BRUNCH TIME had long given way to lunchtime last week, when 'Tellabration' at Mountain Peace in St. Mary started rolling. 'Tellabration', a storytelling festival, started off unofficially and would keep to its relaxed atmosphere for the rest of the event.
Organised by Ntukuma, a company run by Amina Blackwood Meeks, much of what had been planned for the day never came to fruition. Even so, it was not a disappointing day.
The delay had been brought about by the morning's rain, which turned the mountainside into muck. The sky remained overcast for most of the event and a chilly wind blew across the landscape. Even so, the setting provided a fabulous view of Port Maria, which made the worry about toppling off one's chair quite worth it.
As the land on which the event took place sloped, patrons were sure to stick at least two legs of their chairs into the ground to keep them secure. The occasional sight of a muddy bottom declared how easy it was to lose one's balance on the slippery slope.
DAY OF STORYTELLING
The environment was simply taken as a part of the atmosphere, however, as the patrons were intent upon enjoying a day of storytelling. Indeed, even the road to Mountain Peace could be declared as a part of the event, as it was quite an adventure. Owen 'Blacka' Ellis, who hosted the day, aptly described it as "a piece of road between the mud."
He easily described the sentiments of much of the audience when he declared, "Rain fall, but wi come. Wi nearly las', but we come."
Though three tents had originally been set up, most of the patrons gathered under just one, as the threat of rain caused many changes in the plan.
There might not have been much structure to the day, but there were many stories. Some were drawn from real life, some came by way of Anansi, and yet others helped to pepper the day with involving entertainment. Members of the audience as well as scheduled storytellers joined in. There was no real audience, as in the tradition of storytelling, everybody was called on to participate.
There was humour, there was history, there were morals and lessons at the heart of the stories. Ellis was encouraged by the audience to start off the tales, and he told his own about how he 'nearly dead' while taking a train when he was younger.
While Afolosade told the story of 'Cousin Flor and Her Figurine Cow' (a story which demonstrated a father's love), Makeda Goldson brought laughter with a story about a small dog who used his wits to outsmart a lion.
TALES
Adziko Simba told the tale of 'The Man with the Mouth' while Atibo brought the story of 'Joe Witty and the Talking Head'. Both tales spoke of the problems that 'not knowing when to be quiet and what to say' could put you in, but Simba's showed that just as talking can get you in trouble, it can also get you out of it.
Hugh Blackwood delighted with his story explaining why 'hog has such a long mouth'. Just as funny, Vera Moore told of her accident involving a cow a few days prior to the event. Blackwood Meeks brought in the historical flavour as she told the story of Nanny and the constantly boiling 'pretty little pot'.
Not all the stories were told, some were sang. A medley of folk songs rang across the air as the audience, often led by the students from the Excelsior Education Centre, Ellis, Moore and Goldson sang about the deeds of Helena, Sammy, 'Mouta-massy Liza' and many more.
With all the stories told 'Jack Mandora' must have had his fill.
