When I first tried to answer this question, I was just as excited as when that statement is spoken at a job interview: Tell me about yourself. I always wanted to answer the interviewer in the following way. Whatever I bring to this position, it will not tell you who I am. I am not my job. That being said, I must admit I did enjoy my career in travel.
Now I am beginning to answer that question as a storyteller. However, this time I’m finding that my place of birth, gender, and any other demographic about me as well as my opinion on anything is shaping my answer. Or is it? I’m an African American woman from the south and love most any folktale from that culture such as “John Henry” and tales from Africa like “Ngomba and Her Basket.” So who can explain why I love the Norwegian Christmas tale “The Cat on the Dovrefjell” so much? Of course as a female I’m supposed to like any princess tale and I generally do. But will someone explain why I have rediscovered my love for Paul Bunyan tales?
I think I know the answer. One story’s powers is that you are allowed to like and even pretend to be any character in a story that you want. That’s why even though I’m still pondering the answer of who am I as a storyteller, I can like as many stories that I want without fear!
The image at the top of the post was found here.
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