Gimistory, Cayman’s International Storytelling Festival kicks off for its 12th season Tuesday, 30 November, with a slew of exciting tales, skits and poems performed by local and international performers.
Organised by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation, the event takes place in public venues, including parks, beaches and back yards, travelling to each of Grand Cayman’s districts and the Sister Islands to bring a relaxed evening of interesting storytellers and fascinating tales.
Meant to evoke the islands’ past, when adults told stories for entertainment and to pass on universal truths, the annual festival is free, and offers free swanky, a local homemade lemonade, and traditional fish and fitters will also be available at the end of each performance. Last year, the fry fish ‘n swanky tradition of the festival developed into a cookout with each district vying for the award of Best Fritters, Best Fried Fish and Best Swanky. Judging by a taste panel from CNCF is augmented by assistance from a Best of Cayman public poll, which along with the judging, is tabulated for a final result.
In addition to the evening storytelling sessions, the tellers will visit schools during the day to give presentations at assemblies.
Audience members are encouraged to arrive on time, as Gimistory veterans tend to get there in good time and bag the best spots. After that it’s standing room only. Bring along a blanket or a towel to sit down on and make yourself comfortable.
Storytellers
Weekender caught up with a few local tellers on the eve of five-day festival to find out what they enjoy about the festival.
Steve and Mike McTaggart
Brothers Steve and Mike were persuaded by Gimistory’s organisers to share some songs and stories that they first heard as young boys. “I think its very important to pass on our unique heritage: our songs and our stories to future generations and visitors,” said Mike.
The pair will sing old Caymanian kitchen (folk) songs and tell a few stories; they fondly recall listening to their grandfather, the shipbuilder Innis McTaggart, telling them tales as they sat on the front porch swing.
Michael McLaughlin
Best known to the art loving public as an actor, Michael McLaughlin has been involved in Gimistory for a few years. “It’s a unique experience as it gives performers to take a piece of the past when we used to sit around and tell stories,” he said. “I don’t know how many people do that anymore – to be able to do something that helps make people smile think and enjoy the moment. Life is a complicated round and it’s not very often we follow the adage to smell the roses.”
Nasaria Suckoo-Chollette
The poet, dramatist, painter and writer has written many of the short stories that have been featured in Gimistory over the years. The Young at Arts tellers will be performing one or two of her stories as skits.
She said there is a sense of renewal this year, encouraged by the number of young people now involved in the festival. “This new season we are making sure we’ve a crop of young new tellers who will eventually replace people who’ve been telling for a long time.” Her only wish now is that more people would start writing for performances.
With at least 40 short stories and poems to choose from, she’s not sure what she’ll perform at Gimistory. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” she said, explaining that new material usually bubbles up to the surface and finds its way into her stories after family get-togethers.
Quincy Brown
Broadcaster and actor Quincy Brown looks forward to the energy that Gimistory brings to the islands each year. “It gives local storytellers, poets and folklorists a chance to bring to the forefront Cayman’s traditions, stories and heritage, and it also gives us a chance to express ourselves using folk songs proverbs and fables that have been handed down stories from the likes of Allimae Ebanks, Aunt Julia Hydes, Miss Lassie and Thomas Septi-Scott.
Brown is convinced that another reason why Gimistory is so popular is that it is the antithesis of spending a night alone with a laptop. “It gives you a chance to switch of from the mainframe to gather, reminisce, share and discover a sense of identity and community.”
Watch out for Brown’s renditions of traditional West Bay and East End folk songs and his take on the news of the day through skits.
Hylton Grace
Fellow Gimistory teller Hylton Grace reckons that Gimistory is so popular because “it’s such a family event and attracts locals and tourists alike. Being from the Caribbean, the oral telling of stories has always been a strong part of our culture, under a tree, under the moonlight, and a welcome bit of nostalgia in our hectic time-poor lives.”
Gimistory’s international performers include Calypsonian Black Sage from Trinidad, Ken Crobie from Guyana, Amina Blackwood-Meeks from Jamaica and David Bereaux another Trinidadian.
For further a Gimistory schedule contact the CNCF on 949-5477.
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