Vikings, legends from the edge of the Arctic Circle and Korean folk tales are all part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival which we launched last week from the roof of Camera Obscura – allowing us to look out across the city and beyond as we get ready to welcome storytellers from across six continents to perform alongside Scotland’s talent and showcase how one of the world’s oldest artforms is even more critical in connecting people in our contemporary lives.
This year the Storytelling Festival celebrates its 28th year at the same time as Edinburgh’s landmark anniversary as a festival city. Seventy years ago, in the wake of World War II, Edinburgh welcomed the world after artists decided the city was the perfect backdrop to host an arts festival as a counterpoint to years of war and conflict.
“This year’s Storytelling Festival is a global first for Scotland,” said Donald Smith. “We are making Edinburgh the world’s storytelling capital.
“The 2017 theme, Open Word – Open World, embodies the message of inclusivity and communication, asking us to open our minds and hearts to different values, presented in stories.
“Folktales, fables and fairy tales are passed down the generations because they’re relevant, emotive and valuable, as people of all creeds and classes can aspire to them, and retell them to their peers.”
Traverse the world with us:
From Scotland, alongside nightly Open Hearth sessions, 365 Days, Stories, Tunes will bring together James Robertson’s year of daily stories and Aidan O’Rourke’s tunes in response. Tom Muir will recite the great saga of St Magnus of Orkney, Daniel Allison will explore rewilding in The Missing Lynx while Margaret Bennett, Ruth Kirkpatrick, David Campbell and Jess Smith will celebrate Scotland’s rich storytelling heritage with Precious Legacies: Remembering the Ancestors.
From Europe, Norway’s Stina Fagertun will share legends from the edge of the Arctic circle, Istra Inspirit, a Croatian collective, will bring their heritage to Edinburgh, stories of Russia will be shared through film screenings and Viking tales from Sweden will be told.
From Asia, Wajuppa Tossa will guide audiences through a rich forest of Thai myths, Seung Ah Kim will recount a treasure of Korean folk tales and Pakistan’s Sara Kazmi and Shazea Quraishi will partner Scottish artists for a journey from the Isle of Lewis to Lahore.
From Australasia, Lost Tales by Travis De Vries will explore his indigenous Australian heritage with ancient tales and modern art, while Maori storyteller Joe Harawira will share the rich traditions of New Zealand.
From Africa, Kenyan storyteller Maimouna Jallow will tell The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives and from South America there will be Peruvian tales as well as Brazilian storyteller Ana Maria Lines’ exploration of stories about painter Frida Kahlo.
From North America there will be Tales of the Quebec Wetlands from eight storytellers which fits in well with the current Shackleton and Hurley exhibition at the National Library of Scotland.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is on from Friday October 20 until Tuesday October 31. Visit www.tracscotland.org/storytellingfestival or call 0131 556 9579 for further information.
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