Storytelling 101: An Oral History of Storytelling

Art and post by Grace Walters

Crash Course on the History of Storytelling

By Grace Walters

Oral storytelling is a tradition that goes back as far as human language. From The Epic of Gilgamesh to the fables of Aesop, to modern, urban legends, we have been telling each other stories to entertain ourselves, to find meaning in our lives and to create threads that tie our experiences to the experiences of others. Storytelling has always been a social activity, one that allows many people to share an experience. Stories like the Odyssey or the Iliad were originally spoken aloud. Epic poems like these were shared by a storyteller with his audience, often with rhythmic or instrumental accompaniment.

Storytelling as a profession is nearly as old as story itself.  Professional storytellers have existed in most cultures, whether they were called a “bard”, a “griot”, a “skald”, or a “Pingshu”. Across cultures and continents, humans have found ways to preserve history, teach lessons and communicate with narrative.

Modern Storytelling

When people trace the evolution of oral storytelling, they tend to halt at the invention of the printing press. However, oral histories and traditions continue to exist, and have thrived alongside written stories. Even as books have become more accessible, and people have grown more literate, oral storytelling has remained in the forms of stand-up comedy, podcasts, and Ted Talks. Programs like StoryCorps, podcasts like the moth, and live event series like Story Jam, facilitate the kind of social experiences of narrative that human beings have always sought out.

Telling stories professionally, today, looks different than it used to, but many of us do it in some capacity. Obviously, not all of us give TedTalks or do standup professionally. However, communicating with an audience, facilitating shared experiences, and finding common threads by which to relate, are invaluable skills across most industries. Those of us who are in marketing, communications, or even human resources can benefit from strengthening our sense of narrative.

With that in mind, Story Jam has classes available! If you want to learn more about how to tell compelling stories, how to engage an audience or how to connect with people through story, come check us out! And be sure to check in on the blog and our other social media for more tricks, tips and new stories.