Old stories of ancient cultures

CHENNAI: It wasn’t a regular hectic mor ning at Madras University’s Centre for Australian Studies on Tuesday. Instead, students and teachers assembled to attend a storytelling session by Uncle Larry Walsh and musician Ron Murray. The session was organised by the Australian Consulate-General. The Australian cultural educators were in the city after attending a storytelling fest in New Delhi. The duo performed stories honouring 60,000-year-old oral traditions of the Kulin Nations from South Eastern Australia. Larry’s hands swayed up and down in the air as he narrated stories of aboriginal culture. The microexpressions on his face were deep and poignant. His storytelling was accompanied by Ron playing his didgeridoo, an indigenous instrument.

The audience listened with rapt attention. The Australian aboriginals take their storytelling quite seriously. Despite the advancement in technology, the duo believes that this is the way forward to raise their children with values, and inculcate a sense of pride about the community in their minds. “Each storyteller is different, but a good one knows how to appreciate it despite the cultural and language barriers. There is a story behind every story I tell. The first step is to sit and imagine the world of the child and design a story accordingly. Instead of seeing it as a mere myth or legend, one needs to reflect on why a particular story, that’s thousands of years old, is still alive and being told. I believe that the next generation will continue to take this art forward,” said Larry, who presented these stories through a contemporary lens, illustrating the timeless quality and relevance of these ideas to modern- day life. Larry hopes that every culture has a storyteller to carry forward the legacy.

He particularly loves working with the younger generation as he sees them as the torchbearers of the future. “These stories should make them feel happy and proud of their background. As a storyteller, one must feel, see and hear the stories for it to reach the masses,” said Larry. Meanwhile, Ron’s instrument found the likes of students. “I learned to play from one of my relatives. It’s an age-old ins t r u m e n t . I ’ve been playing it since the age of 20.

There are many superstitious beliefs about didgeridoo. The sound it emits is eccentric and is said to have healing properties. It adds value to my storytelling experience,” said Ron, who has an international reputation as a didgeridoo soloist, having performed in Australia, New York, Jordon, Canada and New Zealand. Ron regularly gives presentations and lectures on indigenous issues in the areas of employment, history, the environment, justice, culture, art practice and the positive contribut i o n s o f indigenous people to Australian