The Columbus Arts Council opened its fifth edition of Possum Town Tales on Thursday evening and will continue through Sunday. Each year, the event seems to draw even better storytellers, but this year’s lineup will be hard to top.
The fifth Possum Town Tales features Donald Davis, the acknowledged “dean of storytelling,” along with Anna and Elizabeth – a unique duo that sparked a sensation when featured last June in an NPR Tiny Desk concert — and the musical storytelling of Grace Pettis.
In this era of technology, where more and more of us spend more and more time transfixed by the images on our smartphones, the simplicity of storytelling may seem quaint, even archaic. There is some temptation to say this is a custom that will soon fade and vanish.
Yet we know, of course, that storytelling will endure, although the manner in which those stories are told will continue to change. Yes, as long as there is a lap and a child in it, the plea will soon emerge: “Tell me a story.” It’s a basic human desire.
The function of storytelling has changed over the centuries, of course. In ancient times, when written languages were rare and only the elite could read or write, storytelling was the essential means by which such important ideas as history, religion, culture and practical knowledge were conveyed.
Storytelling then was far more than entertainment. In a very real sense, people learned who they were and what they could become through the craft of storytelling.
Today, of course, teachers and books, magazines, television and even social media to impart the knowledge that once could only be attained by an attentive listener sitting silently at the feet of the storyteller.
Yet there can be little dispute that stories remain vitally important.
Today, as in ancient days, storytelling fulfills one other important role that cannot be acquired by any other means: A good story fires the imagination, ignites our curiosity and dares us to pull back the curtain on what lies before us. Stories are the rain that falls on our field of dreams.
There are no shortage of stories in the world, of course, but the best are those which are the most personal. When families gather, there always seems to be a storyteller in the group, the person who weaves a tale of the family, its history.
You can’t find that on Netflix, folks. They are the family treasures, not to be neglected.
That is why Possum Town Tales is not to be missed. Not only are we entertained by the craft of these master storytellers, we are inspired to tell our stories, too.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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