Working the Waterfront - Tales of the Fisherman

New Bedford Fishing Boats

Yesterday I spent some time in New Bedford, Massachusetts at the annual Working Waterfront Festival. It is a two day event celebrating commercial fishing at the port that is currently the number one fishing port in the nation.

I offer you some resources in honor of the remarkable men and women who work long hours so we may enjoy fresh seafood on our table.

STORIES

The Fisherman and His Wife – Grimm
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm019.html
The Fisherman and the Bear – USA
http://tinyurl.com/5sa45e5

The Fisherman and the Merman – Scottish
http://tinyurl.com/6akeg5w
The Fisherman and the Piskies – England
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/efft/efft27.htm
The Fisherman of Shetland – Welsh
http://worldoftales.com/European_folktales/Welsh_folktale_23.html

The Fisherman’s Son – Slavic
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/sfs/sfs76.htm
The Lucky Fisherman – Nigeria
http://www.vshineworld.com/library/stories/4/115/the-lucky-fisherman
The Mermaid and the Poor Fisherman – Chile

http://www.humanity.org/voices/folklore/mermaid-and-poor-fisherman

The Selkie Bride – Scotland
http://www.weingartdesign.com/TMaS/Stories/tmas1-SelkieBride.html

The Story of the Fisherman – Arab
http://worldoftales.com/Asian_folktales/Arab_folktale_5.html

The Three Wondrous Fishes – Austria
http://oaks.nvg.org/ta5.html

Urashima Taro – Japan
http://www.totallytortoise.com/urashima-taro.html

BOOKS

Charting Nature - Books on Fishing : Children's Books Videos & DVDs
http://www.chartingnature.com/book-category.cfm?cat=3800 

 

CRAFTS

Fisherman Bear Paper Craft
http://www.dltk-holidays.com/dad/mpaperfisherbear.htm

Fisherman and Dog Fish Costume – Just in time for Halloween!
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/fisherman-dogfish-662494/

CURRICULUM

Discover Education – Lesson plans for K-5 based on The Fisherman and His Wife.
http://tinyurl.com/64a6wqw
The Fisherman – Lesson plans, activities and more.
http://tinyurl.com/65kpyrj

Fish and Under the Sea Lesson Plans – This page also offers songs, arts projects, games and more.
https://www.oercommons.org/authoring/6398-fish-and-under-the-sea-storytime-lesson-plan/view

READER’S THEATER

Urashima Taro - Japan
http://motoko.folktales.net/PDF/urashimaplay.pdf

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Looking for more stories and more related to the sea? These three links will lead you to previous blog posts with additional resources.

Trolling for Tales
http://tinyurl.com/6fj293h

Hot Fun in the City
http://tinyurl.com/6aq7apz

Mermaids – Sirens of the Sea – I know, mermaids are technically not fish but they do live in the sea! http://tinyurl.com/69gzfrb

Picture above courtesy of http://www1.umassd.edu/specialprograms/mawh/


Karen Chace  2011 ©
This blog post was painstakingly researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my newsletter via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

A Mischievious Medieval Romp: Come and Play at the Story Cafe!

Join us for the first Story Cafe of 2011!

New Age Gawain and the Green Knight

~ a mischievous Medieval romp

Featuring Storyteller Diane Edgecomb

Accompanied by Margot Chamberlain on Celtic harp

January 22, 2011

The stakes are high for Arthur’s men’s group. First a bungee-jumping Green Man swings into their midst and delivers an ancient macho challenge. Then a mysterious rider gallops off with his head under his arm, taunting Gawain to follow. But the greatest fun comes when three outrageous female archetypes use all their wiles to assail Gawain’s new-age virtue. Welcome to New-Age Gawain and the Green Knight, Edgecomb’s hilarious send up of the men’s movement. Loosely based on the 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Edgecomb’s comedic adaptation has New Age Arthurian knights running for their therapists faster than you can say "Litigation!"

Celtic harper Margot Chamberlain provides an evocative background of original and traditional tunes as we take this fun-loving journey along the ‘road less traveled by.’

Diane Edgecomb is one of the most versatile voices in the storytelling movement today, known for the seamless way her performances weave together story and music. Diane has received three Storytelling World Honors Awards as well as a Year’s Best Performance Award from the Boston Herald. Diane has enchanted audiences with her richly expressive voice and with the wonderful characters she has created for over twenty-five years. She is equally at home telling a tale of mythic drama, singing a haunting ballad or rapping out a comedic tale. But it is Diane’s ever-changing voice and movements enlivening her tales that brings to her storytelling art an originally entertaining and thoroughly captivating blend. 

Margot Chamberlain studied piano at the Oberlin Conservatory and early music with Marleen Montgomery.  She has performed at the Gardner Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Counterpoint Theatre and First Night Boston, as well as in many concert situations for both adults and children. She enjoys the wide range of expression, from earthy to ethereal, from mysterious to comedic, that the harp makes possible.

As a Duo: Diane and Margot combine rich story material with carefully orchestrated underscoring of original and traditional music. They have been featured on National Public Radio as well as at theaters, coffeehouses, colleges, museums, and nature centers throughout the United States.

“A storyteller in the grand tradition, Edgecomb is a virtuoso of the spoken word.... an entire cast rolled into one.” Publisher’s Weekly

"National Public regulars Diane Edgecomb and Margot Chamberlain have elevated storytelling to mythic heights." The Worcester Phoenix

ADULT OPEN MIC: Sign up for your eight minute (maximum) turn at the mic beginning at 7:00 p.m. Share your own story, song, music, essay or poem.
TIME: 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. (Feature begins at 8:00 P.M.)
LOCATION: Artworks, 384 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, MA
ADMISSION: FREE (donation suggested: pass the hat for the featured performers)
AUDIENCE: 14 and older
INFORMATION: Email Karen Chace at storybug@aol.com  or call Artworks at (508) 984-1588.
DIRECTIONS: http://www.artworksforyou.org/hours.html

THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN NEW BEDFORDCome early and take a stroll along the fishing docks or bring your bike, enjoy the ocean breeze and ride around beautiful Fort Taber . Prefer something easier? There is the interesting and historical Whaling Museum .

Later you can enjoy a "flight of wine" and fresh hot or cold tapas at Corks or award-winning chowder (chowda) at Freestones before the show or a night cap afterwards.

How about a trip to one of the best small zoo's in the country? The Buttonwood Park Zoo is an easy drive from downtown. New Bedford also has National Park status and there are many things to enjoy. Spend a day exploring and then relax in the beauty of ArtWorks listening to stories and song. I can't think of a better way to spend a crisp winter day!

RESTAURANTS
Information on Portuguese restaurants in New Bedford.
http://www.ci.new-bedford.ma.us/Tourism/TasteofPortugal/TasteofPortugal.html

Freestones - Affordable, casual dining and it is just around the corner from ArtWorks. http://www.freestones.com/

PARKING

Elm Street Parking Garage and Custom House parking is within easy walking distance to ArtWorks. http://www.newbedford-ma.gov/Tourism/DestinationNB/parking.html

Sponsored by Artworks! Partners for the Arts & Community http://www.artworksforyou.org/

ArtWorks! is supported in part by the MCC as well as business and individual members

Shared Stories and Shared Lives: Reflections of a FAIR Storyteller

“To read a book for the first time is to make an acquaintance with a new friend; to read it for a second time is to meet an old one.” ~Chinese Saying

As a child, books were my friends, my allies. As an adult and professional storyteller I have the good fortune of incorporating my favorite pastime with my work. This March I was delighted to be part of the Massachusetts Humanities FAIR (Family Adventures In Reading) program, which joins both reading and families together to enjoy and discuss important topics.

Books provide moments of exquisite solitude but they are also present fantastic opportunities to connect with others. Some of those opportunities were provided by the FAIR program this year. This March families gathered at the Wilks Branch library in New Bedford, MA to begin a six week program. The books chosen by the Humanities staff were worthwhile and rewarding; they also the catalyst for discussing different cultures, social responsibilities and choices we face every day in a very accessible and social format.

The pre-selected books covered a variety of diverse topics: fairness, greed, courage, determination and dreams. Each week the families would read two picture books together and return the following week to read the books aloud then discuss the story focus and characters. During our first meeting I used some storytelling games to demonstrate how to use voice and expression effectively when reading aloud.

At first, there were some reluctant readers while others eagerly took up the challenge. One young man always stood up to read his part with great enthusiasm, as if he were one of the characters in the book coming to life! Then something magical began to happen as one week flowed into the next, this group of strangers began to connect not only with the books but with each other. They began to share the joys and difficulties they experienced in their own lives.

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman led us to a discussion about positive ways we could encourage our friends and families, and the importance of believing in our personal goals. Lon Po Po by Ed Young guided us into a conversation about courageous people and the heroes’ in their lives; poignantly, one parent offered “My nephew who just enrolled in the Army.”

That same day the discussion about courage took a more circuitous route and transformed into another about peer pressure when one of the older boys bravely revealed that he was the target of a bully at school. One by one, the adults began to share similar experiences from their youth. The boy and his mother left our group that day reassured, empowered and supported.

While we did touch on serious issues there were many lighthearted moments as well. When discussing Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe I asked the group, “Was there ever a time when you were kind to another as Nyasha was in the story?” One of the youngest children sweetly shared, “Once in school I helped someone who didn’t know what the color purple looked like and then we became friends.”

Another book, Vejigaente/Masquerader by Lulu Delacre gave us a chance to test our bilingual skills. One mother spoke Spanish fluently and it was lovely to watch her daughter’s eyes shine with pride as her mother read each Spanish section so eloquently,

When I asked why Ramon, the main character in the book wanted to be part of the group of older boys our youngest participant excitedly said, “I know, I know! Because he wanted to be part of a team!” I complimented him on using the word correctly (he had just turned six years old) and he said, “I learned it the other day and held it in my head!” At that moment he became everyone’s child in our close knit FAIR community and we all smiled with pride.

Although reading and sharing family time together is the focus of the program, and we definitely met those goals, a new community had formed that would extend far into the future. On our last day together I watched as parents made plans to meet again and I knew that the FAIR program had exceeded its expectations. The families had formed a bond that would benefit them far into the future. I will be working with the FAIR program this fall and in the spring of 2011 and I look forward to watching the magic appear again!

The program is free and the schedule and location for the upcoming program in New Bedford, MA is as follows, Registration required.
Saturdays: 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6, 11/13, 11/20

Time: 1-2:30 PM
Branch: Howland-Green Library Branch
3 Rodney French Blvd.
(508) 991-6212

These are the books and themes for the upcoming six-week session:


Families Meeting Challenges
Mailing May by Michael O. Tunnell, illustrated by Ted Rand
A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams


Different ways of seeing
Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
Emma’s Rug by Allen Say

Living through change and loss/ Making a new home
Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say
Letting Swift River Go by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Barbara Cooney

Bonds between generations
Bintou’s Braids by Sylvianne Diouf, illustrated by Shane W. Evans
Sitti’s Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Friendship and community
Mr. George Baker by Amy Hest, illustrated by Jon J. Muth
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Paul Yalowitz

Integrity
The Empty Pot by Demi
A Day’s Work by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Ronald Himler

Responsibility
The Day of Ahmed’s Secret Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland, illustrated by Ted Lewin
Frederick by Leo Lionni


Above image courtesy of Amanda Upton

Fall Into Fun with the October Story Cafe!

This will be our final Story Cafe for 2010. If you have been before, please come again. If not, we love new faces and talents. Take your turn at the open mic then sit back and enjoy the stories and music of our talented feature. Help us close out our second full year with a full house!

Music, Mystery, Merriment & Magic!
Featuring Tim Van Egmond
Saturday, October 16, 2010

Tim Van Egmond weaves together tales, tunes, and songs to share their wellspring of wisdom, humor, warmth, and excitement! He will serve up a refreshing dipperful, from a captivating Irish tale (with the rippling accompaniment of the hammered dulcimer) about a man's quest to learn an enchanted tune, to a gripping African story of judgment set to the driving rhythm of the hand drum.

Tim has been chosen for the New England States Touring Program (under the New England Foundation for the Arts), has been a featured performer at the Three Apples Storytelling Festival, and presented a number of workshops at Sharing the Fire Northeast Storytelling Conference (including one on music in storytelling).

As a member of the contra dance band Swallowtail Tim has performed nationwide, including appearances on National Public Radio's "A Prairie Home Companion" and at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. He's recorded three albums with the band, and has played on various other recordings as well. He is also a member of the folk singing duo "Yankee Notions," which has performed throughout New England and beyond, including heritage museums such as Old Sturbridge Village and Mystic Seaport .


"Tim is a triple treat. He can sing, he can play a variety of wonderful instruments, and he can tell whopping good tales!" ~ Jane Yolen, author and storyteller

ADULT OPEN MIC: Sign up for your eight minute (maximum) turn at the mic beginning at 7:00 p.m. Share your own story, song, music, essay or poem.
TIME: 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. (Feature begins at 8:00 P.M.)
LOCATION: Artworks, 384 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, MA
ADMISSION: FREE (pass the hat for the featured performers)
AUDIENCE: 14 and older
For more information email Karen Chace at storybug@aol.com  or call Artworks at (508) 984-1588.
DIRECTIONS: http://www.artworksforyou.org/hours.html
PARKING: http://tinyurl.com/5qdafo


THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN NEW BEDFORD
Come early and take a stroll along the fishing docks or bring your bike, enjoy the ocean breeze and ride around beautiful Fort Taber . Prefer something easier? There is the interesting and historical Whaling Museum.

Later you can enjoy a "flight of wine" and fresh hot or cold tapas at Corks or award-winning chowder (chowda) at Freestones before the show or a night cap afterwards.

How about a trip to one of the best small zoo's in the country? The Buttonwood Park Zoo is an easy drive from downtown. New Bedford also has National Park status and there are many things to enjoy. Say goodbye to summer and spend a day exploring and then relax in the beauty of ArtWorks listening to stories and song. I can't think of a better way to spend a gorgeous autumn day!

History, Heritage and Community

This is a rare opportunity to learn from professional folklorist and author Dale Jarvis of Newfoundland. Dale will be the featured storyteller at the
September 18, 2010 Story Cafe and will offer his Storytelling and Historical Interpretation Workshop on Saturday morning September 18, 2010. (details below)

Make a day of it! Come to the workshop and afterwards you can take a tour of historical New Bedford. The Whaling Museum and National Park building is right around the corner, have dinner then return to the Story Cafe, which begins at 7:00 p.m. Click on the Story Cafe link above and scroll down to the "Things To Do in New Bedford" section for some fun ideas.

Storytelling and Historical Interpretation Workshop

Calling all museum and historic site staff, teachers, librarians, archivists, docents, tour guides, and history-loving storytellers! How do you search out stories in your community, tell these stories and make history come alive? Where are our community stories? What is heritage value? What can artifacts tell us?

Join heritage conservationist and storyteller Dale Jarvis for a half-day workshop on storytelling for museum and historic site workers. Through this workshop you will learn to utilize story telling for more engaging historical interpretation. Learn the basic principles of cultural interpretation, and what it means for a storyteller. Hear how fact and fiction blended together to become the chilling and entertaining tales of the St. John’s Haunted Hike ghost tour. Dale will talk about how he uses archives and oral history to find his stories, and bring them to life.

DATE: Saturday, September 18, 2010
TIME: 11:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. 
LOCATION: ArtWorks 384 Acushnet Avenue, New Bedford, MA
DIRECTIONS: http://www.artworksforyou.org/hours.html
COST: $55.00
This includes a light lunch or if you prefer you can bring something of your own as we cannot accommodate and special dietary requests. Registration and a $15.00 deposit are required. To register contact Alicia Moretti at ArtWorks at (508) 984-1588.*
PARKING:  There are two parking areas within easy walking distance to ArtWorks: Elm Street Parking Garage and Custom House Parking. http://tinyurl.com/ylx2akr It is recommended that you don't park on the street as there is a two hour limit on metered parking.

* A minimum of six participants are needed for the workshop to take place. Registrants will be notified by Thursday, September 16 if the workshop has been canceled.

About the Instructor 

Dale Jarvis is a heritage conservationist and professional folklorist and author living and working in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. He holds a B.Sc. (Honours) in Anthropology from Trent University and an MA in Folklore from Memorial University of Newfoundland.

He has been working as a heritage officer with the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador since 1995, and currently serves as Newfoundland and Labrador’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Development Officer. He is Past President of the Newfoundland Historic Trust, and the author of three popular books on Newfoundland folklore, published by Flanker Press.

As a storyteller, Dale is the founder of the St. John's Storytelling Circle, and a coordinator of the St. John's Storytelling Festival. He has performed and taught at storytelling festivals and conferences across Canada, the USA, England and Norway. Since 1997, Dale has been the host of the St. John's Haunted Hike, a walking ghost tour through the historic streets of St. John's.

He regularly gives courses on storytelling for historical interpretation for community and regional museums and historic sites, and has provided workshops for Parks Canada, the Federation of Nova Scotian Heritage, Northlands Storytelling Network, and Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada.

This will be an exciting day and evening. Please join us! Questions? Email me at storybug@aol.com.