talk storyThe National Storytelling Network
As part of the 2009 ‘Year of the Regions’
Presents the Pacific Region

 

TALK STORY CONFERENCE

July 16-19, 2009

WAIKIKI, HAWAII (Queen Kapiolani Hotel)

 

Download Press Release

Visit website: www.nsntalkstoryconference.com

 

KOMO MAI! Come all you tellers & lovers of tales! Come  from all around the edge of the Pacific Rim for Hawaii’s very first TALK STORY Storytelling Conference. It features prominently the best tellers and tales of Hawaii. TALK STORY also presents the most compelling, exciting, & provocative workshops and storytelling performances from all around the Pacific Rim and beyond!

 

The National Storytelling Network, America’s largest  storytelling member organization, teams up with Hawaii’s storytelling team lead by Jeff Gere (www.jeffgere.com). Jeff says, “I want to share Hawaii’s best storytellers and tales with the nation and bring other Pacific Rim storytelling movements to Hawaii. I know we’ll all be inspired, shocked, and touched. We'll make new friends. At EVERY NSN Conference I've attended people ask me when there'll be a Conference in Hawaii. Well, THIS IS IT! Please join us."

 

HERE IS A SKETCH OF WHAT WE WILL OFFER:

Three Workshop Strands with 3 workshops each day!

Swaps each night
Sessions Recorded & Streamed
Recording services available by appointment
Time to mill & yak (3 group meals)
Products Store area (& Swap Meet)
Short Excursions during and after Conference

Thursday Preconference  (Story Radio Initiative) & Master Coachings

Story Slam Friday
Sunday Concert of National Tellers (TBA) free with Conference fee
Sunday night music & dancing

 

COSTS: Given that air fare will be a major financial commitment, we've worked to keep prices low: Shared Room $84/night on up, all Conference meals cost $154, Conference fee will be about $150 (higher after 4/16). A price form to help figure costs is available.

 

Our 'home' in the QUEEN KAPIOLANI HOTEL is the Peacock Room (most meals/ general sessions). It feeds 120 in a sitting, has a stage, and features sliding floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening onto a deck overlooking the trees of the Zoo, Kapiolani Park across the street, and a SPECTACULAR view of Diamond Head! Waikiki Beach is a short block away (an easy walk for spouses and kids less involved in storytelling). Yes, the Q Kap. Hotel has a pool. Most Workshops, Swaps, the Sunday Concert, and a few meals will occur in the spacious Akala Room.

 

7/17-19  SCHEDULE OVERVIEW:

6-8:30

BREAKFAST (Peacock, small group van excursions)

8:30-10

General MORNING Session (Peacock Room)

10-11:30

3 Morning Workshops & Storytell Shows (Akala & Peacock Room)

Noon-1

LUNCH (Peacock, except Friday)

1-2pm

General Afternoon Session (Peacock, except Friday)

2-3:30

3 Afternoon Workshops & Storytelling Shows (Akala & Peacock)

3:30-5

3 Sunset Workshops & Storytelling Shows (Akala & Peacock)

5-6:30

Sunset Break (open, small van excursions)        SUN. Public Concert in Akala

6:30-7:30

DINNER (Peacock)                                           SUN. in Akala

7:30-9

General Evening Session (Peacock,)                  SUN. Dancing in Akala

9-10:30

Swaps (8:30-10?,  Akala & Peacock )

 

3 WORKSHOP STRANDS:

MAINLAND STRAND: literacy, schools, how-to, Fringe, Social, Political 
tells. What do you REALLY want to ‘present’? We’re curious to see who’ll propose a workshop/tells from ‘America.’ Storytelling performancess as well as workshops will be featured. Write to jeffgere@lava.net and we'll send a ' proposal form to you right away.

 

PACIFIC RIM STRAND: Workshops/ Storytelling by folks coming from Australia, Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan, Alaska, Canada, West Coast and America. Kid tells, How-to Instructions, Issues, Media, Panels, Guilds, Festivals .

 

HAWAII STRAND: Featuring the unique storytelling talents & tales of Hawaii. Some will be featured in the General Session Panels and others in workshops. This Conference shares Hawaii's best, but doesn’t intend to monopolize/ oppress the event with 'us'.

 

 

7/16 THURSDAY PRECONFERENCE


10-4

STORY RADIO PRECONFERENCE (toward creation of a national story radio webstation channel. Add lunch fee to registration. Other Topics of interest: please ask for space to convene)

1-4

MASTER COACHINGS (Master Tellers, Declare Yourself! If you’re coming we will offer you).

1-4

Other topics: SPEAK UP if you want to declare/hold a meeting on a specific topic.

5pm

OPENING Registration, Dinner, Greetings, Social (Peacock Room)

7pm

OPENING KAWA Ceremony (traditional Polynesian social event)
Emil Wolfgramm (Tongan Epic Tales authority/teller) adapts the traditional Kawa Ceremony to welcome tellers. His Tongan Epics workshop will be Friday.

9pm

SWAPS (Peacock Room)

           
7/17          FRIDAY-  ANCIENT HAWAII & POLYNESIA

6-8:30

BREAKFAST (Peacock)

8:30am

AM Session: ANCIENT HAWAII: Gods, History & Legends of Hawaiians Emil Wolfgramm, Lopaka Kapanui- kumu hula (hula teacher) & author
Alohalani Brown- Doctorate in Mo’o Legends (water/ lizard women)
Tom Cummings- resident storyteller at Bishop Museum

10am

Three FRIDAY MORNING Workshops & Shows (Akala & Peacock)

NOON

LUNCH (Akala)

1pm

Noon Session: HULA is STORYTELLING- hear, see & dance w/hula dancers in the BIG Akala Meeting Room (space to move).

2pm

Three FRIDAY AFTERNOON Workshops & Shows(Akala & Peacock)

3:30

Three FRIDAY SUNSET Workshops & Shows(Akala & Peacock)

5pm

Free Time

6:30

DINNER (Peacock)

7:30

Evening Session: KEYNOTE Address

8:30

SWAPS (Akala & Peacock)

 

7/18         SATURDAY-  HISTORICAL HAWAII

6-8:30 

BREAKFAST (Peacock)

8:30am

AM Session: HISTORICAL HAWAII  (group tells & Workshops after)
Barbara Kawakami- life stories of the Japanese Picture Brides in Hawaii.
Makia Malo- blind teller from Kalaupapa, Hawaii’s leprosy settlement
Alton Chung- Japanese-American soldier tales of WWII (442nd Batallion)
Daniel Martinez- Pearl Harbor bombing tales (National Park Service)

10:00

Three SATURDAY MORNING Workshops & Shows (Akala & Peacock)

Noon

LUNCH (Peacock)

1:00pm

Noon Session- KINGS & QUEENS of Hawaii (Kapanui, Peacock)

2pm

Three SATURDAY AFTERNOON Workshops & Shows (Akala & Peacock)

3:30

Three SATURDAY SUNSET Workshops (Akala & Peacock)

5pm

Free Time

6:30

DINNER (Peacock)

7:30

Night Session: ISLAND SPOOKIES! (with piano improvisations: Les Adam)
‘Tita’ Kathy Collins- Maui’s popular DJ, tells in local ‘pidgin’ creole.
Lopaka Kapanui- does Oahu’s best Ghost Tours & Historical walks
Jeff Gere- hunter & gatherer of supernatural tales, born on Halloween
Ed Chevy- deaf teller who performs Edgar Allan Poe classics

9pm

SWAPS will be held on the large lawn inside the Zoo across the street

 

7/19         SUNDAY-  HAWAII NOW

6-8:30

BREAKFAST (Peacock)

8:30am

General Session- HAWAII NOW: Ching-Fujii, Bamboo Ridge, Slam Team
Nyla Ching-Fujii- deep family history & ‘pidgin’ (Hawaii’s creole English).
Bamboo Ridge- local literature press, pidgin English, story radio readings.
Hawaii Slam Poetry & Youth Speaks- Oahu has USA’s largest monthly event & national high school champions. 4 passionate articulate  young poets speak!

10am

Three SUNDAY MORNING Workshops & Shows (Akala & Peacock)

Noon

LUNCH (Swap Meet Continues, Peacock)

1pm

General Session: Oracle Award, NSN & Pacific Group Sharings,
Story Slam (judged swap, sign up at Conference Registration)

2-3:30

Three SUNDAY AFTERNOON Workshops & Shows (Akala & Peacock)

3:30

Free Time

5pm

PUBLIC CONCERT by (Inter)NATIONAL TELLERS (Akala)

6:30

Public Reception, vending, open bar (pay for your drinks, Akala).

7:30

DINNER (Akala)

8:30-10

Dancing! Doolin’ Rakes & James McCarthy (rockin’ Irish band & musical stories) & special musical guests.

9:30-11

SWAPS (for those who prefer to tell)

                 
7/20 MONDAY- ALOHA ‘OE: UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

6-8:30am

BREAKFAST (Peacock)

8:30-10

Thai Farewell Ceremony- Wajuppa Tossa & Prasong are professors who have run English Camps which use lots of storytelling in rural Thailand for years.

10-Noon

Swap Meet (bring story CDs, T shirts, books, dolls, props to trade & sell)
and final exchanges,  product returns.

 

OTHER NOTES:

 

hotelGETTING TO/FROM THE AIRPORT A convenient Shuttle Bus ($12) brings guests to their hotels day & night (and back to the airport) (takes an hour) or a taxi (about $30).

 

Of course, WAIKIKI has lots to entertain visitors. A Wednesday Night Sunset Concert in the Zoo across from the hotel may interest early Conference arrivals. Additional historical/ cultural trips to the Mission Houses Museum, the Doris Duke Islamic Museum, The Honolulu Academy of Arts, The Contemporary Museum, and Iolani Palace before and after the conference, as well as the Arizona Memorial. A day-long trip to the Polynesian Cultural Center may interest visitors to Oahu. The Bishop Museum offers a group storytelling tour of the Museum on Monday afternoon 7/20. A Hotel Parking fee of $20/day applies to all rental cars (available in Waikiki or the airport).

 

PUBLIC TELLS: Summer Fun & Public Libraries are delighted to host storytellers willing to donate a storytelling session on days before or after the Conference (indicate interest on Registration form when we have one). Sherry & Bobby Norfolk are touring in the Public Libraries during the Conference as well. Consider it a business write-off.

 

SHORT EXCURSIONS: the Conference Van will take small groups on short drives to hike up Diamond Head, to hike Manoa Falls, and to watch sunsets from nearby Parks. Register on-site daily for breakfast and sunset breaks throughout the Conference.

 

SESSIONS & PRIVATE RECORDING: The TALK STORY CONFERENCE values recordings of storytelling events and will record some general sessions. A professional sound engineer will be available to record storytellers (YOU?) at reasonable rates by appointment. Personal recordings can be done in hotel rooms and/or during workshops. We intend to encourage tellers to record their creative work by providing this service.

 

HONOLULU GHOST TOURS with Lopaka Kapanui at discounted Talk Story rate before & after the Conference. He does three different tours: Ghost Walks of Kapiolani Park (by our hotel), Historic Honolulu (downtown history district), and a longer Haunted Sites Bus Tour). Write demigodmaui@hotmail.com  or call (808) 699-4940.

 

VENDORS from Honolulu (books and apparel)  will offer their wares. Yes, CD/ DVDs by conference participants will be accepted  and offered for sale.  Bring the products with you when you come (no pre-shipping required).

 

sunsetCONTINUING TO MAUI: Further storytelling activities on Maui are just being arranged.  Maui story excursions include George Kaimiola’s fabulous Lahaina Historical Walking Tour & Ulalena Theater evening show (Cirque du Soleil goes Polynesian, a MUST!), Mana’o Radio recording sessions (by appointment, reasonable fees), and an NSN Day of Workshops & a Concert (us!) (indicate on Workshop Proposal Form). There are also telling opportunities in Senior Centers, Summer Fun programs, and Public Libraries. We are pursuing reduced weekly rates for unrented timeshares (quite reasonable). We will be happy to make recommendations of activities/story folks for storytellers going to Kauai and the Big Island as well.