Peaceworks – an initiative of the Seagull Foundation for the Arts organized a two day workshop in two schools which was conducted by the well known Polish Storyteller Michal Milanowski.
Michal Milanowski is a writer, storyteller and a computer graphic artist.He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Lausanne and began his career as a multimedia artist. He is presently also the Director of Storyteller Museum in Poland. He was living in Tokyo and working on a children animation movie when he decided to visit Papua New Guinea where he came across a few traditional storytellers and this meeting inspired him to become a storyteller himself.
On the 12th of February 2013, the first workshop was conducted with the teachers of La Martiniere for Boys from 2:00 to 4:00 p m.
Michal began by narrating with animation and with the help of kalimba,(the national musical instrument of Brazil)a Polish folk tale about a tailor named ‘Zig Jig Mig’ thereby winning the attention of the teachers. And as the workshop continued, around five teachers participated by acting out stories or situations that were given to them by Michal. This was followed by a discussion on how to make classroom teaching a fun and interesting experience with the help of storytelling and also how this method would help to sensitize students about gender related issues and how to live with each other in harmony.
The next day Michal conducted the session at Lakshmipath Singhania where he interacted with both students and a few teachers. The children responded well and actively participated by acting out stories and modifying the situations that were given to them. Michal discussed with them the importance of storytelling and shared his experience of the methods that are used for teaching in Poland which appeared to be devoid of imagination and almost robotic.
Michal’s way of narrating stories is very captivating in the sense that he first and foremost transports one to the world of imagination with the soft music of his kalimba and then he switches from one character in the story to another with ease,changing the tone of his voice to suit the characters and making appropriate hand gestures. Sometimes stamping his foot in disappointment, getting upset and sad or staring at something in horror. Also imagining an animal and taking him in his arms and patting it. He made the audience do the same which they seemed to be enjoy. A boy came up and imagined a pet dog and instantly weaved a small story about how attached he was to his pet who one day went missing, never to be found again. Two girls also participated with their imaginary rabbits. The students loved the workshop so much that they wanted the session to go on a little longer.
To conclude, the workshop was a success and we are looking forward to having more of Michal’s storytelling workshops. — Sabah Salim
