Ulster-Scots Storytelling - Your chance to be a part of it.
Are you interested in learning the art of ‘Storytelling’?
Have you got time to commit to a programme taken by professional storytellers teaching the skills and techniques required? If so read on…..
The Agency is very keen to support the development of this type of community based skill and will be running a number of workshops aimed at equipping aspiring Ulster-Scots story tellers. The programme will be run to meet the needs of the participants and financial support will be forthcoming from the Agency to cover the costs for those with an interest in supporting the story telling tradition in
Anyone who has an interest in either the language or in developing their own storytelling skills should contact Jim Millar by emailing: jim.millar@ulsterscotsagency.org.uk or the story teller coordinator at the Agency, Jane Wallace at jane@ulsterscotsagency.org.uk.
There is no better way of exploring our history than to have a ‘nights crack telling aul stories and yarns’, listening to stories of characters, places and events. For generations, the Ulster-Scot community has been telling stories in order to pass on knowledge and understanding of their history, heritage and culture. Within the Ulster-Scots community there are traditions and memories which are not written down, but are kept alive by word of mouth. Stories are regularly told all around us from conversations about what happened last night; memories of days gone by; traditional stories passed down; to great epics of the past. This tradition needs to be protected.
A good storyteller unleashes the listeners’ imagination and allows them to create their own vivid and memorable pictures in their head. Nowhere is this truer than with children. Children love stories and, with a little encouragement, are capable of creating their own fantastic stories. Furthermore, giving children the opportunity to not just hear, but to use their Ulster-Scots language in a creative context gives them an opportunity to gain an understanding of their language and an enthusiasm for using it. The Ulster-Scots Agency has already pioneered the use of storytelling as an educational tool with children through After School Clubs, Summer Schemes and Library week, all of which were a great success.
Stories are, of course, fundamentally about language and there is no better way of celebrating our rich Ulster-Scots tongue than through storytelling. Therefore, the Ulster-Scots Agency are holding a course for members of the community, teaching the art of storytelling, providing an opportunity to share their linguistic and cultural traditions with a wider audience.
The storytelling course has been developed and will be taught by professional storytellers, John and Noreen Hamilton, both of whom are endorsed by the Scottish Storytelling Centre. John and Noreen worked for many years delivering high quality training to a wide variety of groups in
John and Noreen believe that everyone is a storyteller, and all tell stories. This programme proposes to teach aspiring storytellers more about the structure and background of good stories. Techniques will be taught and explored which have worked for centuries as not everyone is confident about standing in front of an audience and, for many, a large group of children can be very intimidating. Professionals will help the tellers to analyse and develop their own individual style. Above all, the best guide is the chance to try storytelling in front of an audience, learning from experience will form the final part of the programme.
This year, the Ulster-Scots Agency has introduced story telling into its wide range of school and community activities and good story tellers have underpinned the success of this years summer schools, after school clubs as well as library and community days.