Storytelling is alive and there is an attempt being made to ensure it remains part of the Barbadian community.

This was stated by Deputy Principal of Erdiston Teachers??? Training College (ETTC), Dr. Patricia Saul, before the start of the storytelling session Crick Crack, held last Saturday evening in the auditorium of the college at Pine Hill, St. Michael.

She noted that Barbados had a history in folklore which educators did not want to lose out on.

Dr. Saul said, ???These days, when we are using a lot of social media, it???s as if we are losing that old tradition that we have of storytelling in the form that we do it, and so this is an opportunity to take us back to our roots as it were and emphasise the power of language to really heighten the imagination and to redevelop creativity.???

Echoing similar sentiments was Acting Chief Education Officer, Karen Best, who pointed out that often people thought of storytelling as just for children but it was ???a powerful tool which has helped to preserve and transmit our culture???.

???Many of us would have remembered sitting around on moonlit nights to hear the sages in the village tell the stories of their past experiences??? Still there were others that inspired and encouraged us to reach for our dreams. Such was the power of folklore,??? Mrs. Best said, as she reminisced that this was long before the advent of television, video, cell phones, WhatsApp and Twitter.

The former educator was also of the view that storytelling contributed to students??? academic success and emotional well-being, adding that every culture provided rich traditions, cultures and opportunities for storytelling, and Barbados was no exception.

Crick Crack is a technique used by storytellers to establish and keep rapport with their audience. When the story teller says ???crick???, the audience response is usually ???crack??? to let them know that the listeners are with them.

The storytelling session formed part of the activities to mark Education Month and was conducted through prose, poetry, dance and music. Among the celebrated performers were DJ Simmons, Adrian ???The Bajan Green??? Green, Deanne Kennedy, and George Francis.

joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb

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