Harvest Storytelling

A NIGHT OF STORYTELLING – HARVEST MYTH & MAGIC

Storytellers Sarah Lloyd-Woman and Veronica Chambers bring tales of myth and folklore of Harvest time. As summer turns to autumn, the time of mellow fruitfulness comes. The early sunsets, the berries in the hedgerows and the magic and the mystery of the morning mists. The Harvest moon hangs heavily in the sky, and you must leave the last corn in the field for good luck. Then there is the tradition of the harvest supper, the time of sharing and celebrating of the harvest, the drinking of the ale and cider and the telling of tales.  Both tellers use the tradition of the Wise Woman, in Irish called the Bean Feasa, (ban fasa) to bring these tales to life.  The Bean Feasa is a walker between worlds and has a place in Irish society as a healer, storyteller, teacher and connector to the land. In England we call her the Wise Woman and when we cannot solve a problem, understand what is happening, and need a spell or a charm we call the woman with her wise words and ancient tales.

Veronica Chambers.

Hailing from the Wilds of Wicklow but now living in the East of England, Veronica has told stories for over 20 years, although still claims to only be 21. Co-host to Bards Aloud in Ipswich, she loves to enthuse audiences in her interests that include food and drink and let them walk away thirsting for more.

Having a family who were integral to the Irish Cultural renaissance and having worked with refugees and migrants in her past, she tells tales that have been passed to her from the communities she worked with as well as ones she was told as a child.

Sarah Lloyd-Winder.

Sarah originally trained as a dancer which then led to devising children’s-based dance theatre shows. These toured festivals, arts centres schools and other venues, alongside projects with refugees, special needs adults and children.

Recently Sarah has been working with the theme of the endangered pastoral, the challenge to the planet and nature of climate change. Traditional stories often reflect on how greed can endanger the land and the way people live and survive. So, the marshland might be drained, and the magic lights no longer float, but they are still there, in the stories.