Story Crossroads: The Newsletter (Vol. 1, Issue 9)

Published: Thu, 04/14/16

     
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Story Crossroads: The Newsletter
I have a story.  You have a story.  We all have stories.

Volume 1, Issue 9
What to Expect
Know the traditions for each newsletter.
Steve Evans picture

Some traditions include:
*  Latest News of Story Crossroads
*  Cap's Off to You! (people profiles who use story)
*  Story Video (created or loved by us)
*  Story
*  Story Game (inspired by different cultures)

Explore the Story Crossroads website
About Story Crossroads
What is Story Crossroads?
Steve Evans picture
Story Crossroads is a free grassroots event that features 50 professional story artists as well as 80 community members telling for the main stage event.  Youth, community, and seniors will be taught through free storytelling residencies at libraries, schools, and other venues by certified story-teachers in preparation for this celebration.  Bilingual and cultural performers combine arts to bring the stories forward for the audience.  Enjoy stories told with ancient technique while simultaneously enjoying newfangled approaches to these traditions.  The 1st Story Crossroads launches April 15-16, 2016 at the Viridian Event Center (8030 S. 1825 W., West Jordan, UT).  Then, with an invitation extended across all borders, World Story Crossroads launches 2022.  

Explore the Story Crossroads website
Latest News
Celebrating Outreaches for the Community
Featured Outreach Tellers-Christopher Agostino, Joseph Sobol, Baba Jamal Koram
We are pleased to have several outreaches in connection with the launch of the Story Crossroads Festival.  These outreaches are free and open to all (visitors check-in for schools).  See what we have in store below.

Outreaches with Story Crossroads Festival (shared in chronological order):


Featuring:  StoryFaces with Christopher Agostino

When:  Thursday, April 14, 2016 from 8:45am-9:30am

Where:  Riverton Elementary, 13150 S. 1830 W., Riverton, UT


Featuring:  “Before Cave Walls…the story on our skin” academic presentation by Christopher Agostino

When:  Thursday, April 14, 2016 from 11:40am-12:50pm

Where:  Cottonwood High School, 5715 S. 1300 E., Murray, UT


Featuring:  Drum Talk & Tales with Baba Jamal Koram

When:  Thursday, April 14, 2016 from 7:00pm-7:45pm

Where:  Blind Center Auditorium, 250 N. 1950 W. #B, Salt Lake City, UT


Featuring:  Stories & Songs from Joseph Sobol

When:  Friday, April 15, 2016 from 8:45am-9:15am (K-3rd) then 9:30am-10:00am (4th-6th)

Where:  Westland Elementary, 2925 W. 7180 S., West Jordan, UT


Featuring:  “Hero’s Journey” academic presentation by Dr. Joseph Sobol followed by StoryFaces with Christopher Agostino

When:  Friday, April 15, 2016 from 11:45am-1:15pm (Drama/Poetry/Theater/Mythology Classes)

Where:  Copper Hills High School, 5445 New Bingham Hwy, West Jordan, UT

 

Featuring:  Drum Talk & Tales with Baba Jamal Koram

When:  Friday, April 15, 2016 from 1:15pm-2:30pm (After School Program)

Where:  Nibley Park Elementary, 2785 S. 800 E., Salt Lake City, UT


Featuring:  StoryFaces with Christopher Agostino

When:  Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 10:00am-10:45am (Families)

Where:  Palmer Court (The Road Home), Main Street Community Room, 999 S. Main St., Salt Lake City


Featuring:  Stories & Songs from Joseph Sobol

When:  Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 1:00pm-1:30pm then 1:30pm-2:00pm (Not open to public)

Where:  Salt Lake Valley Detention Center, 3450 S. 900 W., South Salt Lake


Featuring:  Baba Jamal Koram with Academy for Math Engineering and Science (AMES)

When:  Monday, April 18, 2016 from 10:30am-11:30am

Where:  Cottonwood High School, 5715 S. 1300 E., Murray, UT


Featuring:  In-Service Workshop for Teachers & Other Educators with Baba Jamal Koram

When:  Monday, April 18, 2016 from 1:30pm-2:30pm

Where:  Rowland Hall School, Administration Building, 720 S. 1500 E., Salt Lake City, UT


Go directly to Story Crossroads Festival Schedule
Translation Services--ASL and Spanish!
Viridian Event Center
Thanks to funding by Utah Humanities, we are offering ASL interpretation and Spanish headsets for the evening concerts on April 15-16, 2016.  This is a tradition we will have every year.  

Dale Boam, who helps to do ASL interpretation for the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, is also guiding and directing the overall translation services for the Story Crossroads Festival.  Dale is also a story artist as well so he will grace the stage on Friday, April 15th at 10:00am with his bilingual ASL/English story.  For the evening concerts, the ASL services are being provided by Dale Boam and Associates from Utah State University.  The Spanish services are being provided by Martha S. Speed & Maritza McKee from Tirzah Inc.
​

Go directly to the Story Crossroads Festival Schedule
   Record A Story for Free--Emberall at Story Crossroads Festival
Emberall
We are pleased to announce on behalf of Story Crossroads that Emberall will be at the April 15-16, 2016 Festival. You could sign-up for a time to record a story at a kiosk and guided by someone who can tell you more about this free video app. The story could be in an interview format, a telling of a family story, or even an original or folklore piece. Check out the website here:  http://www.emberall.com.

Go to the Emberall website
Mix n' Mingles during Story Crossroads Festival
Toastmasters and USG
You have two opportunities to "Mix n' Mingle" during the Story Crossroads Festival.  The Toastmasters International has an Open House with a demonstration of Table Topics on Friday, April 15, 2016 at Noon after the Friday morning performance sessions in Viridian Room C.  The Utah Storytelling Guild also has an Open House open to all on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 12:30pm after the Saturday morning performance sessions in Viridian Room A.  One things is certain:  Toastmasters International and the Utah Storytelling Guild both love to talk and to listen.  What could you ask for more?  Interact with people with the same passion as you in communication with people.

Go directly to the Story Crossroads Festival Schedule
Cap's Off to You
Celebrating your way of using story

Featuring:  Liesl Seborg

Super Librarian, Dreamer of Dreams & Doer of Deeds from UT​
Liesl Seborg
Liesl Seborg has delight and energy for the library and for all people.  She is finally being recognized for this work and became "Librarian of the Year" through the Utah Library Association.  She plans so many outreach events with the Salt Lake County Library Services that it is hard to keep track what she is doing at the moment.  Somehow she has also immensely built the Story Crossroads dream.   Liesl balanced organization know-how and technology to help with a successful gathering of 28 civic, education, arts, and storytelling leaders of the area during the first Community Planning Meeting held on June 3, 2014.  She has also told a story as part of the tradition of kicking off our meetings.  It is only fitting that we recognize and do a "cap's off" during the same month of the Story Crossroads Festival launch.

So enjoy the past, present, and future influences of storytelling in Liesl's life.
 

Read the Complete Blog Post on Liesl
Story Videos of the Month
Normally we only feature one story video of the month.  Though, our launch month of the Story Crossroads Festival means we have two to share.  The first one is a 48-second film on the Listener's Experience of the Story Crossroads.  The second one is a 1-minute film that explores the ways that story can combine with other art forms by our headliners:  Christopher Agostino (Agostino Arts), Joseph Sobol, and Baba Jamal Koram.

​This video was created by Etched in Stone Productions (http://sbacelliott.wix.com/etchedinstone) headed by Sterling Elliott and assisted by Alex Aguila and Westin Cross.
  Listener's Experience--Story Crossroads Festival (April 15-16, 2016)
Video
  Story Artists--Christopher Agostino, Joseph Sobol, Baba Jamal Koram
Video
If you or someone you know has a story video that you want us to see, then let us know about it and email us a link to it.  Who knows?  Perhaps we will be inspired to invite you to one of our Story Crossroads event?   Remember that our launch is April 15-16, 2016 at the Viridian Event Center (8030 S. 1825 W., West Jordan, UT). 
Story of the Month

The Magic Fish Hook
The Magic Fish Hook, from New Zealand
 
Ira-Whaki and Taranga had five sons all named Maui, but the youngest son was born sickly. The custom was to toss any sick baby into the sea. Taranga wished for this Maui to escape such a fate. She scratched the name “Maui” onto a bone and tied it around the baby’s neck. Then she let the baby drift on a bed of seaweed. Tangaroa, the god of the sea, found the child and raised Maui as his own. When Maui reached manhood, Tangaroa explained his origins. Maui sought his family and spied his mother and brothers for the first time in many years at a dance. The mother welcomed him, although the four brothers fumed with jealousy. The brothers wished to prove that Maui was lazy. They awoke early to go fish so as to report later that Maui brought no fish. Maui suspected this plan and awoke earlier. He hid in the brothers’ canoe. While out to sea, Maui revealed himself to his brothers. The brothers failed to catch any fish, but Maui took a magic fish hook—the same bone with “Maui” scratched on it—and cast it to sea. The hook latched onto land underneath the waters. Maui pulled, heaved, and hefted the land to the surface. He asked his brothers to pull as well. The brothers cast aside ill feelings, aided Maui, and eventually the North Island of New Zealand was formed.
 
Artwork by Joanna Huffaker

Explore the Story Crossroads website
Customs and Traditions of Note with Polynesian Culture:
*  Avoid making a "V for Victory" sign with the palm in ward (though outward could be too close to the offensive gestures) or being too animated or boisterous in voice and manner
*  Sing a song from your native land to show gratitude to someone of the Maori people, the indigenous Polynesians
*  Pressing noses is how the Maori people say hello
*  Many people enjoy ocean-centered activities as everyone is within 75 miles from the water 
*  New Zealanders become upset when they are spoken of in the same breath as the Australians as if they were the same countries

Explore the Story Crossroads website
Story Game of the Month

​Steam and Smoke, a Maori Feast Game
​​​​​​​Inspired by traditional and adaptive nature of Maori cooking
Geared for Ages 8+
 
A Maori Feast using Hangi or “Earth Oven” involves wet steam and smoke for the flavorful experience without frying or baking. The Maori also adapted from the Pakeha (fair-skinned people) way of cooking. In this game, everyone pretends to prepare a feast and dig a square pit, start a fire, lay down rocks, and then stack wood like pallets to crisscross on top of each other. When sitting around the Earth Oven, someone says, “We have steam and smoke.” Another says, “Then what should we cook?” If you have two people playing, then the first person responds, “Something _______ (descriptive word).” Otherwise, the individual responding would be the next person in the circle. The partner/next person must respond within 10 seconds of what could be eaten-imaginary or real-that shares that descriptive word.  If too much time passes, then that person must run around the Earth Oven, sit down, and say, “I could not find anything _______.” Everyone pretends to be hungry. If someone said, “Something smooth.” Another would say, “Then let’s cook that smooth snake.” Eat whatever was decided. Take turns. 

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Steve Evans Photography
Most pictures are taken by Steve Evans, our official photographer.  He is a photojournalist that travels the world.  He generously granted Story Crossroads permission to use his pictures.  You can find all of his images here:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/babasteve/. 
Utah Storytelling Guild
Until we tell again,

Story Crossroads


(801) 870-5799

PO Box 274
West Jordan, UT  84084