Storytelling uses verbal and non-verbal methods of communication, which means stories are ideal for sharing between languages. It can be challenging but it makes for co-operation and an understanding of different languages. It is also lots of fun, which is what storytelling should be about! Depending on the stories chosen, this approach works for young … Continued

Contributed by Malaysian-Singapore storyteller Kamini Ramachandran as part of the Open Word – Open World Outreach Resource Pack for the 2017 Scottish International Storytelling Festival. Kamini says of the story: ‘It is about identity and crossing boundaries (physical, geographical boundaries as well as moral boundaries). The tale is usually told to discuss being true to oneself … Continued

From 13 to 19 July 2017, the Irish World Academy for Music and Dance at the University of Limerick hosted the International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM) World Conference. The Traditional Dance Forum of Scotland attended with dance scholars Mats Melin, David Francis, Pat Ballantyne and Wendy Timmons. The purpose of our visit – to present … Continued

Just like the Halloween Guisers, modern storytellers are concerned with the environment and how people can work together through times of change and challenge. The 2017 Scottish International Storytelling Festival supported and offered three days of open table talks around the themes of the Earth Charter. The Earth Charter was developed after a worldwide dialogue … Continued

The power of words can be explored by creating and telling stories with only a hundred words or even less! In 2014 to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Russian writer, Mikhail Lermontov, Michael Kerins, a Scottish storyteller based in Glasgow, invited people to create twenty-seven-word stories. The number was significant because Lermontov … Continued

Judy Paterson retells this Scandinavian folktale and states: ‘I’ve also heard it told about a rabbit where, not only does his tail break off, but his ears are also stretched by birds who try to help pull him out of the ice’. Don’t be afraid to have fun and let a story take you further! … Continued

As part of TRACS Gifting Every Child resource, Mats Melin presents some key dance steps that can be used across a variety of Scottish dance styles.

May Day, or Beltane, is one of the most ancient and widely celebrated holidays worldwide, associated with many different traditions. In this resource, we give an overview of many of the customs, as well as suggest some fun and easy ways for all the family to get involved in celebrating the 1st of May through … Continued

The links below are all to freely available resources, many of which give background and contextual information as well as music and lyrics. There are many collections of tunes by individual composers, themed collections and tutor-books/CDs/DVDs available from TMF members Taigh na Teud (Scotland’s Music) Songs Scots Language Scots Song Resources National Library of Scotland … Continued

Seo sgeulachd eagalach mu dheidhinn àite fior ann am Beinn na Faoghla, ‘Àiridh na h-Aon Oidhche’. Mar a chaidh innse le Tormod MacGill-Eain, airson Guthan nan Eilean. Norman MacLean tells the spooky tale of ‘The Shieling of the One Night’ for the Guthan nan Eilean project, a local legend from the Isle of Benbecula in … Continued