I was born and raised in Thunder Bay, in northern Ontario, Canada, in what was once Port Arthur and Fort William, also referred to as the Twin Cities, or the Lakehead.

Growing up in a small community in Port Arthur, my family included an immigrant Scottish father, Italian grandfather, Liverpudlian/ Irish grandmother, and many Ukrainians, Polish, Finnish, German, and Ojibwe First Nations friends. As a young child, I began unintentionally mimicking accents and needed speech therapy. I refer to this “twisted tongue” in some of my preambles!

Music and storytelling in my childhood home were strong. My father played accordion, and neighbours came by often with their instruments in tow. We had a wonderful old player piano that belonged to my mother’s Irish granny. Raised voices and laughter frequently filled the house. My parents spontaneously recited rhymes and poems to me and my five siblings and told us about their lives and experiences. Music was a huge saviour for them as veterans of WWII. The radio was on constantly. They would sing, dance, and tell the back story of the music or relay an event they were reminded of.

Three of my siblings were talented, self-taught musicians. I sang, danced, and performed on stage in amateur community variety shows, and we created backyard shows with friends. We displayed leaves, rocks, fool’s gold, and amethyst found on the railway tracks that were being transferred by rail from local mines. I still have a chunk of that fool’s gold!

We sold popcorn and Kool-Aid to our eager audience of neighbours, parents, and siblings. No family had fewer than four children, with an average of six, so the yard was full. One francophone family on our street had eleven children! They had a housekeeper named Mrs. Mogg.

My sister, who was three years younger, remembered me gathering children to listen to stories in the park. Apparently, I dramatized telling Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, and made-up stories with them. My parents said I was born singing “like a wee bird.” I do remember little children knocking on my door to ask if I could come out to play.

Although many families were poor post-WWII, our community was fortunate to have playground supervisors who inspired the arts and creativity. Outdoor skating rinks and swimming pools, rivers, streams, and lakes were free and within walking distance. I am so grateful for this, as life was not all rosy and fun while growing up, especially during my teens. I get teens… it is a delicate road to navigate. I relied on the beauty of nature to help get through. Connecting to nature releases anxiety and stress. I enjoy writing poetry, songs, and choosing stories with geographical elements, especially for this age group.

I hadn’t thought about any of this in years!

It wasn’t until I was in my late 30s, working part-time at the Whitby Public Library in Southern Ontario, that I was introduced to oral storytelling by our Chief Librarian, Ken Roberts. There, I realized what an incredible, diverse background I had.

Discovering the tradition of oral storytelling took me on a brand-new path. I was already “closet writing” songs and poetry, and library programming offered me the privilege and freedom to use my creativity. I relished internal professional development workshops and explored all avenues of the arts and performance industry outside my work environment, even learning to play guitar at 42 years of age!

Teachers, librarians, event organizers, and parents began hiring me for Literacy Events, holiday specials, casual house concerts, and community events across the GTA and beyond. My passion and repertoire grew to include adults, festivals, and the stage.

Before all of this, I was a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN/RNA) for several years, a stay-at-home mom for nine years, a trained bunraku puppeteer with Kids On the Block, a troupe of disabled and non-disabled life-size puppets designed to teach children about disabilities and social differences, performing twice a week in community schools and libraries. I also volunteered in my children’s school library. Every aspect of my background influences my work as a storyteller. Community involvement is a significant factor in personal development and relating with people from all walks of life.

This is what storytelling does. It revives memories, ignites imagination, and makes wonderful human connections. All of our senses are awakened through stories.

Whether tales from folklore or true stories, a storyteller’s voice brings them to life in a very special way.

My vocation is to inspire and connect with audiences and instil the value of keeping oral storytelling alive. I am not alone in this. There are many professional storytellers throughout Canada and all over the world.

In the early 1990s, I discovered Storytellers of Canada, Durham Storytellers (formerly Durham Folklore Society), Storytelling Toronto (formerly Storytellers School of Toronto), the Writer’s Community of Durham Region, and other support organizations. I’ve been an active member and participant of each organization ever since. I have performed, directed concerts and events, and presented workshops on many occasions.

We all have a story to tell. This is mine.

I would love to hear yours and show you how communicating through storytelling and music can connect and contribute to your community, classroom, and business programming.

Yours in storytelling,

Heather