This morning, we were honored by the presence of storyteller, Motoko, who is visiting Eugene to participate in a Multi-Cultural Storytelling Festival. For nearly an hour, our students, teachers, and staff were mesmerized by her telling of a tale about her grandmother (who always said she was 57 years old), a story about her experience as a mom to her son Charlie, and a playful mime of going into her sleeping teenage son's room.Motoko taught us to sing in a chorus in Japanese, the "animal" years (and how to calculate someone's age), and to say "thank you" in Japanese. She also answered questions from students and staff about her life as a storyteller. Although we videotaped her stories and mime, Motoko preferred not to have the video on YouTube. However, a brief (and a little shaky) video of her answering questions at the end of the session offers a sense of the joyful presence she brings to her audiences.
Thank you, Motoko, for sharing time with us and for sharing your wonderful stories with groups throughout the country.
