The Art of Storytelling

314 Words2 Pages
Storytelling? What is storytelling? Storytelling may be defined as a form of communication which is used around the world to portray messages or historical remembrance or views. Storytelling may be told in different forms such as dance, drama, song, etc. The importance of storytelling is that it helps speak of our Caribbean history. It brings us together and binds humanity. . In many ancient cultures, there was neither literacy nor even a written language. In such cultures, the story-teller fulfilled a crucial role, informing the public by giving the news, announcing the major events, providing the information the king or royal family wanted transmitted. Some story-tellers also filled a religious function, explaining the religion's basic beliefs through relating the adventures of the gods or goddesses. Story-tellers were in some way like today's mass media: they could entertain, they could inform, they could explain, they could transmit the culture's myths and treasured stories from one generation to the next. And because they did these things in an engaging and interesting manner, people paid attention and learned. They produce experiences: Experiences leave lasting impressions. They go far deeper than facts, figures and features. And by creating a story-based experience, you cause your audience to walk away with an impression of your brand that doesn’t rest on the precarious edges of their minds but sits deeper in their hearts. Even today, in a culture that does have literacy, people are affected differently when they read a story, as opposed to when the story is read to them or acted out by a story-teller. Thus, the person who can tell the stories (whether on stage, as a TV or radio personality, or even in the classroom) is educating a new generation while maintaining continuity with past generations. As I have stated story telling is very
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