What People Have Done for Thousands of Years

ATLANTA, Georgia—"Adults are afraid to tell stories," said Linda Martin, "Afraid of judgement. Children are so easy because they want to be entertained. They are so giving of their hearts. And so forgiving."

Martin mentors new storytellers. A polished performer and speaker, she fears no audience. But she knows many people do fear public speaking. Her love of traditional culture moved her to teach others how to tell folktales. She creates a safe space in which novice tellers develop skills. Her gentle approach was inspired by her own mentor, storytelling coach Doug Lipman.

Ghanaian Story Hats

She created a storytelling manual: "When I started telling stories many years ago, I was also making beaded jewelry. I found myself fascinated by the stories and the histories of the different types of beads: African trade beads, Chinese cloisonné, faceted cobalt blue beads from Russia… I read about the story hats from Ghana. These were hats with charms hung around the brim as mnemonic devices—a listener would select an item and the storyteller would tell the tale associated with it. I had my "Aha!" moment."

Good Rewarded with Good

Martin began inviting storytellers to make story bracelets using beads to signify different traditional tales. On the day we met, she shared a bracelet which included an Austrian crystal to signify "Diamonds and Toads," about a courteous, overworked, kind girl who is rewarded by a fairy who causes diamonds and pearls to fall from her mouth when she speaks. Her lazy, unkind sister tries to recreate the magic event, but her poor character leads her to scold the fairy, and the fairy makes toads and frogs fall from her mouth when she speaks. It might be called instant karma.

A story bracelet. Linda Martin began inviting storytellers to make bracelets as mnemonic devices. (Mary Silver/The Epoch Times)

Martin found the bracelets to be such powerful icebreakers that even those who thought they could not tell stories would begin sharing family anecdotes, jokes and memories while they worked. She said many of her fellow teachers and librarians told her they felt they did not know where to start. To meet the need, she wrote The Story Bracelet tm manual, which comes with a brightly colored bracelet of beads from around the world. Some bracelets have 200 year old Afghan silver barrel shaped beads for Middle Eastern stories, star beads for constellation myths, glass frogs, three in a row for the Billy Goats Gruff, strawberries, or fat beans to evoke Jack and his magical Beanstalk. The book includes classic stories and tips on physical and vocal techniques.

Mentor Linda Martin helps other teachers and librarians gain the confidence to tell stories. (Mary Silver/The Epoch Times)

Human Contact

When she has taught workshops with the book, she's seen people develop performance moxie. One of her adult students said "I used to be scared of telling stories, but now I'm not scared." Said Martin, "Several of them told me that, and I knew I had been successful. We're still doing that same thing people have done for thousands of years—that human contact."

If you'd like to know more, please contact lindamartin423@gmail.com or see www.lindamartin.us.