In folktales, it is usually the female figure that gives or withholds nurture and nourishment. Harsh stepmothers, evil witches, benevolent crones and wise women appear in stark contrast, like Lady Holle and Baba Yaga. But all seem to have the power to reward and punish, create and destroy.
If the heroine doesn’t have her wits about her or lacks resourcefulness and courage she will find herself “covered” in misfortune that will cling to her for the rest of her life, or she will be “eaten” – losing her individuality altogether.
On the surface good and evil appear fairly black and white, but in the realm of folktales nothing is as it seems.
This four-part workshop has traditional storytelling at its heart. Using folktales, conversation and other creative techniques we will discover that:
- We can turn trials and hardships into wisdom; hinderances into capability and strength
- We can recognise adversaries as helpers in disguise
- We can use folktales and storytelling to refine creative thinking and tackle the problems we face today.
Develop your storytelling skills.
Find fresh perspectives on crucial questions,
new tools to re-evaluate personal experiences and creative thinking to support your family, friends, colleagues and community.
Click the following links for information about each part of this workshop:
The Wisdom of the Wicked Witch, Part One
Lack and Plenty; Signals of Change; Nurture and Nourishment
The Wisdom of the Wicked Witch, Part Two
Baba Yaga, Her Wonderful Sisters and the Seven Disciplines of Medicine Woman
The Wisdom of the Wicked Witch, Part Three:
Voracious Heroes and Heroines, Gluttonous Cannibals and Ogres
The Wisdom of the Wicked Witch, Part Four:
Meanings of Food in Folktales: Magical Food, Initiations, Curses, and Blessings