Looking for World Stories?
Posted 08/30/09
Throughout the world stories have been told and retold for millennia. In the fabric of a culture, they act as vital threads in the weave. They lend definition, roots, and significance to society. As a culture grows, so do its world stories.One of the great benefits of my travels around the world is the wellspring of world stories I have found in each country I have visited. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. Customs and rituals. Geography and daily habits. So the world stories I hear have substantial meaning to me. In the process, I have discovered how world stories arise out of the cultures from which they are born. My firsthand experience of a given culture heightens my appreciation of their stories. I have visited countries in Europe, Central and South America, throughout Canada, the United States, and Southeast Asia. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply.
All cultures regard certain notions as sacred. You can also find things demonic. These notions appear regularly in their stories. They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. Myth forms the basis for many world stories. Creation stories form the majority of this category, along with other stories help explain the world.
Folktales, on the other hand, are generated from daily village life. Naturally, stories of the folk world are couched in rural settings. The world of folktales is also inhabited by fairy tales. Stories about magic and mystery were apt outlets for questioning minds of preliterate villagers. Many folktales were cautionary tales with lessons for avoiding catastrophe. Do not go into the deep, dark woods! Keep away from wild animals! Avoid strangers! On the other hand, reward and happy endings comprise many folktales. Good and evil are eternal foes. One can discover the Golden Rule in most plots. No matter what the genre, a good world story brings meaning to the contemporary world as well. And that brings us to storytelling today. Modern society is a far cry from rural villages, yet the stories ring true regardless.
Some world stories are downright funny. Other world stories are filled with mystery. Many world stories are insightful. Often world stories are inscrutable. Generally world stories teach. All world stories entertain.
Regardless of their intent, all world stories express deep bonds with the fabric of a country and culture. People tell of their experiences through world stories. And in distant worlds they still have meaning.
To enjoy the breadth of subject matter found in world stories, listen to my CD entitled "World Full of Stories." It is an award winning journey that will take you around the globe!
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