If one thinks that last Sunday’s storytelling session at a school in Jullang was only  just another piece of amusement delivered to our kids, well, it is something more beyond that.
It was a conscious effort to present before our society’s would be determinists, the ancient gems of ours in an ingenious way. Arunachal’s tribal traditions and ethos, on which our current society is built must be propagated and passed on to our future generations continually and seamlessly. While we are seeking avenues to reach this objective, this edition of storytelling has proved to be an accomplishment. In other words, an ancient art, hitherto not properly attended to has been applied to the rescue of something also bygone.
These kids, submerged by the pressure of performing in academics, seek solace in comic episodes in TV or the popular social media vehicles. Listening to stories narrating the folklore of our past was something totally new to them. And the glee reflected in their faces shows how enchanted they are.
But there is solid science behind this. It has been the findings of researchers that  human brain has a natural affinity for narrative construction and people tend to remember facts more accurately if they encounter them in a story rather than through other ways.  Narrative is what triggers emotion, and empathy in us. The sight of a smiling child creates a positive impression in our minds not because of  the act itself, but because of  the child’s facial expressions, the tickle in her tone and twinkle in  the eye.
Interestingly, storytelling is one of the oldest known aspects of human culture. Stories and experiences were told in cave paintings, songs of minstrels, and epic stories of times long ago. Up to our own more recent generations, from grandparent to grandchild, from parent to child… they all carried us away to live in  totally different worlds. 
And considering the present age of cut-throat competition and the monotony which has been forced upon on our children, the idea of storytelling may offer them gateways, mirrors and alternative pathways  to reimagine their lives and realities.
 If that’s the vignette of the science behind effectiveness of storytelling, the art aspect is no less interesting. A successful storyteller is someone who broadly incorporates the balanced usage  of sound, rhythm and repetition of words to glue the audience all throughout. Even when narrating an old and well known story, it is the astute usage of  imagination which makes the story come across fresh and alive.
Thanks to our kids, this subtle art has once been brought to limelight.  And who knows, if its popularity  amplifies, it can churn itself into a career option as well for our  creative folk.

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List