During Its Own Month,
Storytelling is Everywhere

By Shams Tarek

April is National Storytelling Month, and the tradition is alive and well in Southeast Queens.

While the Queens Public Library holds storytelling events at its branches on an almost weekly basis, and has added a few special events commemorating the act all April long, the month’s unofficial homecoming happened last weekend, when members of an area senior center told their own stories to a small Saturday afternoon audience at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL).

The four seniors from the Theodora Jackson Adult Center, born between 1914 and 1935, told both ancient stories from African folklore as well as more modern ones from their own personal histories.

“We are very blessed to have these stories,” said Harlem storytelling expert Linda Humes, who led the seniors in a five-week workshop that culminated in last week’s performance.  “For those of us lucky enough to have our grandparents, we can learn from their words of wisdom.”

In light of the ongoing war in Iraq, Humes decided to ask the seniors to talk about their experiences with war as their personal stories.

Vilma Brown Nurse, a 68-year-old from St. Albans, described World War II’s effect on the people of Aruba, where she was in 1945, as permanent and painful.

She described a time when she was just a little girl whose parents chose to keep the family at home instead of hiding in the mountains like most others did.  As the Germans torpedoed six Dutch ships in her island’s harbor, her house rocked and fear was struck in her heart forever.

“No matter what people tell you,” Nurse said, “war leaves scars.”

Kathleen Freeman, a 69-year-old from Far Rockaway, had a sweeter story.

Even though she had two brothers fighting in the war, food was rationed with stamps and “we were told not to eat the meat because we were getting horse meat—but we ate it anyway,” the ultimate outcome of the war for Freeman was love.

She met a soldier here in Queens who soon became her husband, she said.  After he shipped off to and returned from a tour of Italy, she said, he told her “All the women were crying because they wanted to come back with me.”

“So he told me I’m lucky that he came back to me,” Freeman said.

The JCAL event, held April 12, also featured plenty of song in between the stories, and a lot of African hand drumming during them.

The drummer, a cheerful, dreadlocked 46-year-old man from Trinidad and Tobago who goes by the name Sanga of the Valley, expanded the definition of storytelling.  Before leading an interactive session in which the audience mimicked the sound of drums with their voices, Sanga explained that drums are not only an integral part of the storytelling tradition, but they can stand alone in the act, too.

“Drums speak different languages,” Sanga said in the melodic and rhythmic way of a poet.  “Voice has become the new drum.”

Sanga noted that drums are made with elements of the Earth, like wood from trees and skins from animals, allowing them to have stories living inside them.

But drums aren’t the only non-prose way for stories to be told.

In a question-and-answer session after the presentation, Humes talked about how stories can be told through quilts and song.

Sanga noted that modern storytelling has had a renaissance starting with the emergence of hip-hop and rap music.

“Hip-hop basically came about to tell the stories of today,” Sanga said.  “Hip-hop is the latest extension of storytelling.”

Jackson Adult Center director Ruth Brown, sitting in the audience, noted comedians like Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor being storytellers first and joke-tellers second.

“Some of the best comedy in the world is storytelling,” Brown said.

John Watusi Branch, director of the Afrikan Poetry Theatre, said that even though he’s not having any events directly in honor of Storytelling Month at his organization, much of his programming is about the act.

“Our theme is the power of the word and our logo is the spider and the web,” Branch said.  “We consider the activities at the Afrikan Poetry Theatre being storytellers weaving tales.”

The Theatre routinely hosts lecturers and poets, including open-mic nights during which much of the song and spoken word is about people telling the stories they want to tell.

Branch, who called storytelling “a broad concept,” expanded the definition even further.  He said that dance, even without music, is a form of storytelling.

“A lot of people see African drama and dance and they don’t see the stories,” Branch said.  “These are not just dances.  It’s all a story.  It’s the ritual theater.”

Upcoming Events
For National Storytelling Month

Monday, April 21
‘Fantastic Flights’

Actress Ann Coppola will lead kids ages five to 10 in acting out a few stories from Aesop’s Fables and a modern tale of a friendly, helpful dolphin.  The performance will include movement, sound and props.

It will take place at 1:30 p.m. at the Peninsula Branch of the Queens Public Library, at 92-25 Rockaway Beach Blvd., Rockaway Beach.  Call (718) 634-1110 for more information.

Tuesday, April 22
Native American Folktales

Storyteller Bobby Gonzalez will talk about the food, dress, art and value systems of North and South American native tribes.

He’ll also show examples of Native American art, musical instruments and food.

Preregistration is required for the 3:30 p.m. event, at the South Ozone Park Branch of the Queens Public Library at 128-16 Rockaway Blvd.  Call (718) 529-1660 for more information.  

Wednesday, April 23
Spanish Play

The Hispanic performance group Taller de Actores y Fabulas will perform a play in Spanish that translates into “Carmela and Ramon Discover Their Heart.”

For those who don’t speak Spanish, the show should challenge the storytelling abilities of non-verbal communication like body language and facial expressions.

At 4 p.m. at the Central Library, at 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica.  Call (718) 990-0700 for more information.  

Thursday, April 24
Native American Folktales

Storyteller Bobby Gonzalez will repeat his performance of Native American folktales at the South Hollis Branch of the Queens Public Library at 4 p.m. at 204-01 Hollis Ave.

See the listing above or call (718) 465-6779 for more information.  

Saturday, April 26
Celebrating Grandparents

Author Elaine McGrowder will read from her book, “Millennium of Grandparents,” which features essays by Jamaican students honoring the diverse roles their grandparents play in their lives.

The audience, including kids and grandkids, is also invited to share stories.

The event will happen at 2 p.m. in the Central Library, located at 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica. Call (718) 990-0700 for more information.  

Tuesday, April 29
‘The Magical Castle of Now’

Kids ages five to 10 are invited to the Baisley Park Branch of the Queens Public Library to join the Mighty Action Racket troupe for “magical stories, rhymes, dances and songs, creating fantastic visible/invisible pictures in a fast-paced, interactive storytelling performance.”

Preregistration is required for the 4 p.m. event at 117-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica. Call (718) 529-1590 for more information.