Storytelling

Why I tell stories:

It’s a warm Saturday morning in May at the Williamstown library. "And what was in the third pumpkin?" I ask the group of children seated cross-legged on the floor in front of me as we review a story I told them earlier. Seven-year-old Zachary is wide-eyed, hands trembling with anticipation. He has already told me what was in the first two pumpkins, and now, unable to contain his excitement, he exclaims, "MONEY!!" I smile. If I ever doubted the power of the story, I don’t anymore. It’s as though Zachary is no longer in a heritage building in Glengarry, but the red carpet he is sitting on has become a magic carpet and transported him to a tiny hut in a far away land, where he is fingering "gold and silver coins, so many, there is no counting them." Read more.

"I'll tell you a story About Jack a Nory And now my story's begun. I'll tell you another About Jack's brother And now my story is done." My mother, The Rhyming Mama, enjoyed verses like this, and often created bedtime stories on the spot. I also grew up listening to my father reciting epic poems in Ukrainian. I paid a tribute to him on CBC Radio's "Outfront".

What kind of stories I tell:

Folk tales and legends from the Ukrainian tradition are my specialty. I find there is a lot of wit and wisdom in these stories, and not many storytellers I know are sharing them with English-speaking audiences. If you know someone who is, please contact me. And if you are interested in finding out about sources for these tales, click on my "Resources" page. I have also been known to tell rhyming stories found in picture books, and have created a story called The Rhyming Mama which includes the verses my mother used to recite. For special events, I draw on stories from around the world to fit a particular theme.

Where I tell stories:

I have performed as a storyteller at schools, libraries and festivals in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New York State.

Upcoming appearances:

Recent appearances:

Recent appearances:

2006 La Ronge Community Christmas Concert, The Bruised Reed Saskatchewan Library Week at the La Ronge Public Library Buttons and a Blue Mirror: Stories my Baba never told me, including a reading from the anthology, Kobzar's Children: A Century of Untold Ukrainian Stories. Gordon Denny Community School, Air Ronge, SK The Magic Pumpkins SaskCulture Funding Summit, Saskatoon, SK Zhabka, The Magic Dust

2005 La Ronge Community Christmas Concert, The Miracle of the Spider Maurice Taylor Performing Arts Theatre, Tisdale, SK An evening of Ukrainian Culture E.D. Feehan Catholic High School, Saskatoon, SK Holy Family School, Saskatoon, SK A selection of Ukrainian folk tales and legends for K-8 Centennial Children's Festival, La Ronge, SK Animal, Vegetable, Magic! In celebration of World Storytelling Day: Churchill Community High School, La Ronge, SK The Birds' Gift, the legend of the origin of Ukrainian Easter Eggs

Produced in 2005 Storytelling programs available on CD exclusively for broadcast on ethnic and community radio stations: Beyond the Blue Mirror is a series of programs for radio broadcast that celebrates the rich Ukrainian oral tradition. Each program features an English telling of a traditional folk tale or legend and a related real life story, enhanced with traditional and contemporary music. Produced with the support of: and Ethnic FM CKER Radio Roger Charest Sr. Award for Broadcast & Media Arts Program Descriptions: Program 1: A Rich Man’s Greed 18:42 Introduction (Dance Five, Paris to Kyiv) Folk Tale: The Stolen Postoly Excerpt from Hutsul fantasy, Vasyl Popadiuk Real Life Story: Spring Harvest: recollections of Mike Mikolayenko Kraina Kazky, Duet Maryna Credits Program 2: A Brother in Need 18:04 Introduction (Dance Five, Paris to Kyiv) Folk Tale: The Magic Pumpkins De zhoda v rodynee, Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival Choir Real Life Story: An Unexpected Meeting: recollections of Ostap Gellner Family Harmony, Jeffrey Stephaniuk and Willie Hunchak Credits Program 3: For Eternity 18:24 Introduction (Dance Five, Paris to Kyiv) Legend: The Eternal Bride Oy u vyshnevomu sadochku, Lastiwka Choir and Orchestra Real Life Story: Michalina by Linda Mikolayenko Joy of all Sorrow, Oleksa Lozowchuk Credits

2004 Gordon Denny Community School, Air Ronge, SK The Christmas Cobwebs TD Canadian Children's Book Week The theme was Book Your Ticket to Canada, and I toured Alberta. I had the great privilege of sharing my stories at the following: Holyrood Elementary School, Edmonton Balwin Jr. High School, Edmonton Innisfail Middle School, Innisfail Rocky Mountain House Public Library, Rocky Mountain House Caroline Public Library, Caroline St. Martin's School, Edmonton Delwood Elementary School, Edmonton St. Matthew's School, Edmonton Strathcona County Library, Sherwood Park Churchill Composite High School La Ronge, SK Beyond the Blue Mirror Gordon Denny Community School Air Ronge, SK Animal, Vegetable, Magic! and Ukrainian Story Magic - Long Before Harry Potter La Ronge Public Library Small is not too little Living Sky Stories: From Prairie to Pine Storytellers of Canada/ Conteurs du Canada Annual Conference, Regina, SK A traditional Ukrainian tale as part of the day's cultural salute. St. Peter's Catholic School, Cornwall, ON Ukrainian Story Magic Lost Villages Historical Society Annual General Meeting, Long Sault, ON Moccasin Memories Rothwell-Osnabruck School Ingleside, ON Moccasin Memories, an original story from the legacy of the Lost Villages. Toronto Festival of Storytelling For Eternity, two stories about women who disappeared. The Eternal Bride, the lyrical legend of Olena, and Eternal Memory, the poignant, true story of Michalina. Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary Wisdom on Wings Stories about birds, in celebration of World Storytelling Day March 20, 2004, the first day of spring! Ingleside Library The legend of the origin of Ukrainian Easter Eggs, The Birds' Gift

2003 Ingleside Library Hallowe'en Stories: Pumpkins, a witch and a ghost! Seaway Kids' Day, Farran Park, Ingleside, ON A Rainbow of Stories "175 Book Club" Celebration Rothwell-Osnabruck School Ingleside, ON Teddy Bear Picnic, Cornwall, ON. Upper Canada Learning Centre, Eastern Child Fair Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry County Library Children's Spring Festival Imagination - to go! Stories old and new. Alexandria, Chesterville, and Long Sault, ON Manitoba Ukrainian Bilingual Schools Grade 6 Camp Winnipeg Ukrainian Story Magic -- Long before Harry Potter! South Stormont Chamber of Commerce Home & Trade Show Long Sault, ON - The Birds' Gift Upper Canada Learning Centre Child Fair, Alfred, ON Upper Canada Learning Centre Child Fair, Ingleside, ON SD&G County Library Exhibit South Stormont Seniors' Support Centre Diners' Club, Ingleside, ON - The Eternal Bride 2002 Ottawa Storytelling Festival - A Mixed Bag (with Harriet Xanthakos) Montreal Ukrainian Festival - The Magic Pumpkins and Other Stories Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival, Dauphin, MB Jubilee Summer Solstice Festival, Ingleside, ON - Royal Tales from Around the World Massena Public Library Birthday Celebrations, Massena, N.Y. - Celebrating Libraries S.D.&G. County Library Children’s Spring Festival, Finch, Iroquois and Williamstown, ON Ingleside Public Library, Ingleside, ON (various themes and occasions) St. George’s School, Long Sault, ON Cornwall Public Library, Cornwall,ON -The Mitten 2001 Storytelling Symposium, Sydney, NS - Zhabka Multi-Cultural Arts Fair, Pre Cam School, La Ronge, SK La Ronge Public Library's Mother's Day Salad Luncheon La Ronge, SK Gordon Denny School Arts Fair, Air Ronge, SK

Story Bear came with his own story seeds to the Teddy Bear Picnic. This is how some of the Grade 1 students at Gordon Denny School in 2001 saw me. Drawing above is by Becca; left, by Chad.

Workshops/Presentations:

I conducted a Storytelling Workshop for the Wild Rice Writers' Group in La Ronge, SK in 2001 and a workshop, "Storytelling Magic" for the Cornwall Encore Seniors' Education Centre in the fall of 2003.

Bookings:

I would be delighted to present a storytelling performance at your school, library, festival or other special occasion. The program can be tailored for the event and the audience. I have experience in telling stories to all ages. Or if you would like a workshop on the art of storytelling, or a keynote address on the power of stories, please contact me.

I am a member of and Saskatchewan provincial co-ordinator for Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada