiography Alive and Well in Victoria

Be Careful What You Wish For

Seen and Heard at Fern Street - 19 April 2010

VSG Members in the Community

Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival - Speech Arts-Apr. 20 - 28

VSG Storytellers Out and About

Good news if you have published a CD

Tell Me A Story - Online

TMAS Online

New Root Cellar additions from Jennifer Ferris

Storytelling on Facebook