scottish storytelling blethers centre and network · journey really began with listening to the...

BlethersScottish StorytellingCentre and Network

Issue 24 Spring 2012

Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SR

T: 0131 556 9579 E: [email protected]

www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk

EUROPE GOES GRIMMDon't Look Away!

The Traditional Arts Networks are makingexcellent progress on working together for thefuture. The Storytelling and Traditional MusicForums are now being complemented by anew Trad Dance Forum.

Following the positive open meeting hosted bythe Storytelling Centre at the turn of the year,ideas for shared events, workshops andcourses are well advanced. Gica Loening hasjoined the Storytelling Centre team to helpexpand the existing education programme andoutreach, with cross-artform content.

It is also hoped that the TRADS collaborationwill enable stronger regional networks andhubs of activity across Scotland. Althoughthese plans depend on winning the backing ofCreative Scotland and other funders, thereaction to the Trad Arts working together hasbeen excellent, and external organisationswelcomed a stronger voice and presence forScotland's cultures.

By sharing in the ceilidh spirit, today's artistsare building on the foundations of tradition,while innovating in line with our radical roots.Watch this space, and check outwww.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk in themeantime for opportunities to get involved.

Traditional Arts organisations, who are notalready contributing to the discussion butwould like to be part of the TRADS umbrella,should [email protected] toexpress their interest and ideas.

Trads Together

No, it's not the latest credit agency rating. It's the 200thanniversary of the first edition of Grimm's Popular Tales.

The Brothers Grimm kick-started a wave of folk and fairy talecollecting across Europe. They also began a debate aboutthe meaning of these remarkable stories that continues to thisday. The popular tales they collected are scary, bizarre,realistic and magical all in one. But the key to them all is howthe heroes and heroines survive and transform their lives.

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2012 bringsthis major European anniversary home to Scotland byexploring the connections between Scotland's stories andthose found in Germany, Poland, Russia, France, Norway,

Italy and the Netherlands.Song and dance traditions willalso intertwine in an action-packed ten days.

Get those dates in your diarynow – Friday 19th to Sunday28th October. It might beGrimm, but it will surely beinspiring.

The late Stanley Robertson, master ofScotland's Grimm tales, performs atthe 2000 Festival. This stunning

portrait by Ian Mackenzie features in the 2012 Ian Mackenzie memorialcalendar, along with eleven other brilliant images of tradition bearers.

Active LearningHow do the traditional arts of music, song, dance andstory contribute to active learning in schools andcolleges? We are planning a series of hands-on sessionsto introduce vital sources, resources and approaches tocreative learning inspired by Scotland's culture,so look our for our new training programmeto be released in April.

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Rona BarbourScottish and from along line of storytellers,Rona was born inGlasgow to registeredblind parents and as aresult she quickly

learned the value and importance ofcommunicating with others throughstory. Rona is a strong advocate forresurrecting storytelling within familiesand in schools. She writes several ofher own works and also has a hugerepertoire of stories including lovestories, spine chilling ghost stories,traditional and fairy tales. Now back inScotland, in the past 20 years shewas based in England and has beenDirector of the Board of The Societyfor Storytelling for 6 years.

Maria Cairnie Maria tells stories frommany different sourcesand in many differentways but her greatestpassion is highlyenergetic, participatory

telling which usually involves livesinging and original compositions.Maria has always had a deep love ofAmerican, Indian, Celtic andScandinavian folklore but morerecently has been invited to explorefaith stories. Raised in the village ofNeilston in East Renfrewshire, Mariacontinues to live and work from herhome in Glasgow’s Southside.

Alex PatienceAlex was born andbrought up inFraserburgh – aBrocher and Doricspeaker. She is from afisher family and as a

bairn she went to the sea with herDad and mended nets with her Mum.Alex has a great love of all thingsabout the sea, about coastal andisland communities and their lives, andtells stories of the second sight andselkies. Alex also loves to makeconnections between traditionalstories and our contemporary lives.

Mike InnesMike Innes, TheWandering Vagabond,has a wide variety ofstories in hisrepertoire, not limiting

himself to any one genre or tradition.He has a strong knowledge of worldmyths and legends, with an emphasison those cultures which haveconverged in Scotland: Celtic, Norse &Anglo-Saxon. Mike was born in a smalltown in the North-East of Scotlandwhere he spent most of his childhood.

Blethers

A warm welcome to storytellers new to the Scottish Storytelling Centre Directory

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Directory Welcome!

Jackie Carothers Jackie tells all kinds ofstories from around theworld, always making apoint of bringing backnew stories fromwherever she goes. Her

stories include myths, traditional tales(especially those with glimpses ofanother world) and comic tales, storiesabout Edinburgh and Scottishcharacters and the retelling of real lifeexperiences. She uses interactive storiesand songs to entice audiences to join in.As a member of the Edinburgh-basedLife Stories group for 6 years she hasdeveloped a particular expertise instorytelling with the over-50s.

Barry DonaldsonBarry uses drama andmusic to tell classic andcontemporary tales fromScotland and beyond.He approaches storiesusing the teacher-in-rolemethod to engage and

empower audiences. Barry often usesstories as a tool to tackle prejudice andother social issues which influencecontemporary Scotland. He also lovesstories full of magic, mayhem and a bitof fairy dust!Originally from the Orkney Islands, Barrywas brought up in Aberdeen by aScottish-Italian family.

Fran Flett HollinrakeBorn in Scotland andbrought up in England,Fran studied ScottishHistory at St Andrewsand EdinburghUniversities and many of

her favourite tales are those based onhistorical events. She worked as a tourguide in the underground streets andvaults of Old Edinburgh, where shefurther developed a taste for the darkerside of history, and loves telling tales ofghosts, spectres, witches and scarythings. Fran moved to Orkney in 2004:in her work as a tour guide andcustodian of historic monuments shehas surrounded herself with legends,folktales and history, and loves sharingthem with others. Fran organised theOrkney Storytelling Festival in 2010 and2011.

Tony RobertsonTony Robertson grewup in a storytellingfamily. He is a son of thelate great Scottishmaster storytellerStanley Robertson and

learned from his father and otherrelatives many of the traditional tales ofthe travelling people. As well as telling

stories, Tony knows and sings many ofthe old ballads and is a keen amateurhistorian. Tony specialises in the tellingof jack tales but also loves to tellsupernatural and humorous tales.

Alette WillisAlette is drawn to tellstories about the naturalworld in which we dwelland our relationship withit. She loves creationstories about plants and

animals, and traditional tales about trees.While she draws mainly on folklore andmyths, Alette has also developed originalstories in collaboration with scientists.Alette is a member of the Talking TreesStorytellers at the Royal Botanic Gardenin Edinburgh, as well as an award-winning children's fiction author. Her firstbook, How to Make a Golem (and TerrifyPeople), which draws on Scottish andYiddish folklore, won the 2011 KelpiesPrize.

Susi Woodmas Susi was born inDumfries and grew up ina house where everydaynews was like a storybeing told. She hasbeen an active

storyteller for some years now andappears to her audiences as Susi SweetPea the Fairy. A lover of enchantment,her favourite tales usually incorporatethe wee folk, dragons and giants. Susi’srepertoire includes travellers’ tales,Scots folk tales and tales that she haswritten for children in Scots. Susi likes toexplore Scots poetry, songs and talesand uses these in her work where shecan. Susi’s working background is inthe Care sector and she plays a varietyof instruments such as the native fairyflute, acoustic guitar and bodhran drum.

Daru McAleeceDaru’s storytellingjourney really began withlistening to the storiesthat trees told him, andhe is now a DruidStoryteller, performer

and visual artist whose storytelling isfuelled by a love of Celtic myths, sciencefiction and nature. The mythic ‘earth-tales’ he shares come from theDruid/Celtic traditions of Britain, Irelandand the Celtic lands and are influencedby our connection to Nature, often witha magical transformation at their heart.Daru grew up around Edinburgh in theshadow of Arthur’s Seat and spentmuch time as a child in the Borders. Hisfather was a Leith Docker and hisearliest memories are of epic, sprawlingand funny improvised stories his fathertold him.


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As a storyteller I am convincedthat a story-led approach tocommunity engagement has a lotto offer. In top-down regenerationthe complaint is that people don’tfeel that they have any input towhat happens to the placeswhere they live.

Their stories and stories of localcontext haven’t been heard orwritten into proposals and neitherhave their ‘imagined futures’ –those dreams they might want tosee realised. Local Authorities havestruggled to engage withcommunities and many wouldadmit failure. When we speak of aLocal Authority, the very languagespeaks volumes about where theauthority or power lies.

I believe, however, that it ispossible to have a creative and funapproach in working withincommunities to develop ideaswhich are properly considered. Ifwe want to turn things around andgive local communities someauthority in what might happen,then we need to make sure thatthey are the authors of the storieswhich are heard and these storiesmust be seen to be the drivers forchange.

Much of community consultationhas been tokenistic andunimaginative and has filledcountless glossy officialpublications which lie largelyuntouched in piles in publicbuildings.Yet there are ways ofworking which people can reallyengage with and enjoy. Story-gathering is the first crucial step inthe Appreciative Inquiry (AI)approach, where the stories arethen used to ‘fly kites’ – ideas forfuture development. The wholecommunity can then be involved inselecting ideas in a very open way– choosing which kites shouldremain up there in the sky – andfurther developing the stories of‘what might be’. Where people seetheir own stories headlining indevelopment proposals, they reallytake ownership of the projects, andfeel part of it. We have a lot tolearn from this creative and

Whose Story is Leading in Regeneration? Blairgowrie's Own

As 2011 came to an end,Blairgowrie and Rattray namedSheila Stewart 'Citizen of theYear'. Sheila has received manywell-earned honours, but it isespecially important to berecognised by her own hometown and celebrated for anoutstanding contribution to thelife of the community over manyyears.

An emotional Sheila said, 'Thismeans more to me thanreceiving the MBE. My motherwould be so proud because thisis a recognition by Blairgowriefor the contribution my peoplehave made to the town. I amaccepting the award on behalfof my family and the Travellingcommunity.' So, 'here's a healthto the company' – SheilaStewart is a woman you don'tmeet every day.

participative way of working and itgoes without saying that theremust be an investment of time,commitment and funding to makesure that any engagement isproperly worked through.

Just as important as generatingideas and deciding on priorities isthe ongoing dialogue at differentstages of implementation of anyproposals. We are getting better atusing the softer indicators ofdevelopment in evaluation and atmonitoring where people’s storiesare recognised and valued.Although I am not totally convincedthat the selection of the ‘most’significant story of change isalways the most important thing,as all the gathered and orderedmaterial always contains a wealthof wisdom to be highlighted andshared, Most Significant Change(MSC) methodology is one way inwhich large groups of people canhave ongoing involvement in anydevelopment process. Stories ofchange are very much about heartand mind and where these aregathered they can be used to drawout patterns, common themes anddivergences.

What I’m sure of is that when animaginative approach is taken toshow communities that their voiceis being heard, then people will bemore convinced about ideas oflocal empowerment, authority andauthorship.

Russell McLarty is Co-ordinator of aChurch of Scotland Priority AreasProject – Chance to Thrive – whichlooks to support eight local communitypartnership initiatives with volunteermentoring support groups.

[email protected]

Elma Johnson Members of the storytelling community will besaddened to hear of Elma Johnson’s death. Elma was a well-known Shetland storyteller who had learned many of her storiesdirectly form Tom Henderson, a writer, storyteller and first curatorof the Shetland Museum. Elma had a real passion for Shetland, its

culture, heritage and language and was well known for the storytelling, traditionalmusic and dance session called In Aboot Da Night that she held in her house.Elma will be missed by the storytelling community in Shetland and further afield.

The Herald published an obituary by Shona Main which you can still read on theirwebsite.

Blethers


The Joys of the Storytelling Teacher

Over the past twenty years or so,I've both taught and told stories…often simultaneously. Althoughschools have undergone manychanges in that time, I've perhapschanged my teaching a little lessthan many teachers have. That'sbecause I was lucky enough tobe introduced to both storytellingand the use of storytelling ineducation in the early 90's in ruralMinnesota.

As a student naturalist at WolfRidge Environmental LearningCentre, I taught environmentaleducation, much through themedium of storytelling. Takinggroups out into the forests I toldthem stories of the animals, treesand birds that fill that magnificentplace, followed by stories roundthe campfire under the stars.

Later on, in classrooms in inner cityGlasgow, I started to gain aninsight and appreciation of theamazing transformations that occurwhen young people are given thechance to tell their own stories. Sothrough my work as a teacher Ialso became a storyteller. Now Iwear both caps through the week,though often it feels like I just wearthe one big hat, that of theteaching storyteller, or perhaps thestorytelling teacher.

Now interesting times for botheducation and storytelling are here.You can't fail to have heard ofCurriculum for Excellence with fourCapacities (that enable youngpeople to be successful learners,confident individuals, responsiblecitizens and effective contributors),Learning Outcomes galore and

cross-curricular approaches toteaching. There is a big neweducational playing field inScotland, and the great news isthat storytelling fits perfectly intothis new model of learning, activelearning being a large focus.

Storytelling and active learning? Ohyes! Tell a story to a class andyou'll see their eyes light up, hearthe cogs and wheels of little mindswhirr… add in a couple of rhymes,a refrain, a little action to join inwith – and bingo! CfE delivered!Wonderful for both educators andlearners, as we teach and learnwhile having the great experienceof story sharing. But what reallystrikes me is that storytellingdelivered every bit of the previous 5to 14 Guidelines as well. And Iwould bet that storytelling will stillbe delivering whatever replacesCurriculum for Excellence as the'new' way of teaching in years tocome. Storytelling has beenhumankind's foremost form ofcommunicating ideas throughouthistory after all.

We know that storytelling works sowell in education as it isstimulating, dynamic, inspiring anda platform to learning in many (ifnot potentially all) areas of thecurriculum. But crucially, I think wemust be careful not to see it as justa handy way to deliver CfE. Assoon as we pin specific learningoutcomes on a story we begin tolimit the potential of the story interms of the ideas, thoughts andinspirations that the story holds.

A story told, by its nature, has a'High Ceiling, Low Threshold'.

This is the educational term foractivities that allow all learners in aclass or group to maximise theirlearning from the one activity: thethreshold to access the learning islow enough so that even the mostchallenged learners can participate,but the activity has a high ceiling ofpotential learning that will stretcheven the most able in the group.Even though it's where I started ineducation, I've yet to come acrosssomething more effective thanstorytelling that does this.

For example, take a story such as'The Three Little Pigs'. As thestoryteller you have completecontrol over the content(vocabulary, phrasing andexpression in the telling). Thatallows you to sit with a group ofchildren with a wide spectrum ofability yet engage all.

While some listeners will bebeginning to build simple blocks ofvocabulary through listening to thestory, others will be enriched bythe adjectives, adverbs and figuresof speech that you as the tellerinclude. I've enjoyed experiencingthis process with classes where wehave worked on retellings of storiesin both oral and written form.

I've seen learners who at long lastwere able to write a meaningfulsentence, ones who suddenlybegan to write with a bit of flare('Curses!' Snarled the wolf) andthose who took the story andtransformed it into somethingunique and out of the ordinary, allfrom the same telling.

And I've not even started on whatthey did when it came to telling thestory to others… those who at lastfound their voice, the naturalcomedians who had a platform fortheir performance, those whomanaged to work with someoneelse effectively, those who foundpride in being a part of theirschool; successful learners,confident individuals, responsiblecitizens and effective contributors!

Oh, and by the way, we all had funtoo!

Fergus [email protected]



Blethers from Burns

Scotland's best and boldeststoryteller, Robert Burns, is beinggiven a new lease of life at theRobert Burns Birthplace Museum(RBBM) in Alloway. Famous forhis tall tales of witches, ghaistsand houlets, Burns celebrated his253rd birthday on 25th January.

As he can't be here in person,we have to celebrate for him –so come and join us in the yearahead!

6,000 school children visit themuseum and cottage site everyyear to be inspired by the placesthat encouraged Burns to write.One new workshop being offeredfor the first time in 2012 is Time forRhyme – a poetry session wherepupils get to write poetry inside thebirthplace cottage. Armed withclipboards and pencils, they lookclosely at the objects and placesthat were familiar to Burns, learninga series of writing techniques asthey progress through the rooms ofthe cottage.

A unique and interactive element tothe sessions are the 'graffiti' theyget to make and take away withthem. The cottage is decoratedinside with the names and storiesof visitors from the last 130 years;the pupils can see how people lefttheir mark on the Burns story, they

can learn about Burns' ownepigrams, and then write their ownto take away with them. Usingadhesive acetate sheets, the pupilscan also stick their own words onthe drawers, walls, and windows oftheir classrooms – in a non-permanent way, of course!

Objects often hold the key to astory: RBBM looks after more than5,000 of them. But only a fractionof these can be on display at anyone time, so the museum hasstarted offering talks and tours byits knowledgeable and enthusiasticstaff and volunteers to tell the storyof those hidden away in the stores.Held every Wednesday at 3pmthese talks allow the stories tocome to light, increase access tothe collections and make a visit toRBBM even more special.

Digitisation Project Officer KarenCornfield and Curator Amy Millerare working hard to digitise thecollection, so that even people whocannot visit the museum in personcan examine the treasures keptthere. The project will be launchedlater this year – so keep your eyeson the websitewww.burnsmuseum.org.uk fornews and info. Some lovely thingshave recently come to light, thanksto the work of Karen and Amy,among them a piece of paperdecorated with birds – possiblydoodled by the Bard suffering frommomentary writers' block?

Another wonderful strand to theBurns story is the connectionbetween Burns and India. Thepoetry of Burns is known to manyIndians and India's national poet(and author of the nationalanthem), Rabindranath Tagore,was also inspired by Scotland'smost famous son, translating AuldLang Syne and Ye Banks andBraes for a Bengali audience. Themuseum celebrates this connectionwith its new exhibition Singing aNation into Being, which opens onSunday 29th January and runs until4th March.

And if you like your poems andstories with a more contemporaryfeel, come down to RBBM at 7pmon 13th March for a night withJamaican poet Kwame Dawes, anevent organised in partnership withStAnza, Scotland's InternationalPoetry Festival. As Burns verynearly moved to Jamaica prior tothe publication of the KilmarnockEdition, this brings the Burns storyround full circle.

Esther RutterRobert Burns Birthplace Museum01292 [email protected]

Storytelling across Scotland

Blethers

Scotland's a Blether!

Here's a snapshot of some of the storytelling groups and clubs across the country. Make sure you'reon the Centre's mailing list to get monthly updates on storytelling clubs and groups in your area.

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1. Highlands and Islands –Inverness BothySong and Storytelling Club is startingup in Inverness, hosted by Brian OhEadhra and George Livingstone. Theclub will meet the first Thursday ofeach month at 8.00, upstairs at LaTortilla Asesina, Castle Street,Inverness. Can you tell a story, sing atraditional song, or enjoy a good ol'cèilidh? Come along and join in thecraic. Bidh mòran fàilte ort. Goanyersel'! Guest performer and localartists will be performing every month,entry by donation. Contact BrianO’hEadhra [email protected],07717 224360www.inbhirnis.com/bothan.html

2. Tayside and North Fife – BletherTay-githerBlether Tay-gither meets every monthon the last Tuesday to share storiesand songs on a variety of themes. Wealso aim to take storytelling out into thecommunity by organising family events,forging links with other communitygroups and taking part in local festivalsand events throughout Dundee,Tayside, Angus and North Fife. Our tellers come from a wide range ofbackgrounds, from professionalstorytellers to those who just want tolisten for now, from students to OAPs.Our meetings are informal and at themoment take place in The BurghCoffee House, Castle Street, Dundee. Contact Sheila [email protected] or seewww.blethertaygither.org.uk

3. Borders – Borders BardsOver the Christmas break somemembers met, sharing a small WinterSolstice celebration with seasonalreadings, poetry and a small Druidceremony.Our session started again properly inJanuary, with Mary Kenny offeringbeautiful tales and songs of the Faeriefolk. We were joined by new membersfrom nearby Walkerburn and fromMusselburgh and shared tales ofcreativity and hope, and dreams toinspire us for the year ahead.Each month we aim to loosely workwith the themes of the Celtic/Druidfestivals, or the seasons. Newmembers are always welcome at ourcosy gatherings at the County Inn inPeebles. Meet us monthly on the 2ndTuesday in the main bar at 7.30pm; £3donation.Our next session is on Valentine’s Day,where we will be taking the theme ofthe Celtic/Druidic festival of Imbolc,sharing tales on tenderness and theheart, Brighid, snowdrops and thecoming of Spring.Music, Verse and StoriesThe session has been running well with

its regular mix of guest performers,local artists and the poet HowardPurdie warmly hosting proceedings. Inearly December we were host to thebrilliant storyteller and puppeteerPoppy Brown. We celebrated Robert Burns byCandlelight on 5th February, and fromMarch onwards we have a host oftalented artists lined up, includingInnerleithen band Spoonthift and theBorders musician Kenny Speirs. Localpoets, storytellers and performers alsoprovide the core Bardic talent eachmonth.So do come and join us the firstSunday of each month 8pm-11pm andyou will also get a free light supper,along with a warm Borders welcome!(£3 donation) Contact Daru [email protected] 0785 384 5019.

4. Perthshire – Silver BranchThe winter season has been spenthoning Hodja stories, Jack tales andfeasting together. One of our memberswas called upon to don her Elf outfitand walk with the reindeer, tell storiesand help Santa at Pitlochry andDunkeld Christmas fairs, and anothertold tales in a cosy Yurt. This year wehope to take out tales here and therein Perthshire. We are organising aseries of seasonal Handmade Taleswith bushcraft expert Willow Lohr andStoryteller Claire Hewitt on 3th-4thMarch in Highland Perthshire. We meeton the 2nd Wednesday of every monthand being a small group we can gatherinformally round people's kitchens.Contact Claire Hewittwww.clairehewitt.co.uk or 01887820339 or 07765 166034.

5. Fife – Kingdom TalesAutumn gave us all a chance to look atways of becoming more established asa storytelling group. The first move wasto change the name from KingdomKrack to Kingdom Tales as we felt thenew name gave us a clearer identity.Along with a new name came theopportunity to look at our plans for thefuture.As we grow as individual storytellersand as a group, it is important tobecome more involved in local events.In line with this I was invited to ameeting of Fife's Creative LearningNetwork which provides a networkingopportunity for those involved in thecreative sector. My aim was to look foropportunities to use storytelling in awide range of environments andalthough this is a developing process,it looks like there is potential.As a group, we would like to offer ourwarmest congratulations to BeverleyBryant, a long standing member, whohas recently been accepted onto theScottish Storytelling Centre's directoryof storytellers - well done Beverley!Contact Andrew [email protected]

6. Glasgow – Better Crack Club andEven Better Crack ClubThe Better Crack Club for adults meetson the third Friday of the month atTchai Ovna Tea House, 4 Otago Lane,Glasgow, starting at 7.30pm; the nexttwo meetings are 17th Feb and 16thMar. Join us for a relaxed, friendlyevening of stories, poems, songs andmusic; everyone is welcome! The Even Better Crack Club –storytelling for ALL the family meets inthe Fairfield Room, The MitchellLibrary, Granville Street, Charing Cross,Glasgow. Meetings are from 10.30amto 12.00pm and the next two dates are18th Feb and 24th Mar.Glasgow Storytellers met at 'TheGathering' on 4th February to explorethe way forward for storytelling inGlasgow and the West of Scotland.They are also looking forward to anevent in St. Mungo's Museum onWednesday 29th February wherePolish storyteller Michal Malinowski, willbe performing with Scottish tellers.Contact Frances [email protected]

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The future of the trainingprogrammeConnectingwith Culture

For 2012 Scotland's storytellers,songmakers, musicians anddancers have come together tooffer a feast of participative culturefor all those who are involved in thearts, education and communitymaking across Scotland.

The aims of the new trainingprogramme, which will receivecross-artform input from GicaLoening, will be:

To enhance our capacity for lifeby assisting people tounderstand, interpret andinfluence the world around them

To enrich our experience bybringing colour, passion andintensity to our emotions,thoughts and imaginations

To provide a supportiveenvironment in which peoplecan build their skills, confidenceand self-esteem

To enable all those who live andvisit here to share in Scotland'sculture, celebrating diversity andhosting an international web offolk connections.

The courses and workshopprogramme is developed along fivestrands. Skills (beginner-1,intermediate-2, advanced-3) willfocus on individual development;Learning for Life is for all thoseengaged in formal or informaleducation; Themes and Traditionsintroduces cultural resources andthemes for interpretation (aimedboth at groups and individuals);Skills in Context explores therelationship between creativepractice and particular areas ofsocial engagement or concern.Professional Development is opento all but focuses on professionalsupport for artists or those usingartistic skills within their professions.In practice this also overlaps withthe other stands.

“Whenever I feel like I’m boggingdown, creatively speaking, I signup for a workshop at the ScottishStorytelling Centre and I alwayscome away inspired”Alette Willis, 2012 workshop participantwww.alettejwillis.com

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7. Grampian – GrampianAssociation of StorytellersGAS meets for our Friday Fling everysecond Friday of the month, usually atQueen's Cross Church, Aberdeen, fortelling and listening to stories at 7.15for 7.30pm start. We have a great lineup of guest storytellers this half yearand some very funny and intriguingthemes for our DIY sessions. All (over12 years old) are welcome. ContactSean Gordonwww.grampianstorytellers.org.uk

8. Edinburgh – Edinburgh's GuidCrack club Edinburgh's Guid Crack club has had abusy few months. In October we hadan extra long session to cater both for

Regional Training OpportunitiesSome of the training events set out in 'Connecting with Culture' will also beavailable in the autumn of 2012 in a range of locations in Scotland. You canbook or commission a workshop for your own location and organisation throughthe Trad Arts Hub at the Scottish Storytelling Centre by [email protected] or [email protected] 0131 652 3272.

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the regulars and those coming overfrom the Ithacan evening as part of theStorytelling Festival. The plan was thateach teller's story would follow on fromthe previous one, which worked after afashion! We've enjoyed somewonderful evenings in the company ofguests Claire Druett (Sep) and SengaMunro (Nov). Donald Smith hosted ouropen December session and inJanuary we had Kati Waitzman whohas been Inspired by Burns since herarrival in Scotland. As Springapproaches we will be welcomingPeter Snow and Daniel Allison as wellas having our customary CeilidhCulture meeting on March 30th.Contact Andy [email protected]

Bothan Bothan, Edinburgh’s Gaelic night clubmeets at the Canons’ Gait pubdownstairs, 232 Canongate. Eveningsare 8.30pm-1am and the cost is £5/£3on the door. Next dates are Friday 2ndMarch with newly formed band Cruinn(www.cruinn.net) and Friday 23rdMarch with the fantastic duo [email protected]

9. Lothian – BagaTelle Well, blow me down with a feather.Last time I wrote about BagaTelle Iwaxed lyrical about no longer beingnomadic and the joys of having astable place. Well, get your addressbooks out and pencils to the ready, weare moving again. Unfortunately ourtime with the Museum has had tocome to an end due to staffingproblems, but no sooner was the newsout that Midlothian Libraries came toour rescue. Dalkeith Library here wecome!The good news at the start of the yearis that our membership has increasedand there is much afoot to keep usoccupied and stimulated. Links havebeen made with Black Diamond RadioStation (through Jim Aird's SundayBest and Moira Clayton's Women onthe Loose programmes); Tyne and EskWriters Group are open to sharing theplatform with storytellers at their nextevent; Vogrie Park Rangers are keen towork with us and have scheduledstorytelling into their summerprogramme of events. This will includestorytelling sessions, storywalks aroundthe park and the development ofenvironmental storytelling boxes. Joinus if you dare! Contact Lea Taylor [email protected]

In 2010 I was awarded a CreativeScotland Storytelling bursary for aproject called Walking the Stories,which drew directly on myexperiences working with Alecand Essie.

Five storywalks were planned indifferent parts of the Highlands,each organised in partnership witha group which had a particularfocus of interest, and members ofthe general public would also bevery welcome to take part. I wouldtell legends and traditional tales ofthe places we were walkingthrough and, as we went along,members of the group would beencouraged to contribute specialistknowledge, as well as generalobservations. At the end of thewalk, wherever possible, we wouldgather for further chat over lightrefreshments.

In the end, there were seven walks.On the best attended, which wasorganised in collaboration with theHighland archaeology groupARCH, fifty hardy folk tramped tothe Black Rock Gorge in Evanton.The gorge is a narrow vertiginouscleft buried in woodland, and at itsvery bottom was the Lady ofBalconie, a prisoner of the Princeof Darkness. The lady was chainedto a rusty chair, and guarded bytwo giant hounds.

Her story was told alongsidecontributions concerning thegeology, the local and naturalhistory of the place, and of courseits archaeology. There were twowalks on Iona, shared with mypartner Dr E Mairi MacArthur, whois an authority on the croftingtraditions of the island. A mix ofresidents and visitors to the IonaCommunity gave thoughtful,sometimes passionatecommentaries on the insularlegends, informed both by localknowledge and Christiancommitment.

On a chilly beach in Golspie, agroup of young people from theyouth club were joined at dusk byother local folk, ranging from pre-schoolers to over 70s to hear tales

Walking the Stories

Essie Stewart and AlecWilliamson are widelyrespected members of theHighland Traveller community.

Each year, well into adulthood,both of them went on the roadfrom early spring through toautumn, hawking, pearl fishing,and doing seasonal work. Bothare heirs to the great Gaelicstorytelling tradition. Workingwith Alec and Essie, over thepast fifteen years and more,made me increasingly aware ofthe way they see the world,where the landscape and theplaces within it teem with stories– personal, familial, tribal andtraditional.

I began to try and weave thissense of intimate interconnectionbetween tale and location intomy own storytelling work,particularly when I was leadingstorywalks. At the same time Inoticed that on the walks, duringthe gaps between my stories –the walking bits themselves –members of the group wouldchat enthusiastically, getting toknow each other, telling theirown personal stories or storiesabout the places we werepassing through. Why shouldn'tthese tales become anacknowledged part of the walkexperience?

of the sea, and later to have theirown stories recorded and to takepart in animation sessions.

Folklore and archaeology met, andstared lovingly into each other'seyes, on a second walk withmembers of ARCH. This time wewere on Knock Farril Hill aboveStrathpeffer, where, local legendsays, an Iron Age fort whosestones really are fused together byfire was destroyed in a vengeful actof arson by a disgruntled Fingalianwarrior.

And, on Easter Saturday 2011, thefinal walk took a group of fortypeople and a dog through thecobbled streets of the port ofCromarty, whose stories werechronicled by the 19th centurygeologist, journalist and folkloristHugh Miller. Along with AlecWilliamson and Essie Stewart,Miller was one of the chief inspirersof Walking the Stories, so this lastwalk was a grand way to round offthe project. In the tea and biscuitssession afterwards, many spookystories of the town wereexchanged.

Throughout the project, I muchvalued and enjoyed thecontributions made to the walks byothers – both experts and laypeople – and felt that the richnessof context they providedencouraged the traditional storiesto flourish, and generally expandedthe scope of the storywalk. I hopethat at least some of the folk whocame on the walks, who mightnever have heard a contemporarystoryteller before, thought that thiswas an experience worthrepeating. And the experience ofplanning and walking the stories ofthe north of Scotland wasabsolutely invaluable when I waswriting my collection Highland FolkTales, which will be published byThe History Press in April, and willinclude stories from Hugh Miller,Essie Stewart, and AlecWilliamson, the heroes of Walkingthe Stories.

Bob [email protected]

Blethers


Support in Mind Storytelling and craft offer respite to carers of people suffering mental health problems

One in four adults in Scotland willat some point in their lifeexperience a diagnosable mentalhealth problem. Fortunately, thevast majority of people do nothave to be admitted to psychiatricwards and can be supported andtreated within their community.

It is estimated that 35% of thoserecovering from mental illness havethe support of carers, who may ormay not be family members.Unfortunately, supporting someonewith a mental illness can have anegative impact on a carer’smental and physical wellbeing,leading to feelings of isolation, lossand bewilderment.

Support in Mind Scotland works toimprove the wellbeing and qualityof life of people affected by mentalillness, including family members,partners, carers and supporters. Itcan be difficult to reach familiesaffected by mental illness, in partbecause of the stigma attached tomental illness and also becausethose caring for/supportingsomeone with a mental illnessoften do not recognise themselvesas carers. Furthermore, quite oftencarers are just too mentallyexhausted themselves to accessany form of support.

In July 2010, the ScottishGovernment announced funding of£5 million over five years to bechanneled through the voluntary

sector to helpsupport andsustain carers,including youngcarers, throughenabling betteraccess to shortbreaks orrespite care.

Handmade Tales is a place to relax,gather round the table, and have fundiscovering – or rediscovering yourcreative side! In the supportive andfriendly space of the Storytelling CentreI will lead you through an eight-weekprogramme of Storytelling and handcrafts/art activities linked to the seasonof Spring. And whilst the hands arebusy felting, stitching, thumping clay ormaking bread, stories can be sharedand tales told. These sessions aredesigned especially for people whosupport and care for a member of theirfamily who has mental healthproblems. You will have space tobreathe, time to gather your resourcesand give yourself a break. Storytellingand handwork will give you the skills toexpress who you are, connect withforgotten dreams and celebrate life andthe growth of something new. Thesesessions are also about developingnew friendships and having time to re-connect with family and old friends.You don't have to be a performer orartist, just come with a willingness tohave some fun, laugh, relax and learnsomething completely new! Thesessions will be running in Edinburgh atthe Scottish Storytelling Centre everyTuesday between 1pm-4pm from 10thApril to 29th May.

Claire HewittStoryteller and handmaker



Learning the Telling TradeWhether you are exploring your own potential as a storyteller, looking for innovativeCPD opportunities or are just after a stimulating, fun and memorable participativeexperience, we are sure our programme has something for you. Here is a sample ofwhat we offer:Telling Scottish Folktale (Intermediate skills | Traditions, communities & cultures) Sat 31 Mar | 10am-1pm | £30/£26 Network MembersGet back to the roots of Scotland's oral storytelling heritage with a day that exploresfolktales and their contexts, and offers some pointers on telling the tales today.Traveller Traditions (Themes | Traditions, communities & cultures) Sat 31 Mar |2-5pm | £30/£26 Network MembersDiscover the story tradition of Scotland's Travelling people, and pick up some talesand tips for re-telling.Stories Count (Storytelling in practice | Learning) Sat 28 Apr | 10am-4pm | £48/£44 Network MembersA practical workshop for teachers and classroom assistants who want to find funnew ways into maths.

We are also always keen to discuss tailor-made training, CPD or interactiveworkshops for your group, school or organisation. Please call 0131 652 3272 oremail [email protected] [email protected] for more information.

Support in Mind Scotland’sEdinburgh Carers Support Project,in collaboration with the ScottishStorytelling Centre, aims to offercarers of those experiencingmental health problems theopportunity to get some ‘time out’in the form of storytelling sessions.

It is hoped that by attending theseHandmade Tales sessions,facilitated by storyteller ClaireHewitt, the carers will have theopportunity to socialise with like-minded people, have some ‘me’time, learn new or forgotten skills,reflect and think about the futureand more than anything else find avoice to tell their own stories. This inturn will help them to reconnect andrebuild strong relationships withfamily and friends – especially withthe person that they are carer of.

Ultimately, the sessions will givethe carers the opportunity just tohave a break away from theircaring role, and act as a reminderthat they too are important andthey need to look after themselves.

If you would like to find out moreabout the sessions, please get intouch.

Lorraine KeithEdinburgh Carers Officer0131 662 2280lkeith@supportinmindscotland.org.ukwww.supprtinmindscotland.org.uk

Blethers


The last weekend brought theSkye Storytelling Festival andalso brought the worst weatherin May for many years – gales,pouring rain and cold. At thesame time the volcanic eruptioncancelled and delayed flights butfortunately our storytellers all gothere eventually, with one ladyshowing enough commitment tomake the trip by bus, ferry, trainand hired car.Unfortunately many of thosecoming to the festival cancelledeither for travel reasons orweather and we ended up with avery small but appreciativeaudience.

June started wet but wasbrightened up by a visit fromSheila Wee and Phillip Julie fromSingapore whom I took to thestory places in Skye. At the endof the month I received the ratherunusual request to give a story ata funeral.

In July I welcomed a smallgroup from Ireland and anotherone seeking information on localgenealogy as their great grandfather had come from Glendale.

In August I had been invitedagain to Belladrum Festival,which has featured storytellingsince its 2nd year. I haveattended the six previous editionsbut unfortunately I was unable toattend this one. I suppose youare bound to miss outsometimes. Towards the end ofthe month a visit from an Italianlady for stories and druidicaltales.

In September Morag, Grace(our great granddaughter), and Iwent to a caravan site for aholiday break. It was very nicebut I ended up telling stories tosome caravaners. Later on in themonth I did some work for aBook Bus project, then I was offto Orkney for a few days to dosome storytelling.

In October I was off to Germanyfor the Aachen Festival, asmagical as ever, and then a tripto Holland where I met schoolchildren full of questions, a realhighlight. The month ended backin Edinburgh and Skye for theScottish International StorytellingFestival. Exciting times!

In November I was back hometo Auld Claes and we had a leakin the upstairs bathroom andneeded a new ceiling in thekitchen. We also needed newinsulation and new floor tiles inboth. The rich tapestry of life?

December was quiet apart fromthree genealogy inquiries. And sorolled in another year, out withthe old, in with the new.Already the bookings havestarted.

George Macpherson

[email protected]

2011 Just Another YearOnce New Year was over, I was going to settle back and enjoy a quiet year. Did someone mentionschemes of mice and men?

First came a little gentlestorytelling to elderly anddisabled people at the ResourceCentre where I was scolded by a93 years young gentleman fortelling the story as he had beentold it when he was six years old,but not having the right name forthe hero. This led to an argumentbetween him and a lady of 99years as to what the right namewas. It was finally decided eithername could be used and peacewas restored.Next came my wife Morag's newcar being rammed in the car parkat Fort William by a large 4x4 andall the resulting upheaval. Just tokeep me young and active.

February crept up quietly withestate management meetingsand I decided I needed a tractorto carry out work on the croftand of course that developedinto a story I may tell some day.The highlight of February thoughwas a trip to the JapaneseConsulate in Edinburgh to dosome storytelling and to try anew Japanese whiskey – a hardjob but somebody's got to do it.

March brought the first groupsto Fasach for storytelling in theBothan on the croft. Then a visitfrom storyteller Kati Waitzmannfor a tale or two.

April started with a request froman American family for somegenealogy, a story or two of theirancestors. A trip to Inverness toaudition for a film part, one ortwo small story gigs, then afamily birthday party.

May brought visitors fromSwitzerland looking for stories ofsea monsters and wishing to visitplaces where some of my storieshappened. It was a real pleasureto oblige. Mid month was takenup with groups from America andAustralia for storytelling in theBothan and on the hill.


Inspired by the tale of thepilgrimage of Donald Smith andAndy Hunter, who in May 2011walked part of Adomnan's routethrough the Highlands from GlenOrchy to Glenlyon – see To Be APilgrim Blethers 23, page 11 –I decided to go and see themysterious Bodach Stones formyself. Having read much aboutthese enigmatic and ancient stonessituated in Glen Caillieach, myreward for completing the ScottishFolklore course with a Mastersdissertation on Scottish nature andweather stories was a weekendholiday to visit the site.

Milton Eonan Cottage B&B inGlenlyon proved to be the bestplace to base our expedition, asproprietor Melanie O'Flynn is amost generous and well-informedhost. Melanie has been one of sixvolunteers who spent a weekendat the end of summer 2011 re-building and restoring Tigh namBodach, the House of the OldMan. Under the supervision ofNorman Haddow, a dry-stanedyker from Glenlyon, the volunteerscompletely renovated the stonefamily's winter house. Over manyyears of wind, rain, and sheepsheltering, the tiny bothy was in asad and neglected state ofdisrepair, as you can see quiteclearly from Donald and Andy'sphotos. But by the time of my visitin September, the work ofNorman's team was standingproud, with the family of sacredwater-stones grouped in front oftheir house facing down GlenCailleach, in keeping with thetradition. The scene was ancientand timeless.

Melanie helped me and my partnerto plan an easy route to thestones: we drove up Glenlyon toPubil, and parked below the hydro-dam at Loch Lyon, then taking thewell-maintained track on the northside of the loch, it took us just 2hours and twenty minutes to reachthe Bodach stones in GlenCaillieach, and that was including acouple of short, juice breaks.


As a storyteller, I was of coursefascinated by the story behindthis strange and unique ritual,and I found this tale in AnneRoss's book, Folklore of theScottish Highlands (2000,Tempus Publishing). Here is abrief summary:

Many years ago, during a wintersnowstorm, a giant and his wifecame down the mountainsideand asked the inhabitants of theglen if they would shelter themfrom the elements. The peoplewho lived in the glen were happyto look after the supernaturalcouple. After all, the giantesswas pregnant. A thatched housewas built, and the pair lived therefor the rest of the winter.

During her stay in the glen, thewoman gave birth to a baby girl.While the couple stayed to lookafter their daughter (Nighean), theweather was always pleasantand the crops and animalsthrived.

When the family decided it wastime to leave, they promised thelocals that as long as they keptthe giant's house in good order,then the glen would always beblessed with warm summers andmild winters, and that peace andprosperity would remain with thefolk who had shown them suchgenerosity.

It is believed that the House ofthe Old Man has beenmaintained from an unknowndate, and the group of riverstones which represent the familyhas been placed inside for thewinter and brought out for thesummer ever since thissupernatural event.

Unlike Donald and Andy's route,we only had one very shallow fordto cross, and our feet were still dryby the time we reached the stones.What a treat when we reachedthem! The little bothy is a work ofart, as you can see from thepictures. We sheltered by the river,ate our packed lunches – doesn'tfood taste wonderful, out in thefresh air, after a good walk?! – thenwe admired the old man, oldwoman, and children. I placed acouple of presents on top of thebothy, a shell and sea-smoothed,beach glass from Troon; therewere plenty of other offerings onthe turf roof already: an amethyst,quartz stones and a clay pot.When we felt suitably rested,turned around and headed backthe way we had come.

All in all this was a fabulous dayout, and the stones just stunning,sitting humbly in front of their nowsplendid, winter house. Melanietold us that the stone family andtheir house form a Celtic shrine. It'srecognised to be the oldest,uninterrupted pagan ritual inBritain, some say in all of Europe.The stones are safely returned tothe house at Halloween, to spendthe winter inside, and brought backout at Beltane (1st May).

I couldn't recommend this minipagan pilgrimage enough, and ifyou fancy a friendly and cosy B&B,rich in history and folklore, thenMilton Eonan Cottage is the rightplace for you.www.miltoneonan.com 01887 866337

Allison [email protected]

A Journey to Tigh nam BodachHouse of the Old Man in Glenlyon – For the Less Hardy Pilgrim Allison’s Tale

Highland FolktalesThe illustrations below are thework of artist and illustrator JohnHodkinson. They are anoutstanding example of howstorytellers – in this case BobPegg – and artists can inspireeach other, and delve into themeanings, passions and picturesof a tale.

These pictures though are just anappetiser for a long term project ofBob Pegg's which is about toemerge in its final form. HighlandFolktales explores the legacy ofHighland mainland storytelling inmany of its aspects. The bookguides you round the Highlandsby story, relating people with placeand tale. It is a really richexploration and tribute to Highlandtraditions, and to individualstorytellers ranging from the greatAlex Williamson to Hugh Millerthrough to Bob's one timeneighbour Dolly, who casually toldhim a great yarn about a'merrymaid' on the beach besidetheir homes.

But Highland Folktales is alsoabout the art of storytelling now. Itis about how one storyteller hasgarnered a repertoire anddeveloped it in response to peopleand place. The stories themselvesare excellent but the unobtrusivecommentary on the backgroundand contexts, along with BobPegg's explanation of how hedeveloped and uses the material,are invaluable.

We look forward to the publicationof Highland Folktales by TheHistory Press (ISBN 9780 752460901). This is another classicaddition to the living library of storythat Scotland's storytellers haveproduced in recent years.

12

Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SRT: 0131 556 9579 E: [email protected]

www.scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk

Blethers

BOOK BLETHERS

The 2011 Kelpie Prize was won byanother storytelling artist, AletteWillis, with How To make a Golem(and Terrify People). It's a greatstory for younger listeners/readerswith just the right mix of scarinessand reassurance. But it is muchmore than that. At its heart it is amoral tale about growing up,gaining confidence and takingresponsibility for one's actions.

Tis Sixty Years Since, edited byEbherhard Bort, came out just intime for the Carrying StreamFestival, organised in November byEdinburgh University Folk Club inhonour of Hamish Henderson. Thebook contains an unrivalled sheafof frontline accounts, and someretrospective reflections, on theScottish Folk Revival in whichHamish Henderson had such apivotal role. As the Traditional Artsmove into the cultural mainstreamin Scotland, this is an invaluableaccount of recent decades and aplatform for discussion and debate– for decades to come.

My Storytime Bible by RenitaBoyle, illustrated by MelanieFlorian, is rooted in the virtues oflive storytelling. Clear, compactand lively narratives animate everypage. The inspiration of timelessfaith stories combines withimagination and superb pictures.

HOW TO MAKE A GOLEM (ANDTERRIFY PEOPLE)Alette Willis(Floris Books) ISBN 9780 8631 5840 £5.99

TIS SIXTY YEARS SINCEEbherhard Bort(Grace Notes Publications) ISBN 9781 9076 76109 £9.95

MY STORYTIME BIBLERenita Boyle(Barnabas for Children)ISBN 9780 8574 60257 £14.50

Storytelling Diaryby Wendy de [email protected]

The Princess Stone is a lovelylocal legend about Malvina, thebeautiful daughter of King Fergus.Much troubled by Vikingincursions, Fergus gathered aforce large enough to fend off thenext attack, and took hostageyoung Harold, the son of KingSven of Denmark. This handsomeprince caught the eye of Malvina,who bribed servants to let her visithim, maybe carrying a meal ortwo. Despite no commonlanguage they pledged 'love, notwar' and decided to elope, Haroldpromising Malvina she wouldbecome Queen of Denmark.Unawares, their fathers hadforged a peace treaty throughambassadors, which included amarriage between their heirs.

When Fergus discovered thedisappearance of the pair, he andhis men, desperate to break thegood news, chased them to theford at Dulsie on the RiverFindhorn which, tragically, was inspate. Fearing revenge, the loversplunged into the raging watersand were drowned. The legendtells us that their bodies werefound days later on the far riverbank, entwined in each other'sarms.

Today, in the sloping woodlandnearby, you can find an ancientstone with Pictish carvings thatwas erected in memory of Malvinaand Harold and is called 'TheCairn of the Lovers'.

Originally published in Knock News,December 2011.


Donald's round-up of exciting storytellingtitles out now

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