World Storytelling Day | 100 Words

Today is World Storytelling Day – a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling. 

“My father used to say that stories are part of the most precious heritage of mankind.”

― Tahir Shah, In Arabian Nights: A Caravan of Moroccan Dreams

In case you’re wondering why I have this image of a Church. It’s the Church in my ancestral village of Saligao and the place where both my grandfathers grew up.

A brilliant and extremely well-read man, my paternal grandfather lost his eyesight in his 60s. One of my favourite memories of is him telling me stories – some folklore and some other funny ones. One of these stories was about the ghost of a local village woman, Christalina, who was heartbroken and would haunt men who passed by the tree she hung around!

To this day, I can recall those stories, his voice and the animated expressions on his face. While my grandfather inspired me to read more, he also passed on to me the lovely tradition of oral storytelling. (100 Words)

“Stories are a communal currency of humanity.”

― Tahir Shah, In Arabian Nights: A Caravan of Moroccan Dreams

World Storytelling Day

Storytelling Day wasn’t always celebrated globally. The first such day was observed in Sweden in the early 1990s and was called Alla Berättares Dag, or All Narrators Day. Soon storytellers around the world picked up the holiday and it has now become a global “celebration of oral storytelling.” Each celebration since 2004 has a theme associated with it, including strong women, dreams, neighbors, water, and monsters and dragons.

Via Time and Date

Some Suggested Activities to Celebrate The Day

These are just a couple of activities shared by Waterford.org. Go here for more.

Storytelling Jar: For this activity, parents or teachers can write story prompts on strips of paper and have kids select them from a jar. These simple story starters allow kids to let their imaginations run wild while practicing oral storytelling skills.

Storytelling with Props: Adding in fun props to stories can help engage and entertain the audience. Invite kids to bring their own toys, accessories, or other props to help tell a story.