Wow! Storytelling is very exciting here in South Carolina.
The Hilton Head Island Heritage Gullah Festival is being celebrated in honour of Black History month, with food and music and storytelling, their Beaufort Storytelling Festival is coming up this March (unfortunately I won’t be here to enjoy), and on Tuesday, I was invited to join Storyteller Yostie Ashley on WHHI TV on Hilton Head Island as a guest on Talk of the Town. I sang an excerpt of my musical version of the Frog Prince – they wanted to highlight that musical storytellers will be featured at the festival. I was thrilled!
Then I was whisked off to Daufuskie Island yesterday to tell to the students of their rural elementary school. It was a thrilling ferry ride (only method of reaching this island) across to Daufuskie, and even more fun being driven through the forest’s neighbourhood of homes and huge Oak moss trees on a golf cart! Very few cars are allowed on the island and are unnecessary as one can get around the island in just an hour or so. No exhaust fumes, no noise, just clean air and beauty all around us! – And gorgeous beaches.
The students at Daufuskie were amazing listeners, and they helped me edit and record my first draft of a brand new song “Let’s Give Thanks for the Trees” in celebration of World Storytelling Day 2012 as the theme is ‘trees’ this year. They sound amazing singing the chorus. Next week I’ll have classes visit me at a local bookstore in Bluffton where I’ll record a second draft of the song with them, and of course tell lots of stories!
Here is a comment from my travels to South Carolina:
http://philiplburt.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/storyteller-heather-whaley-visits/