Through the stories I've gained a sense of life. And storytelling can serve another important purpose in modern society, Pizzino said, by breaking down barriers between individuals and between different cultures. It opens us up heart to heart. It helps us communicate. It teaches us lessons.
Every culture has some form of oral tradition.
When someone tells a story, I get a glimpse into their world. And while this year's festival in Blanding centered around American Indian stories and performers, Pizzino said the elements of good storytelling, such as creating images with words, using all the five senses in description, and learning to use both the voice and the body to convey a tale, transcend all cultural boundaries. The Winter Storytelling Festival, held Friday evening, brought together practitioners from the Ute and Navajo tribes who imparted folk legends, creation stories and other traditional tales to about 300 avid listeners who filled the Blanding National Guard Armory for the event. David Yanito, a Navajo medicine man who is also a cultural and language aide at Bluff Elementary School, spoke Navajo as he told his audience how his people emerged into this world. Storyteller Blackhorse Mitchell translated traditional coyote stories into English.