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Papa
Joe ~ Stuff & Things
The Storyteller as a Shaman Questionnaire
from Storytell Listserv - answers by Papa Joe
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Date: Thursday, May 30, 1996 10:03 AM
> What is/was your personal motivation to become a
storyteller? Few storytellers make a lot of money, why do you
keep at it?
I was never motivated to become a storyteller. I wanted to be a
healer. Felt I had the tools to do the job. Tried to follow
society's path for certification as a therapist. It didn't take
long to realize I could not work with 'unhealthy' populations
full time without becoming unhealthy myself. So I turned towards
education in hopes of reducing the number of unhealthy adults by
increasing the communication tools available to children. I
believe the better provided a child is, the healthier an adult
they will become. But as soon as I started working on it, I start
started to get calls that pretty much went like this:
"Are you the storyteller, Papa Joe?" Well, that's what
the children call me.
"Will you come tell stories at our school (library, fair,
etc.)? We'll pay..."
I tried to quit. Every summer for four years. But how do you tell
someone that you refuse to share the stories with them. Plus,
people began giving me the things I needed and couldn't afford.
So finally I gave up trying to quit and accepted storytelling as
my calling. Now I know that I'm a healer (more lower down).
>How old were you, or what stage of life were you in when you
began storytelling? Personal use of storytelling? Professionally
storytelling?
>Did you have a previous career or do you have a "day
job?"
My first memories of my telling stories begin around 8 or 9. It's
rather hard to date it. I know I slept in the big bed in the
middle room with my little brother, David. He was about 3. He
wiggled around a lot before he went to sleep. That kept me awake,
so I made up tales to get him settled. My family says I always
told stories from the time I started talking. I don't remember
that and I think they have a vested interest in my current
status, so take it with a grain of salt (or maybe an ounce).
I was 28 when I told my first story and received a check for my
troubles. I've averaged 350 programs a year since.
I was raised in the construction field. Started working on little
jobs as soon as I could hold a shovel. We were very poor by
societies standards. I didn't know that then. My parents were
very good at using the resources available including sending of
teams of their 10 children to shovel snow, cut grass, etc. We
always had good food, clean clothes, and time to play. At 12 I
started working for real. Caretaking at grave yards and roofing
mostly. By 14 we weren't poor any longer and my parents paid me
for my labor. When I had time, I supplemented my income by hiring
out to local farms.
At 17 I joined the Army as a Chapel Activities Specialist.
Started my education in counseling and began traveling on the
side. At 22, I traveled more and worked less. At 24 I was a
father and did what I had to to support my family, including
working in a warehouse for a couple of years. At 27 I went back
to school and...
> When you are drawn to a particular story, do you ponder on
why you are drawn to it?
Not really. The story tells me the whys after it's mastered. Of
the thirty odd stories that I tell regularly, I can see the
personal connections. It's a wonderful feeling when my awareness
reaches the level of understanding why I was drawn to it.
> How do you imagine your story when preparing it for telling?
I don't prepare stories for telling. I have close to 50 schools
waiting for me to bring green stories for polishing. In the
telling the story evolves.
> How do you prepare a story - i.e. researching, writing,
taping, practicing?
Sometimes I research cultures. Hearing and reading their stories
is part of the research. I rarely practice stories. And I only
write them down when I've told them so often they flow into the
computer. I do practice the wording of riddles, rhymes, and
things like that.
> How do you handle distractions when you are working?
I don't have distractions. It's more input.
> Are you ever drawn toward fairytales/folktales, tales of
spirits/spiritual, the sun/moon/stars, elements/environment,
animals/birds/plants/stones, etc.?
I'm a folkteller. I'm always drawn to these types.
> Tales from particular cultures? Why? Are they cultures from
your known heritage?
Yes. I don't know how to answer this one. Maybe I feel linked. I
grew up on Joseph Jacob's Tales. The largest group of my tales
are from my childhood. My family is historically ethnically
Acadian, but we were raised U.S. American. We were not raised
with those stories. I love them, but only tell one.
> Do you have a special "cubby hole" in your house,
bedroom, or office for reading or thinking? A favorite spot
out-of-doors?
No one place. Maybe that's why I travel. There are so many places
in this world that speak to me.
> Do you have any type of a personal routine that you go
through when preparing mentally for a telling? Is there any
particular attention you give to the day before? Evening before?
Morning or day of?
No. None at all. I tell almost every day. So it is my personal
routine.
> Do you have a "style" of dressing?
Yes. My clothing are all gifts. People buy or make things that
they think I should have/wear. I accept their vision. Papa Joe is
their storyteller.
> Do you use some kind of prop regularly, like a talking/story
stick, a "good luck" piece or talisman, puppets, masks,
etc.?
No.
> Do you ever use any type of a musical instrument: stringed,
wind, drum, rattle, rainstick, thumb piano, etc.?
I fill in time playing the tenor recorder. Not during shows, but
sometimes before and/or after them.
> Do you experience any sense of "shyness" when not
telling, possibly before or after telling?
I don't think I do much anymore. I become Papa Joe when I'm in
'public'. He's not shy. But coming back to being me after being
Papa Joe is not always comfortable. There are physical problems.
Body waking up. Needing to use a bathroom. Headaches. I try not
to eat as Papa Joe. His stomach doesn't seem to digest food.
> What are you like-what goes through you head-just before you
tell?
Before I tell, I am talking to the audience, trying to find out
who they are and what they want.
> Do you enjoy people watching? Where is you favorite or most
memorable spot for people watching?
When there are interesting people, I watch.
> Have you other creative interests outside of storytelling?
Everything!
> Have you ever had the experience of "loosing
track" of the time while engaged in creative endeavors?
Always!
> Do you have any personal habits or practices, such as a
physical activity or some sort of exercises, quiet time or
meditation? Do you think this has any affect on the way you tell?
How?
I do both. Yes. Helps me see connections.
> Have you ever had sudden "inspired" thoughts, or a
gut feeling about a story? An audience of listeners?
Often, to all.
> What role does your community's needs or social issues play
in your life as a storyteller?
I tell the stories I believe the audience needs in a way they can
hear. What they do with it is their business.
> Do you think/feel that storytelling can bring a sense of
balance to one's life? How? To a community?
Thinking and communicating, that's what stories inspire. That's
what brings a sense of balance to one's life. A community is just
a larger body.
> The shaman has often been described as the "wounded
healer." Other tellers have spoken of various reasons of
being drawn to storytelling. Jackie Torrance speaks of overcoming
a lisp she had as a child; Bobby Norfolk tells of having
stuttered. On this list over the months I have read of others:
having had an illness, of having been sickly as children; of
being/feeling isolated-either by geographic location, by lack of
sibling or peers, by family dynamics or some emotional turmoil.
Have you had any such experiences?
I do not think this relevant. We all have wounds. I do believe
our life choices are made to add growth (assuming we are
following a path instead of being pushed down it).
> Have you worked on or let go of any fears, self-imposed
limitations or
past negative expectations since becoming a storyteller.
Have, Am, Will continue to.
> Have you had experiences as a storyteller in some sort of
"healing setting." Telling at a hospital, for a social
agency, a prison, etc.
Hundreds.
> Have you received feedback from someone in the audience,
parent or educator, that has told you how effective or healing
one of you stories were?
Many. Mostly as a vehicle of communication. It seems to me that
the problems people have are less about behaviors than
expression. I often say: Secrets are dangerous. An example might
be: A child is molested. If they tell about the incidence right
away and there is no sigma attached to them, for them the problem
is over for that incidence. The longer the story is suppressed,
the more problems the child has. I think the feelings of guilt
melt when exposed. Storytelling inspires such expressions.
With the undisciplined, storytelling helps them learn control.
The immediate feedback of an audience is great for learning
acceptable behaviors. In my shows, everyone has opportunities to
be the storyteller in a safe and comfortable way. Once they feel
the rewards, they want more.
> I know this is A LOT!!! Hopefully, all will find it
interesting! THANK YOU!!!
Yes. Yes. You're welcome.
--
Pax & Amicitia,
Papa Joe
Papa
Joe ~ Stuff & Things |