Monday, November 28, 2011

Gifts Mundane and Momentous

The Storytellers Circle of Halifax presents

GIFTS MUNDANE AND MOMENTOUS

Stories of things given and received,
tangible and intangible

Thursday, December 8, 7-8:30 pm

Upstairs at Just Us! Cafe
5896 Spring Garden Road, corner of Carleton
www.justuscoffee.com

What is the greatest, or least, gift you have received?
Have you, with the best of intentions, given something that turned out ALL WRONG?
What stories do you know of gifts, real or magical,that come with unexpected obligations or consequences?
Come and hear our stories of giving and receiving, of memorable holiday gifts, or unsolicited gifts of kindness.

Feel free to offer your own story, personal or traditional,or come just to listen and remember.

Always open to the public, to tell or to listen.

Anytime after 6:30; stories start at 7:00.

Contact: Linda Winham
lwinham88@hotmail.com
storytellingnovascotia.blogspot.com

The Storytellers Circle:
Where listeners relax while the tellers are bold
When tales are not read, just wondrously told.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

WTF: What The Folk! celebrates WOMEN & GIRLS!!

The Helen Creighton Folklore Society Presents:
 
WTF: What The Folk! celebrates WOMEN & GIRLS!!
folksongs . folktales . folkcraft . folklore

Friday, November 25th
6:30pm Gathering and grabba cuppa
7:00 - 8:30pm – Performances
Just Us Cafe, 5896 Spring Garden Road
 
Our theme this week is
GIRLS & WOMEN!!


“ WHERE HAVE ALLTHE COWBOYS GONE?” It was Race Day and Paula was puzzled. Tracy revved the engine of her FAST CAR and waited BEHIND THE WALL for the others to show up. “Those boys are just playin’ FOOLISH GAMES tryin’ to make us lose our edge,” moaned Jewel.

“YOU OUGHTA KNOW,” smirked Alanis who secretly believed every one of them but her was a BARBIE GIRL. “What we need is a little R.E.S.P.E.C.T starting right here, right now,” roared Aretha. “She’s such a GOOD MOTHER,” stated Jann ardently.

As if on cue, the boys arrived pushing their car. “Sorry. Engine trouble.”
“I’M GONNA BE AN ENGINEER,” announced Peggy proudly. “I’ll take a look inside.” She made a few quick adjustments and the car was ready.

The boys peeled off. The girls erupted in a fit of giggles as Peggy described her mechanical prowess. ”CRAZY ON YOU!“ squealed Ann.

Way down the road THE CAR WITH NO BRAKES was nearing the creek as the now hysterical girls launched into a robust rendition of I’M GONNA WASH THAT MAN because as everyone knows… GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN J
 

Format: Open mike unplugged. Cost: free will donation 
If you are free on Friday, please join us. Tell your friends and family. 
The space is cozy, the coffee is great and the fun is contagious!
 
Yours in folk,
Host/co-ordinators: Margo Carruthers 425-3828, Cindy Campbell 466-0157
 
WTF: What the Folk! meets, same time and place , every second and fourth Friday of the month.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Telling Tales Once Again!

The Storytellers Circle of Halifax and Friends will be telling tales again at Just Us Cafe on Spring Garden Road in Halifax.
6:30 grabba cuppa, 7pm stories start.
Thursday, November 10th!

All welcome!

The Storytellers Circle of Halifax meets on the 2nd Thursday of every month.
Continuing the Oral Tradition of Storytelling and celebrating this ancient art form in the 21st century.

Halifax Explosion Walking Tours

Hi all - I have been wanting to do this for several years now .Beginning on Monday Nov 14 and running daily through to Dec 5th I will be hosting Halifax Explosion talking/walking tours around various sites in the north end...11, 1 and 3 daily – weather permitting; talking about the lead up to the explosion, the aftermath, some of the personal stories of survivors and heroes, as well as touching on the widely believed sabotage story and some unanswered questions...approximately 90 minutes – $10.00 per person...I have been studying and writing about the Halifax Explosion since the mid 1990s now and have a lot of stories and information to share...For details and booking times – 902 – 406 – 5461 or by email or Facebook...Dress warmly, bring good shoes and an eager mind...Please spread the word for me – it would be a great help...No minimum – but a maximum of ten people per tour.
Dave Stone
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Ghostly Gala Reviewed

Fires popped and distant screams cut through the darkness as storytellers bowed over their gas-lit lanterns on Wednesday night. The annual Ghostly Gala at the Cole Harbor Heritage Farm Museum beckons one and all to hear the Storytellers Circle of Halifax tell ghoulish tales. The event, which has taken place on the farm for more than five years, was followed by hot chocolate and cookies in the museum’s Rose and Kettle Tea Room.

Stories took place in three different 20-minute stations, leaving spectators to venture through the old empty farm grounds to arrive at their destinations. The farm consists of a blacksmith’s hut, a barn, and an old farmhouse from Cole Harbor, which was transferred to the site in the 1970’s. According to the museum’s director, the farm still operates vegetable gardens and livestock from May until October.

An old barn door crashes open with the breeze as Cindy Campbell draws her cape tighter around her neck and continues her frightening tale. Campbell, who is the president of Storytellers of Canada, has been a professional storyteller for more than ten years.

“They make me happy, it’s a shared experience,” Campbell said over hot chocolate.“The nicest thing about hearing and telling stories is it’s never the same thing twice.”

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Campbell’s love of stories began at a very young age with her interest in stories of her family history and community.

“I would sit in the corner of the kitchen and listen to the grown-ups talk; I just absorbed the stories,” Campbell said.

Lately, Campbell has been noticing the tradition of oral storytelling is losing the recognition it once had as an art form, and the industry is becoming less acknowledged in the public eye.

“I wonder if we’re missing out on the power of the storytelling,” she says.

Nancy Muzzatti, who loves to tell any type of story, says that her spooky repertoire is a combination of collected and real-life stories. As a member of the Storytellers Circle of Halifax, she says that the group holds monthly meetings at the Just Us Café on Spring Garden Road.

“They’re usually very good about it, they let us take over the whole space,” Muzzatti said.

Cindy Campbell’s blog is titled Story Telling Nova Scotia and informs readers all about the storytelling events going on in the area.

Hannah Witherbee
King's Journalism
Dalhousie University