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Kathleen Kaldis

Storytelling and Oral Tradition: May Monthly Focus Reflection

Instructions: You may use books, laptops, mobile devices, the course site, written notes, the Facebook group, Google glass, etc., in order to complete this activity. ALL work should be completed in one document to turn in on Blackboard, under “Assignments.”

READ ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE BEGINNING. THERE ARE THREE PARTS (plus an extra credit opportunity).

Friendly Reminders:

·      Read instructions carefully.

·      Although none of the reflections are asking for formal essays, be sure that what you turn in is clear and legible (in other words, it has to make sense to an outside observer, not just to you).

·      AVOID SUMMARY. If asked to do something with a text, do not summarize the plot. You are writing for an audience who already knows the texts (i.e. plot, etc.). We are interested in your thought beyond that, not testing if you are able to regurgitate plot points.

Reflection 1: Primary Texts (30 points)

The start of almost every story starts with “Once upon a time…” Those few words are triggering, the words may bring you back to when you were listening to your favorite storyteller. Maybe, it might bring to you the fire swamp with rodents of unusual size waiting to Wesley to rescue you. Those four words are powerful and can bring you back to your origins, usually to when you were a kid and beginning your life. As a genealogist, I like to look at origins of records and of lineages, when it comes to the origins of storytelling, the “First Book of Moses Called Genesis” from The Bible is the great-great-great--- grandfather of the “Once upon a time…” storytelling beginning. When you hear “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Bible, Gen. 1.1) it represents some of the earliest recorded stories of humanity. The stories pass on information which may not have been scientifically explainable but satisfies the curiosities or fears people had with the unknown world.

In a previous assignment I wrote the following:

In the beginning, when God created Heaven and Earth, storytelling became a significant element in the earliest moral teachings of humanity in the second chapter of Genesis. "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens." (Bible, Gen. 2.4). In the Book of Genesis, on the Seventh Day, God created the "generations of the heavens and the earth" (Bible, Gen 2.4) which signify the stories of the creation of the universe, and everything conceived by the Creator. From the beginning, storytelling has been a part of life, the universe, and everything. Storytelling has the power to heal, entertain, alter history, and correct the mistakes of the past; it can make the invisible visible again, empower the disenfranchised, and so much more.

It is interesting to note the similarities in the prefixes of Genesis and Generations. The etymology of the prefix "gene-" means to give birth. Every story is born, and the more the narrator shares the story, the more the story becomes a living entity. Storytelling is a multifaceted cycle; within the stories are visions and the voices of the past, present, and future, depending on the passing of the baton transfer so that those stories echo through time. Each time the story is shared, a new dimension is added or taken away by the narrator, which in turn adds immortality to the narrator as well as the original Creator of the story. Storytelling also marks rites of passage, transitioning younger listeners to elders sharing the stories of their youth. The larger-than-life characters or events become exaggerated over time and become something people want to share with others.

Learning about other origin stories from different cultures, even some cultures which were isolated from the other was fascinating. Elements of the “First Book of Moses Called Genesis” from The Bible permeated within many of the stories. So, in essence, "these are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens." (Bible, Gen. 2.4). The origins of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden letting their curiosity getting the better of them, is just another human trait. The sinners of the world are as old as time. The dysfunctional family dynamics in Noah’s family, is no different than my crazy family. The best stories are timeless and relatable. Once upon a time there was a God/Creator (agnostic interpretation) who created all of the stories of mankind for eternity.

Reflection 2: Your Podcast (30 points)

Think about your podcast episode. Reflect on how it demonstrates storytelling and oral tradition. Then…

1)    What will your audience learn about storytelling as a result of listening. This might be explicit (something you actually discuss) or implicit (something that

2)    Write a short blurb for your podcast. Think of this as the advertisement description for your podcast (in fact, it may get used for that!).

What Will My Audience Learn?

In my podcast, I Kid You Not! Every Voice Has a Story! episode, I educated the audience about the value of sharing and documenting family stories, but I also highlighted that the art of listening was important to the storytelling process. I drew from the master of story collector, Studs Terkel. He understood that for every person, there is a story. AND, for every great story, is a great listener. You cannot have one without the other. Listening and storytelling are the Yin and Yang of each other. When the storyteller is sharing, the interviewer is listening. When the stories are silent, the narrator starts a dialogue to start a conversation, a conversation between two people. That is how you capture the tall tales hidden in every family tree.

In addition, I was able to draw on my experience as a genealogist to highlight the significance to finding the stories in the voices of our relatives as lasting legacies and gifts for future generations. Stories can pass on important cultural or ethnic information which is necessary for the passing down of traditions such as religious practices, enslavement, or immigration stories. I also added some personal “I Kid You NOT!” vignettes as transitionary pieces to show how easy it is to think of stories. Stories do not have to be long to be memorable. Stories can be a few sentences. It is important for interviewers and narrators to be on the lookout for those great vignettes in every family.

There are also great conversation starters. I speak about how photographs, war medals, and other objects are neutral topics that get the warm the atmosphere for storytelling and sharing. Remember storytelling is all about sharing and listening.

Short Blurb About My Podcast:

I Kid You Not! Every Voice Has a Story! Learn about life in the dark ages. There was a time when kids played outside, and parents had no idea which backyard was the kickball field. There was a time when the whole town was connected to the same phone line. There have been four events in recent history that everyone who was alive at the time, remembers exactly what and where they were when the world stopped: the assignation of John F. Kennedy, when every school kid watched “their” teacher and the other astronauts die in the Challenger disaster, the awful morning of 11 September 2001, and when the COVID lockdowns started. Anyone who has been alive for any of those events have stories to share. Learn how to capture those stories for your children.

Reflection 3: Learning Outcomes Reflection (40 points)

Reread the learning outcomes of the course (that are on the syllabus and assignments) listed below.

1) For EACH (all 5) outcome, write a reflection that you feel best describes what you have learned in this class.

2) After doing so, add three (3) additional statements that you feel are individual outcomes you have achieved in this course. Be serious. For those additional three (3) outcomes, briefly discuss each one individually. Begin your three individual statements with, “I learned to…”

At the end of this course, successful students will be able to:

·      recognize and articulate the value and benefits of studying storytelling and oral tradition;

o   This learning objective was an easy one for me. In my professional life, this is what I do. In my family, we have been proud of some of the magical fairy stories and tall tales; but, we are also proud of the everyday kinfolk who are living their daily lives. For example, my great-great-grandmother. She and her husband had a newspaper delivery business in Dorchester, one of the South Boston neighborhoods. They would deliver the newspapers on horseback. When her husband died fairly young, she continued to deliver newspapers on her horse until she could no longer ride. As an Irish-Catholic family living in Boston during that time, that was pretty amazing. This was during the “Irish need not apply time.” Stories about everyday life is something that the younger generations have a hard time understanding. It is important to know that there was life before cars and personal scooters.

·      identify and analyze the textual, historical, and cultural contexts of storytelling and oral traditions from various geographical locations and chronological time periods;

o   This was the best part of the class. Learning about some of the earliest stories for Africa, Japan, Iceland, and the Mayan cultures were so interesting. Each of the stories resonated with me. I know many people who are spearheading efforts to interview the remaining griots in Africa and documenting the oral genealogy stories for future generations. The race is on, and time is of the essence, so as I read Sundiata, the story seemed so real because these stories continue to this day. Growing up, reading was one of my weaknesses, but mythology helped to connect the dots. I could see mythology because of how all the characters fit together, there is a family tree. The Prose Edda included some of the mythology that I love about the Nordic mythology but also adds an Icelandic element. The story that fascinated me the most was The Tale of the Heike, and yet it is also the one that I understood the least. The stories were so multifaceted, I had to take each little vignette as a separate story. The cultural layers to the tale went beyond Japan, other cultures can be found within the stories. Cultures such as Chinese and English permeated into the stories. I wish we had more time to explore The Tale of the Heike, I do not feel as if I did the stories justice by all of the questions I had. Personally, I was so glad that you invited Kai Fay to share additional information about the cultural context that I was lacking when I read the stories. The presentation greatly helped to pull together some of the themes necessary to understand enough to have confidence to ask the right questions.

·      produce artifacts of oral tradition in order to communicate what they have learned and to educate others;

o   May I say that the wall is the BEST artifact produced for the class. “I Kid You Not! I am old enough that most of my primary and middle school education was “old school.” Dick and Jane were still a part of my curriculum and that also meant that teachers used to teach sentence graphing. Having the ability to visually analyze the stories through graphing and mind-mapping was a great way to pull out details within the stories. It did not matter whether the stories were shared by classmates or pulling the details of the stories read through the written texts used during the semester. Every classroom needs a mind-mapping wall.

·      develop their insights effectively through written and/or oral communication, particularly via a podcast and collaborative classroom site;

o   When I originally looked at the syllabus and saw that we would have to produce a podcast, my heart jumped a few beats. I did not think I could do it. However, each step along the way was manageable and worked. Once I got started, the hardest thing was to not think like a “professional” but think like a “storyteller/story-collector.” I plan on incorporating this into a one-hour lecture for my business but am thrilled with how it came out.

·      identify the steps of the research process and apply information literacy skills in a variety of contexts.

o   Returning to school after over 30 years was a difficult transition. I applied for school on a whim back in November. The biggest hurdle for me was to switch from genealogical writing, back to academic writing. Renewing my understandings of the MLA citation style was the biggest hurdle for me. In my professional life, I am a researcher. The Genealogical world has strict research standards, and as a Forensic Genealogist who works within the court systems, my research standards must meet the legal standards set by the states that I work in. Quotations and facts in genealogical writing presents differently, so dovetailing quotations into my academic writing was choppy. Refining my literacy skills was the biggest stride for me this semester. I appreciate all that you did to help me adjust to a fish-out-of-water situation.

Extra Credit Opportunity (up to 10 points)

Throughout the semester, we have often discussed issues of representation in various types of storytelling and oral tradition. These discussions have included, but not been limited to, how and why certain stories do not get told and/or how and why stories get revised. After working and thinking through this course, what is your current position on representation in and of storytelling and oral tradition? Be thorough and clear, and use specific examples where possible and appropriate.

Wow great question! I am stumped on how to answer, but I think I will share what seems fitting.

May Their Memory Be Eternal

The Greek culture has a saying and blessing when someone passes away, which is the quintessential reason why storytelling is so important. “May Their Memory Be Eternal.” The Greek culture has a saying and blessing when someone passes away, which is the quintessential reason why storytelling is so important. “May Their Memory Be Eternal.” It is meant to be a statement and not a question. In very simplistic terms, ecclesiastically, the dearly departed will be remembered by God in heaven and as a soul remembered by God in the heaven, the departed has entered eternal life.[1] Living bodies and living memories are two separate factors. Everyone is going to die, but does a person really die if people are still remembering them? Sharing is also a way to share essential elements of your culture, heritage, and family members who came before you with future generations. In essence, storytelling perpetuates the cycle and keeps the memories alive for as long as the stories are of interest to others. The more memorable, the more likely the stories will be shared long after you are gone.

Every voice has a story. In the words of Studs Terkel: “People are hungry for stories. It’s part of our very being. Storytelling is a form of history, of immortality, too. It goes from one generation to another

[1] Please note: I am not an expert, so this is an observational simplistic view of the meaning of the Greek Orthodox Blessing.

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STOTMay Monthly Focus Reflection Spring 2023_edited kdk (1)

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Play by play- the story of Chahnameed’s wife

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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My Monthly Focus!

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Monthly Focus_ Significance of Storytelling

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Jay K.

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Significance of Storytelling- Clayton Perior

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Significance of Storytelling- Clayton Perior

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alright i'm going to bed now

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Significance of Storytelling ~Cecelia Simion

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Significance of Storytelling ~Cecelia Simion

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Significance of Storytelling - Nick Castillo

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Significance of Storytelling - Nick Castillo

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Significance of Storytelling - Kathleen Kaldis

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Significance of Storytelling - Kathleen Kaldis

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Kathleen Kaldis

Significance of Storytelling

The significance of storytelling is a fundamental element that humans alone are uniquely programmed and equipped to share. The act of sharing stories is a part of human nature and makes humans – human. Other species may have the ability to vocalize but are not capable of having the specific ability to remember and draw from that memory to create or share stories.

The ability to share stories rests solely with humans. Stories create deep interpersonal connections within families, communities, and cultures. Stories are told and shared in a bonding manner. The narrator must have something to give, and the listener must be interested enough to receive the message. There is a giving and a receiving, a gift given, and a gift shared. Storytelling is an existential element of the overall human experience; however, there is something equally important, the characters. A story without characters is just letters or words. The characters are the glue to the events, places, things, and, most notably, the people. "Once someone gets a taste of a real story told well in real-time, it is like The Wizard of Oz when it turns from black and white to color." (Abbott)

The transference of memories is essential to the overall intrinsic make-up of our ancestral past; storytelling enables us as humans to be, in a way, immortal. Waubgeshig Rice referred to storytelling as "only the beginning, and not the end, as it has been in Anishinaabe culture since time immortal." (Rice)

Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Those all too familiar phrases, Once upon a time… or It was a dark and stormy night… are the beginnings of many stories. Those phrases initiate the listener to the creative or emotional journey which is about to unfold.

In the beginning, when God created Heaven and Earth, storytelling became a significant element in the earliest moral teachings of humanity in the second chapter of Genesis. "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens." (Bible, Gen. 2.4). In the Book of Genesis, on the Seventh Day, God created the "generations of the heavens and the earth" (Bible, Gen 2.4) which signify the stories of the creation of the universe, and everything conceived by the Creator. From the beginning, storytelling has been a part of life, the universe, and everything. Storytelling has the power to heal, entertain, alter history, and correct the mistakes of the past; it can make the invisible visible again, empower the disenfranchised, and so much more.

It is interesting to note the similarities in the prefixes of Genesis and Generations. The etymology of the prefix "gene-" means to give birth. Every story is born, and the more the narrator shares the story, the more the story becomes a living entity. Storytelling is a multifaceted cycle; within the stories are visions and the voices of the past, present, and future, depending on the passing of the baton transfer so that those stories echo through time. Each time the story is shared, a new dimension is added or taken away by the narrator, which in turn adds immortality to the narrator as well as the original Creator of the story. Storytelling also marks rites of passage, transitioning younger listeners to elders sharing the stories of their youth. The larger-than-life characters or events become exaggerated over time and become something people want to share with others.

Unfortunately, not all stories are gifts. Too often, "his-story" is in the eye of the narrator, and that narration usually and conveniently omits the stories of the subaltern or diminutive voices. The omissions in stories signify and highlight the oppression and injustices of the world. Narrators use the narrative to control the dignity of the underrepresented people in the stories. The absence of existence from within the stories does not translate into the non-existence of those characters. Frequently, what is not stated or shared within the stories is just as important as what was shared. Biases from the narrator, both hidden and overt, portray specific agendas and manipulations. Understanding the narrator becomes the key to making the invisible – visible.

"Human life is so bound up in stories that we are thoroughly desensitized to their weird and witchy power." (Gottshall 1) Humanity comes in all shapes, sizes, and experiences. The stories highlight humanity's good, bad, and ugly sides. One cannot rewrite the past, but maybe sharing the stories of the past and new narratives will reshape the unique human experience.

Works Cited

Abbott, Alysia. “In a digital era, live storytelling is bringing people closer together: From our living rooms to public stages, we can’t seem to get enough.” GlobeMagazine. 7 March 2018. Web. 15 January 2023.

Gottschall, Jonathan. The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.

Holy Bible. King James Version. Study Bible, full color edition. Thomas Nelson, 2013.

Rice, Waubgeshig. “Why it’s important not to lose oral storytelling.” GlobeandMail. Special to the Glove and Mail. 16 October 2020. Web. 15 January 2023.

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Significance of Storytelling- Trinity Erlandson

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Significance of Storytelling- Trinity Erlandson

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Storytelling/Oral Tradition - Course Reflection

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Assignment Outcome Students will be able to articulate the progress they have made on the course learning outcomes. Relevant Course Outcomes Students will be able to recognize and articulate the value and benefits of studying storytelling and oral tradition. Students will be able to identify and

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Assignment Outcome Students will be able to apply readings from Unit 1 to their own personal thoughts. Relevant Course Outcomes Students will be able to identify and analyze the textual, historical, and cultural contexts of storytelling and oral traditions from various geographical locations and

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Select one of the topics (below) before class on the deadline listed on the Course Schedule .

Research this topic: a starting place is provided for some of them below.

Decide how you want to present the information you have learned about your topic: in writing, in video, or in audio (or another as approved by Dr. T).

You may use any device/program/app (suggest Word for writing, YouTube for video) to create a mini-lesson about your topic. Whatever format you choose, it must be EASILY shareable with the entire class.

Include citations to your research in some way (with the writing, on a slide in the video, in a separate doc, etc.).

You will turn in your assignment through email to Dr. T (mainly because there will be different formats, and it might not be easy to turn them in another way).

You may choose to be as creative (or not) as you like.

It may simply be you "lecturing" or you may choose a different method.

You may use any appropriate props or other visuals that you like (particularly if you know how to edit your video/audio to include them or how to include images with your writing).

Possible Topics (no more than two people per topic):

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Storytelling/Oral Tradition - Griots, Hip Hop, and Orality

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Assignment Outcome
Students will be able to apply concepts of storytelling and oral tradition.
Relevant Course Outcomes
Students will be able to identify and analyze the textual, historical, and cultural contexts of storytelling and oral traditions from various geographical locations and

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Throughout Unit 1, we have discussed the significance of studying storytelling and oral tradition. We have read the thoughts of others and discussed specific studies that speak to the relevance of storytelling.

Hopefully, at this point, you have formed some ideas about the importance of what we are studying in this course. It is time then to articulate these ideas. Considering everything we have discussed as well as your own thoughts on the subject, you will now create a Significance of Storytelling.

Decide how you want to present your Significance of Storytelling: in writing, in video, or in audio (or another as approved by Dr. T).

You may use any device/program/app (suggest Word for writing, YouTube for video). Whatever format you choose, it must be EASILY shareable.

Whatever method you choose, it should be equal in work to 500 words minimum of writing.

Provide a significant explanation and reasoning.

You should use quotations (cited in MLA style) from at least 3 materials from the Course Schedule up to this point. Thus, you should provide a (in MLA style). Works Cited

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Storytelling/Oral Tradition - Significance of Storytelling

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Assignment Outcome
Students will be able to apply readings from Unit 1 to their own personal thoughts.
Relevant Course Outcomes
Students will be able to recognize and articulate the value of studying storytelling and oral tradition.
Students will be able to develop their insights effectively

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Click the plus sign button at the bottom of the Monthly Focus column to which you are responding.
REMINDER: be sure to include your name with all posts to receive credit.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECORD A VIDEO OR AUDIO, go to the end of the column to which you are responding. Click the plus sign to create a new post.  Click the ellipsis  (...) next to the camera icon, and it will give you a list of options. You can, for instance, film a video, record your voice, or capture your screen.