Story of the week – Telling Stories: a way to preserve indigenous history.

10 mins to read

Telling Stories: a way to preserve indigenous history.

By Philippa Hadlow 

Do you remember a time when your mum used to tell you bedtime stories? She might have read them from a favourite fairy tale book – one that she’d delved into over and over again. Or she might’ve made them up as she went along, embellishing bits here and there, adding intrigue, drama, and flights of fancy. She might’ve spoken wistfully about her own childhood and given you mindful snapshots of the way she was brought up; her culture and the traditions that formed the woman she became. 

You would’ve lain there, safe and warm, as you listened intently, focused on your mum’s familiar voice. Your heart would have been open, and your body relaxed as your imagination was freed to wander and expand, to digest and interpret, to explore and soar.  

Listening to the spoken word in whatever context it’s presented can be one of the most transformational aspects of life’s journey. Oral narrative can hold you spellbound; it can excite and persuade. It’s a way to absorb ideas, feed the mind, and shape destiny.

Why?