Book Café hosts UK storytellers

By Entertainment Writer (Daily News)   

Wednesday, 20 July 2011 17:23

HARARE - On Tuesday evening, the Book Café hosts storytellers from the United Kingdom  — James Robinson and Lillian Nalumansi —who are on a tour of southern Africa.

The event which is organised once a month was established to give storytellers a space where they can perform the art and establish it as a professional discipline.

This month’ event will present a diverse approach with the visitors performing stories of different cultures and also use instruments.

On this early evening event there will be wonderful stories suitable for the whole family that include Ugandan folk tales, Ghanaian Ananse stories and Zimbabwean storytellers.

On Monday, from 2pm, James and Lillian will facilitate a storytelling workshop for local artists involved in the art.

The two and a half hour long workshop will look at various aspects in storytelling which will be of importance to the development of the art in Zimbabwe as well as developing personal skills in the artists.

Pamberi Trust projects officer Extra–Blessings Kuchera who is organising the storytelling, said: “We look forward to welcoming James and Lillian to The Book Café who will perform very interesting and diverse stories.

“The two events are free and all people are welcome.  Storytelling in Zimbabwe is sometimes less prominent in the public eye, whereas it is equally important as the other artistic disciplines.

“This is a platform for those who love storytelling to come together, listen, tell stories, develop and support it,” he said.

The Story Telling Open Mic event was born out of the House of Hunger Poetry Slam in January 2009 in response to a call from poets, writers and story tellers.

The event which is growing involves an average number of 10 artists who perform monthly and also attracts upcoming story tellers who get an opportunity to expose their talent and stories to an audience which is intrigued and excited by different performances.

Stories are an important component of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

http://www.dailynews.co.zw/index.php/entertainment/37-entertainment/3380-book-cafe-hosts-uk-storytellers.html