World Storytelling Day 2025

The very first Storytelling Day was observed in Sweden on March 20, 1992. Alla berättares dag, which, in English, means All Storytellers Day, began as a national celebration of the oral art and tradition of telling stories. The observance quickly spread to other Scandinavian countries like Norway, Denmark, Finland and Estonia, and then to some Latin American Countries (notably Mexico) and Australia. In 2003, the event was acknowledged internationally and was officially renamed World Storytelling Day (WSD). Although WSD began with a focus on the oral tradition, the event has expanded to include storytelling through books, television and film, radio and theatre.

Deep Water

This year, the theme for WSD is “Deep Water”. On one hand, the theme can be taken literally to highlight stories related to rivers, lakes and the ocean. On the other hand, “Deep Water” can be interpreted metaphorically to embolden writers, filmmakers, dramatists and all other storytellers to take a deep dive into the complexities of their subject matter.

Storytelling, in all its forms, can serve various purposes. It is an effective tool for education, cultural preservation and advocacy.

Education

Storytelling is a means of imparting knowledge and libraries play a critical role in achieving this goal. The Learning Resource Development Unit (LRDU) of the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) oversees the School Libraries Division and the

Learning Resource Centres in the hinterland. The unit also partners with the National Library and community libraries across the country.

LRDU itself boasts its own library which serves both teachers and students. The library is stocked with textbooks for all grade levels, pedagogical literature, as well as computers and printers. Teachers, particularly those in training, are encouraged to use the library to gather information for their assessments and to improve their knowledge of teaching methods.

LRDU’s library is also a safe space for children. They can come to read, learn, and enjoy the play corner. The library carries several books that are popular among children like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, DC and Marvel comics, and classics like Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. Additionally, the library hosts events based on the calendar of activities e.g., national holidays, women’s day, poetry day and cultural celebrations.

In observance of World Storytelling Day, LRDU hosted a delightful book reading session with Grade 2 students of Redeemer Primary. The stories were presented by specialists from several departments including Social studies, Mathematics, and Science, thereby demonstrating that storytelling is an effective teaching method, particularly in early childhood education.

“Storytelling makes learning easier and fun.”

According to the Learning Resource Development Officer (ag.) Petal Peters, the purpose of the event is to make an impact on the children’s

academic development, and to promote reading and the use of libraries at an early stage. “At the early childhood stage, the brain is like a sponge absorbing information, and storytelling helps to promote brain development,” Peters explained. She further stated that storytelling supports cognitive development, develops critical thinking skills, and fosters creativity and imagination skills. It also develops listening and communication skills and improves social skills.

Cultural Preservation

Guyana is one of a few Caribbean territories where Indigenous people still make up a significant portion of the overall population. There are nine Indigenous tribes/nations, each with their own language. However, these languages are rapidly fading away because they are not spoken as often. One such language is Lokono. There are less than two thousand Lokono speakers and, with the passage of time and the inevitable passing of elders, the language is in danger of becoming extinct.

“If we want to save our language we must continue speaking it.”

Sabantho Onyi (which means Beautiful Rain) is a Lokono language teacher and cultural activist who is working tirelessly to preserve and revitalise the Lokono language. She works with the University of Guyana’s Guyanese Languages Unit (GLU) group of indigenous language translators.

Sabantho is also making a concerted effort to pass the language on to her daughter. She teaches her Lokono songs and stories which help her to learn and retain vocabulary, and grow in the knowledge of her culture. Her daughter, little Shoko Murutha (which means Water Lily), already speaks Lokono fluently. Through her work to revitalise the Lokono language by way of music and storytelling, Sabantho Onyi is contributing to the preservation of Indigenous Lokono culture and identity.

Similarly, author Grace Hutson is working to preserve and promote Guyanese culture by telling stories using the Guyanese voice. Her book, “Black Watuh Tales”, is a compilation of 10 gory horror-fiction short stories, which feature characters and escapades based on Guyanese folklore.

“ ‘Black Watuh Tales’ is for Guyanese, first of all.”

– Grace Hutson, Author

According to Hutson, “Black Watuh Tales” was inspired by her fondness for horror-fiction and her desire to see Guyanese myths and legends represented in the genre. In addition to monsters such as the Bacoo, Moon Gazer and Bush Die-Die, this collection of short stories features psychological thrillers with present-day experiences to which Guyanese can relate. Hutson further explained that the stories are set in easily identifiable places in Guyana so that readers can immediately and accurately visualise where the story is taking place.

Advocacy and Social Commentary

Storytelling is also a strategic avenue for advocacy and awareness. “Shades of Brown” is a local television show which delves into themes such as love, race relations, religion and family. In addition to the aforementioned themes, the recently concluded Season 2 of the show focused heavily on the issue of sexual assault.

Producer Anastacia “Ann3ie” Shako-VanTull explained that she chose to take this direction with the show in order to spark discussions about an issue that, in our Guyanese context, is not often addressed appropriately, if at all. In an effort to advocate for and provide support for victims of sexual assault, Ann3ie enlisted the help of a therapist, Michelle Amsterdam, who offered advice and an opportunity to share experiences in interviews which accompany the episodes. So far, Ann3ie reports that reviews for the show have been positive, with some viewers even telling their own stories about sexual assault.

“If they grab nothing else from the show, [they should] know that what happened to them was a bad thing, and it should not be taken lightly and they should seek help for it.”

– Anastacia “Ann3ie” Shako-VanTull, filmmaker

Written by: Carlene Samuel