Seattle Storytellers meet Friday and celebrate Earth day Sunday at the Duwamish Longhouse

The Seattle Storytellers will meet Friday at The Bridge Coffeehouse at Haller Lake to share their stories. Friday, April 17 at 7:30pm.

This Story Circle is a friendly, welcoming community for both listeners and tellers. Tellers will have up to 8 minutes to tell a story.

Please practice your stories before coming so your beginning, middle and ending are clear in your mind. The evening will begin with a brief tip on preparing or telling stories to foster the ancient and intimate tradition of oral storytelling.  

Please support the Bridge Coffee House’s generous offering of their space by purchasing drinks or treats as well as contributing $2 for The Bridge Coffee House to defray their costs. The Bridge Coffee House is located at 2150 N 122nd St, Seattle 98133.  

Cynthia Westby, host and President of the Seattle Storytellers Guild, can be contacted via email for more information.

Seattle Storytellers will celebrate Earth Day with a special event at the Duwamish Longhouse on Sunday, April 19, 4705 W. Marginal Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106, 2pm

By John Wasko

Every April for oh so many years, the Seattle Storytellers Guild has helped to celebrate Earth Day with a storytelling event. This will be our 10th!

For the fourth time, we will again be gathering at the Duwamish Longhouse with both Native and non-Native tellers. Mark your calendars now for this free event, Sunday, April 19th, at 2pm.

Last year’s Earth Day Storytelling at the Duwamish Longhouse was quite wonderful. Paul Cheoketen Wagner, Allison Cox, and Blake Shelafoe delighted and moved us with their well-told tales.

And there was more: inspired by the original story told by Blake, students at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center painted a 210’ mural about the history of the Duwamish River. And then there was documentary film made about the painting of the mural! You never know how far a good story will go. Check it out here and look for the “Awaken: Community through Art” video.

This year looks to be every bit as exciting. World-class storyteller Gene Tagaban will be telling. I guess you can rightly call someone world-class, when he has performed before the Dalai Lama of Tibet and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Gene has entertained audiences at storytelling events around the country including the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee. His ancestors are Tlingit, Cherokee, and Pilipino, and he honors all of his traditions. He is one of those amazing tellers who creates an indelible memory every time you hear him. If you have seen him tell in full regalia as the raven dancer, you know what I am talking about.

Joining him will be our own Aunt Mama, Mary Anne Moorman. Our former Guild president, and transplant from Windy Gap, Virginia, Mary Anne has that uncanny knack for telling homespun stories that always go a little deeper to reveal things in a new way. Never shy about sharing a point of view, she always serves it up deliciously, southern style.

You’ll find yourself wanting second helpings. You can hear her stories regularly on KBCS-fm radio and at Starbucks in Madison Park the last Thursday evening of every month.

We will also have James Rasmussen, Duwamish tribal member and director of the Duwamish River Cleanup Earth Day Storytelling, 2015: The Tradition Continues Coalition on hand to give us a brief update on efforts to clean the Duwamish River, the federally designated toxic superfund clean-up site in our own back yard. John Wasko will again act as master of ceremonies. Tasty refreshments will be on hand. This is a free event, but donations are always welcome.