Wilf

 Hey.

So I am in Sweden now, NOT Switzerland, I made that mistake on stage last night and the locals do not appreciate it. To be fair to me (and I usually like to be) it IS confusing, I mean they do both begin with ’Sw’. I come from England and if you can think of another country beginning with ’En’ then feel free to mix it up with England, I wont mind. I might not even notice.

Anyway. Shut up Wilf. Hol Sheftan.

So I’m in Sweden. I am having a magestic time. I don’t know how I ended up here. Its like being on school camp again with a few key differences:

1. I am older
2. I like it
3. We actually learn stuff
4. I want to actually learn stuff
5. I’m in Sweden
6. I’m more likely to see a bear.
7. No bullying
8. No one tells me when to go to bed
9. I’m at a festival of storytelling

There are probably more differences but it would be dull to go through them all now. Maybe another time.

I should tell you about the people here, they are a stunning bunch. We laugh and fight and sing and shout. We shout alot. Today we went to the swimming pool and shouted in there for a bit and got wet. I do not want to leave, I want to live with these people now. I’m going to go home and tell my countrymen that they dissapoint me. We are all young storytellers, me and Ruthie are the two from England and the oldest also I think. The youngest is 13 or so. They are all frighteningly adept performers. So much skill and confidence in every one here. When I was 13 the best thing I could do was trick a girl into sitting on my hand. I could barely talk to my mum, let alone get on a stage, and here these guys are telling stories in packed venues alongside experienced tellers from around the world, competing alongside them and out-telling them in slams. Props to all these people.

It is less surprising when you put the quality of the training into the equation. We have had workshops with some trully inspiring people. We had Kirsty (Kersti), who sung to us and brought out monsters. She has so much sense in her eyes. We have had Joel from Kenya, who played simple games but drew out lesson after lesson untill we were full of new thinking, and then today we had Helen from Kenya also who has taught us that the audience is a big ball of clay that you can move about and sculpt into your story. That’s not mention all the other storytellers who have shared their stories and energy to make this work. Peter, Love, Ida, Monika and more.

So I’m in Sweden and I’m buzzing with fables and trolls and fun times and all the filthy Swedish words that I have been so patiently taught.

I’ve written alot now and I’m going to stop. Thankyou to all for this oppurtunity, I have met many mad and magnificent folks, learned many weird and wonderful tales, been introduced to a gorgeous new land and I have become more powerful.

Remember kids play safe, keep it funky and Ho Sheftan!

 //Wilf Merttens

 

Behövs det en översättning? Kanske någon vill ge sig på den? Vad betyder Ho Sheftan? )

//Monika