Join storyteller Pauline Cordiner for science and sea themed storytelling and crafts – Sea monsters, ocean chemistry and fantastical tales!  Children can also create a sea life mask.

Robogals will also be there to show attendees how to code a robot!

Well that’s Spectra 2020 over for another year!
Thanks to everyone who came and heard Professor Jigget and myself telling tales of mysterious beasts of the maritime!
Photos to follow, but for now, here’s what you missed.
(Much arm waving from the professor and myself about 10 seconds in!)

Third night of Spectra 2020: Aberdeen’s Festival of Light tonight!
Storytelling from 6.45 in the foyer of Marischal College with mysel and the Professor!
Pauline Cordiner, A Scottish Storyteller, Yan Tan Tethera

If you’re heading to Spectra this weekend (Thursday to Sunday), please note Professor Jigget and myself have been moved oot frae the cauld to the nice warmth of Marischal College foyer!
Join us for Monsters From The Deep and Stories From The Sea at 6.30, 7.30, 8.30 and 9.30pm each evening  

https://www.spectrafestival.co.uk/artworks/monsters-from-the-deep-stories-from-the-sea-professor-jigget-and-pauline-cordiner

Whit a grand day I hid yesterday at Insch Primary! 
I told stories to two assemblies – what great kids! They were all so enthusiastic 

The P1 – P3 children heard about a wee boy who became king even though he thought he had failed – one of my favourite stories that promotes resilience, bravery, honesty and hard work.
Then the P4 – P7s got my current favourite story, Tatterhood! She’s very much my hero at the moment. Anything with trolls is good though 

Tatterhood – my current favourite!  by Finnguala.deviantart.com

I’m chuffed and excited to be currently working on some new stories for SPECTRA 2020!
Professor Jigget and myself will be telling our tales of “Monsters from the Deep and Stories from the Sea– creating a world of intrigue and wonder through words and performance. ”

SPECTRA exhibits will be throughout the city centre, but we’ll be performing at Marischal Square at 6.30, 7.30, 8.30 and 9.30pm.

More details here:

https://www.spectrafestival.co.uk/artworks/monsters-from-the-deep-stories-from-the-sea-professor-jigget-and-pauline-cordiner

The Grampian Association of Storytellers met last night with a theme of “Family HiSTORIES” – so this could be any family stories that have been passed down or perhaps anything that you’ve discovered whilst researching your family tree.   We had some great stories and good attendance.

I started researching my family tree ohhhh I don’t know – way back!  Probably around the same time I started showing interest in being a storyteller.  Luckily my grandfather, Andrew Middleton, and father, George Cordiner, both lived into their 90s so I was able to ask them lots of questions – and both were nae bad at tellin a tale!

However, I went for something I’d uncovered in the British Newspaper Archives.
I found out that my great-great grandmother, Isabella Jemima Smith, of Aberdeen had been married before – to a local celebrity “The well known pedestrian Joseph “Joe” Leith.”

This had me confused. Famous for walking?  Well, yes.  It was a well attended sport in the Victorian times. In 1879 Joe came second in a 48 hour walking match held in the Music Hall.  There were 4000 spectators over the course of the match, with 2000 there at the grand finish!

We then followed Joe’s various mentions in the local press. Some were humorous (giving evidence in court that the Blind Society Band had played “Affa Coorse”) but ultimately they followed his decline in the public eye from being a good sport and well liked to making yet another appearance in court for drunken and violent behaviour.  Ultimately his story ended in murder.  No, not someone else’s but his own at the hands of a slaughterman, William Erskine who had suffered 2 hours of haranguing from a drunken Joseph.

His widow married Adam Rettie, a drover.  Joseph had also been a drover and I wonder if they had been friends.  Adam was my great-great-grandfather and I’m lucky enough to have recently found a photo of him and Isabella online.

On Thursday I was invited along to the Language Cafe (https://www.facebook.com/LearnEnglishAberdeen/) to do a storytelling workshop for adults who are improving their spoken English.  There was a great turn out with 32 people there with everyone willing to have a go.  After an introduction and fun warm up, we split into groups to each tell one truth about ourselves and one lie with the others in the group guessing which was which.  Participants then had the chance to expand – turning it into a story!
I then told one of my favourite Scottish Tales – The Laird of Morphie.

To find out more about the group, go to their Facebook page (linked above)

“Want to learn English or improve your language skills in Aberdeen? This page will have up-to-date information about classes, conversation practice, and relevant events. It’s updated by people from a range of organisations, including Grampian Regional Equality Council, Aberdeen City Council, various Community Centres, Aberdeen University, Aberdeen College, the Workers Education Institute, International House, and others.”

Weel it’s been a grand wik for tellin stories!

On Wednesday night I was privileged to join friends and fellow storytellers at an event at the Elphinstone Institute celebrating the stories of Stanley Robertson who passed away 10 years ago.  Stanley, his stories and his songs have been a huge influence to me and many others and it was jist braw to settle back and listen to some of the best.

The Elphinstone Institute said
“What a wonderful evening of stories in honour of Stanley Robertson! Many thanks to his son, Anthony Robertson, for compering the evening and inviting family and friends.

Hae a look at aa the photies here – https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fei.folklore%2Fposts%2F3818578651500470&width=500

I’m looking forward to telling a wee story at this event on Wednesday – part of the Celebration of Stanley Robertson’s life and contribution to storytelling and song!