Kamishibai story travelling the Flyway: Williamstown Literary Festival 2015

This is a kamishibai story about the migration of the Red Necked Stints from SE Australia to Siberia and back. 

Its been passed down the East Asian Australasian Flyway from the Yatsuhigata Tideland Observation Centre in Narashino City Japan, to Boondall Wetland in Brisbane in 2008, to me in Hobsons Bay (SE Australia) in 2015. 

I'm standing on the Strand in Newport. You can see Melbourne in the background. Directly behind me is Sandy Point, where I can observe the stints from September to March. A tiny piece of land 12 ks from the CBD. Thank you to the council, the rangers, the Friends of Greenwich Bay - how fragile it all is! I wonder what we could send back along the Flyway to the wetlands in the countries to the north?

So if I seem Kamishibai obsessed, I think you might understand why. A mode of storytelling that leaps language barriers ..

I'm working on a storytelling piece with friend and classical violinist, Sarah Depasquale for the WIlliamstown Literary Festival called 'Tales from the Flyway'. This will be one of the tales.

Bookings HERE

This is the video that sparked my interest.

JP JUNIOR EVERLASTING BOOKS, an off shoot of JP Books (Educational Books)

Holding the fort for my good friend Dharma who is the driver behind JP Junior Everlasting Books, an off shoot of JP Books Educational Bookseller.

Everlasting Books specialises in selected picture books and favourites from a bygone era.

Dharma and I met through the Newport Fiddle and Folk Club almost a decade ago and quickly formed a bond over the ukulele and and interest in telling stories to the very young. Its not for the faint-hearted! Dharma has more songs and rhymes in her head than anyone I know. As our lives have grown busier and more complex, we have fewer opportunities to tell stories together but we always take time to do a session for the Newport Folk Festival the weekend of July 4 -5.

Every Thursday at 11.00 am, she tells stories and sings to small children and their carers. In over six years, she has never missed a session until the opportunity to go to Bali for a holiday came along.

It was my pleasure to sit in her place - but let me tell they are a very big pair of boots to fill!

Everlasting Books in Yarraville HERE

Family Fun Day National Rhododendron Gardens. 2015

Telling stories with my new Kamishibai rig. These gardens are on Mt Dandenong just out of Melbourne. Home to the Lyrebird, which you can see painted on my dress. The new set up worked perfectly! The Kamishibai is tilted so the children could see easily without crowding around. Home tired and happy.