Pauline at the final Wickerman event, 31st October 2010.
As their resident storyteller, I was storytelling throughout the year at Archaeolink Prehistory Park. With differently themed weekends between easter and Hallowe’en, Archaeolink had something for everyone and I set myself the difficult challenge of fitting my stories to their themes!
See their web page for details of upcoming events and themed weekends.
I was made very welcome again at the Aberdeen University Storytelling Societywhen I told stories there on the 17th March. They are such a welcoming and relaxed group that it feels so natural to be telling stories amongst them – I wish the society had existed when I studied there!
The best thing about the Glastonbury Festival is that there is so much more to discover than the music – leave the main drag heading up towards the Stone Circle and you’ll find poetry, art, crafts, wonderful cafes and stalls and many spontaneous, frivolous, crazy goings-on 🙂 Not forgetting the storytelling of course! From the 24th to the 27th June, I once again joined Christine Willison in the Earth Lodge at the Green Futures Field. I also told stories at the Kidz field, organised by John Row – and I’m already looking forward to Glastonbury 2011!
To make sure the children (and a few mums dads, grannies and grandas!) were kept entertained, I joined a number of family history societies, archivists and local interest groups at Crathes Castle’s Family History Fair on the 10th July – a wonderful historic setting to inspire some traditional scottish folk and fairy tales!
Scottish Natural Heritage had a wonderful sunny summers day for their Open Day at the Burn O Vat visitors centre on the 11th July where I told some of my favourite stories there as part of the International Year of Biodiversity. How did the Caledonian Forest survive? Who was the mysterious Green Man? Who caused the scourge of Scotland? Many other activities and crafts were available including a treasure hunt and the chance to make your own bee box.
On the 25th July, I joined poets, musicians and other storytellers performing from The Performance Shack, one of a group of shacks made from recycled materials which popped up in Union Terrace Gardens, on Schoolhill and on St Nicholas Square. This was a Peackock Visual Arts Project called the “Mobile Creative Village” – one of a number of events taking place to publicise the London 2012 Olympics in 2 years time. Read more on the North East Writers web page
I told stories at the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival for the first time on the 6th and 7th August in the Tweedledum Tent – Everything I’ve heard about Belladrum was true – it’s such a friendly festival! Fellow storyteller Anna Fancett and I dressed up as the White Queen and Red Queen respectively and she helped me out with a couple of stories. Belladrum Festival Web Page Click here to see the two queens battle it out on the croquet pitch!
I was also excited to be going back to the Wee Wizards Tent at 2010’s Wizard Festival. The kids were great, telling stories with a mic was easier than I thought and I discovered a previously unknown talent for making balloon dogs!. Wizard Festival Web Page. … And a photo of the storytelling here. (Very much a high-tech fairy!)
On Saturday the 4th September, I represented GAS at Bodgefest 2010. The day was organised by Dunnottar Bodgers Group and was a fantastic family day of crafts, arts and music in the quarry area of Dunnottar Woods.
I was one of the organisers of Gadiefest 2010 – a celebration of storytelling, arts, crafts and music in the North East of Scotland which took place on Friday the 10th and Saturday 11th September 2010. The festival was organised by GAS and Archaeolink and we enjoyed a great weekend of tales round the fire in the round house. There were events in town (Aberdeen) too though, so have a look at the Gadiefest 2010 web page to see how it went.
I always feel that Hallowe’en is best spent exploring a spooky castle… So it was with great delight that Anna Fancett and I took on the role of storytelling witches at Castle Fraser this Hallowe’en. We told our favourite ghost stories to fellow witches, devils, ghosts and werewolves in the library which had been wonderfully decorated for the occasion.
Sadly it looks like this years Wickerman at Archaeolink was the last. The round house at Archaeolink was where I told my very first story and I and many others will deeply miss the atmosphere, the fun, the excitement, the singing at the roundhouse parties, the midnight stargazing, the spear-fighting, the fire walking, the friendship, the laughter and the good times we all had there. I’m proud to have been one asked to light the Wicker Man for the final time along with other Archaeolink staff as well as members of Historic Saltire and Medieval Realm. Click here to see staff and volunteers enjoy this spectacular event.
Finally, to round off the year, I told local stories and Scottish Folk Tales at Stonehaven’s Hogmanay Event, Open Air In The Square. I went to see the fireballs afterwards of course!
On Sunday the 5th April between 1 and 4pm, 
Along with the rest of the nation, storytellers have been celebrating Homecoming. One special event on the 16th May in the Lemon Tree saw 
Also on the 16th May (which was a very busy day for me!) I was puppeteering at Aberdeen University’s Zoology Dept’s “Night At The Museum” event along with members of the department and the Aberdeen Street Entertainers. I’m very please to say that the shadow and black light puppetry show was a complete success! It was a very different type of storytelling from the norm! – Have a look at the “Museum’s At Night” web page here – 
The Macaulay Institute held an Open Doors event on the 6th June and GAS storytellers, including myself, were there. Have a look at their 
The Darwin/Evolution theme continued with a series of events in the David Welch Winter Gardens at the Duthie Park this summer organized by the Natural History Centre entitled “Darwin: Discovery, Dinosaurs and Dodos” All events were free and took place weekdays from Monday 13th July to Friday 31st July between 10am and 4pm. On Wednesday 15th, I told stories from Darwin’s various ports of call on his journey on the Beagle, and on Wednesday 22nd, to coincide with the week of Dinosaur events, I told stories about Scotland’s Monsters and Mythological Creatures!
The next big event was Gadiefest 2009, a weekend of of Storytelling, Drama, Music, Ballads, Arts, Crafts and Poetry – I was very excited to be one of the organisers! The Grampian Association of Storytellers and Archaeolink Prehistory Park, both of which I have been involved with for many years, joined forces to present “Gadiefest 2009 – A Festival of Storytelling and Traditional Arts in the North East of Scotland.” We hope this will become an annual event and look forward to 2010. 
The Grampian Association of Storytellers held their first Satellite Meeting of 2008 on the 23rd February at 
In June, Stanley Robertson took a group of us out to the Old Road at Lumphanan to meet Auld Craobhie, the ancient oak tree from the story in his book “Exodus to Alford.” We heard a lot of the history of the area, with special relevance to the Scottish Traveller folk who regularly used to camp up the old road. We had a right fine picnic in the shade of Auld Craobhie and sang some of the ancient scots ballads we have been learning from Stanley.
My second last event of the year was a Hallowe’en storytelling session at the Burn O’Vat Visitors Centre. Hallowe’en really is my favourite time of year for storytelling – and dressing up! There are so many ghost stories associated with the North East of Scotland. Here’s a link to the event – 
The year’s grand finale was, once again, Wickerman at Archaeolink and the storytelling challenge that is the Haunted Caves! This year we covered the tale of an Aberdeenshire graverobber, The Big Gray Man of Ben MacDhui, Osbarn the Smith and the Aberdeen witch trials – noting specifically the wicked deeds of one Jonet Wishart who was eventually burned for her sins on heading hill. I’ve already got a few plans for 2009, but I’m keeping them to myself for now!
2007s Glastonbury Festival of Performing Arts was my first time in the Green Futures Earth House – it was a wonderful experience, despite all the rain and that mud! 
Then more stories were to be had on the 30th June up on the Kincorth Hill (aka the Gramps!) as part of Aberdeen’s Treefest. Thankfully the sun came out and we had a good audience (both human and canine!) for our tree stories.
On Sunday 12th August 2007 GAS Storytellers coudl be found telling stories at the MRI 2007 Harbour Festival in Stonehaven. 
My next event was on the 16th October where I told fireside tales out on the shores of Loch Kinord at the Muir of Dinnet Nature Reserve. An audience of adults and children were made comfortable on waterproof beanbags and were warmed by a campfire while they heard tales of Battles, Beasts, Myths and Legends of the area. See the 
On the 28th October, I could be found guiding a terrified public through the haunted caves at Archaeolink’s Wickerman event while other GAS storytellers were performing up at the round house.
Pauline Cordiner - Scottish Storyteller 
