Written by Melissa Wilk, fourth-year global and development studies student at Augustana, member of the Spirit of the Land Committee, and Editor-in-Chief of the Augustana Medium.
I began to reflect on the importance of storytelling while taking an Indigenous philosophy course last year. Thomas King’s The Truth About Stories was on our assigned reading list and it was not long before I was writing a 15-page paper about my identity, my stories, and what I thought was a newly found truth.
I learned that our collective consciousness is a string of vibrant stories that have the power to change how we perceive the world around us. Stories build our culture, ideologies, beliefs, and values. Without them, we would be nothing.
As the Editor-in-Chief of the Augustana Medium, I’ve always been a fan of hearing stories, putting them into words and shaping them into an accessible format. Yet, though I value the power of the media and journalism, I’ve come to realize that we often do not take time to listen to people’s stories in an intentional way.
This is where the Storyteller Cafe comes in.
The Storyteller Cafe is inspired by a similar initiative. Tipi Confessions, created by BedPost Confessions, was started to help decolonize sexuality and to encourage sex-positivity through angles of humour and vulnerability. Tipi Confessions is informed Indigenous experiences and perspectives on relationships, sexuality, and gender. Though the Storyteller Cafe follows a different theme, the impetus for holding such an event is the same – to share stories.
As part of the 7th Annual Spirit of the Land Conference and in partnership with the Chester Ronning Centre, we will be facilitating a Storyteller Cafe on Oct. 27 starting at 7:30 pm in the Wahkohtowin Lodge. Students, community members, and faculty are welcome to take part in this event.
The Storyteller Cafe invites people to share stories with each other in a circular setting. It encourages intentional conversations within large groups of people. It’s a way to build community, trust, respect, and to expand understandings about our lives and the experiences of others. Come to share a story, come to listen, and come to enjoy. As Maya Angelou said “there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
The Storyteller Cafe is co-hosted by the Chester Ronning Centre and the Augustana Medium. Refreshments will be provided. Email contact@augmedium.ca for inquires.