Maggie Owens told her tale through her diaries. Canadian story teller Mary-Eileen McClear voiced her story for Ottawa residents.
Maggie is an Irish girl who found herself moving between Ireland, France and the United States as she sought health and happiness.
Ottawa residents gathered at the National Arts Centre on Mar. 19, the day before World Storytelling Day to listen to Maggie’s tale.
The audience broke into applause when Maggie labelled herself a “noble virgin” and responded with a brief silence when her husband died in the First World War just a week after their wedding.
“It was a beautiful story and I am interested in anything that is Irish. Maggie’s story was special because my grandfather fought in World War I as well. The story came down to a personal level,” said an enthusiast who had come down to the NAC for the show.
McClear says she thought people would be hung over with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and that was why she chose to tell Maggie’s story.
“It was Maggie’s spirit that inspired me to share her story. She faced all kinds of adversities in life, but she never gave up,” says McClear.
This concert is a part of Speaking out/Speaking in, a storyteller series that showcases the talent of local storytellers from Ottawa.
Canada celebrated World Storytelling Day for the first time in 2003 and since then, it has been going strong.
The theme for this year is ‘Neighbours’. Ottawa Storytellers and other groups are trying to revive the art of storytelling and bring stories of the world to modern audiences.
“We are so removed from each other in this age and storytelling is a wonderful way to connect with people,” says McClear.
Most people grow up listening to stories. But storytelling as a professional art form is not something that is as popular as music and theatre.
With the advent of modern day media, people have forgotten the value of story telling, says Sherri Yazdani, a member of the board of Ottawa Storytellers.
It was only in the 1970s that people world over got involved in reviving the art of storytelling.
Gail Anglin, a storyteller from Ottawa, says sharing a narrative changes a group of people into a community.
“It is an intimate art form. The teller has to feel a strong connection with the story,” she says.
“Stories offer a window into somebody’s life without living their life,” says Yazdani.
Talking about personal experiences, she says her daughter’s perspective towards people with physical disabilities changed completely after she heard personal tales of two storytellers with disabilities.
She says her daughter is more apathetic towards them now.
“Stories have flexibility and help to break barriers. It is pure as it allows the listener to create a story in their mind. It is also portable as you can say a story anywhere,” says Yazdani.
Yazdani says the support from the local community is increasing slowly.
Ottawa Storytellers host about 200 tellings every year and Yazdani says she wants to see it grow and make people understand that it is as broad an art form as music.
“Ideally, one day will come when everyone would have experienced it,” says Yazdani.