This question asks us to first discuss two reasons given for the limiting of our capacity to find meaning from first stories, and then to find and discuss a third reason given by Robinson himself in the introduction to “Living by Stories.”
The first reason given is that the social process of the telling is disconnected from the story. The introduction to “Living by Stories” gives several examples of the importance of the storyteller and the problems found in the loss of said storyteller. Right at the beginning of the introduction we are shown a brief glimpse of the power of the storyteller; at the bottom of page seven Wickwire writes, “[…] Harry told this story without interruption or props beyond a continuous series of striking hand gestures that were choreographed into the narrative.” This shows how the element of the storyteller is an integral aspect of the story itself. To further develop this point, Wickwire writes on page eight, “The print versions of these stories were short – on average, a page or two in length – and lifeless. Most lacked the detail, dialogue, and colour of Harry’s story. Many were also missing vital segments […] In many cases, collectors had created composite stories from multiple versions, which erased all sense of variation in the local storytelling traditions.” (italics added for emphasis). There is a distinct sense that, not only is the storyteller an integral part of the story, but attempts to replace the storyteller with the written word will inevitably leave out vital parts of the story, capturing fragments rather than the whole.
The second reason given is “the extended time of criminal prohibitions against indigenous people telling stories combined with the act of taking all the children between 5 – 15 away from their families and communities.” Again, the introduction provides us with reasons as to why this impacts our capacity to find meaning in stories, though this reason seems to me to be far more self-evident than the previous. On pages twenty and twenty-one, Wickwire writes, “Although he had spent lots of time listening to his grandmother and her contemporaries tell stories, he did not begin to tell stories until he was immobilized by the injury […] He explained that the stories all came back to him much like ‘pictures’ going by.” Here we see the necessity for close familial and communal relations for the transmission of these stories. The only reason Robinson was able to become a storyteller was because he spent his early life inundated in his own community. The removal of children from their communities makes it impossible for them to grow up in this way, thereby cutting them off from the transmission of these stories. If you don’t grow up listening to these stories, they’ll never come back to you like “pictures going by” in your old age.
I had a bit of trouble finding a third reason. At no point in the introduction does Robinson flatly say “a reason for this is x.” There seemed to me to be, however, a certain line of thought that Robinson touched on several times in the introduction. That being the necessity of time in the telling and retelling of these stories. On page twelve Wickwire, quoting Robinson, writes, “”Well, I can’t tell them noting in two, three hours. Very little. But some people, one man, we talk, I and he, for over twelve hours. So they really come to know something of me. It takes a long time. I can’t tell stories in a little while.” This idea is revisited again later on. Again on pages twenty and twenty-one, Wickwire writes, “The hip injury turned out to be a good thing for his storytelling. Although he had spent lots of time listening to his grandmother and her contemporaries tell stories, he did not begin to tell stories until he was immobilized by the injury. While running his ranches, he simply had no time to sit for hours telling stories.” As far as I can tell, this is a third reason that Robinson gives for our limited capacity to find meaning from first stories. Both telling the story and listening to the story require time, lots of time, time that many if not most of us in the modern world don’t have. It requires a different, slower way of living, one in which you can afford to allow yourself to be swept up for hours listening to a storyteller perform their first stories for you.
Works Cited
Robinson, Harry. “Living by Stories: a Journey of Landscape and Memory.” Compiled and edited by Wendy Wickwire. Vancouver: Talon Books 2005. (1-30)
Hi Cooper,
I third your third reason is really insightful and interesting. Time is so important in the development of stories and the telling of stories. This connects to the second point in a tragic way; children were robbed of their childhood with their families, a critical time to learn important stories. Further, it connects to now. Non-Indigenous people can’t spare the time to learn about Indigenous perspectives and ways of life through listening to stories and histories.
I’m curious: in an age where everyone seems to be becoming busier and busier, will storytellers become obsolete? Do you think different forms, such as audiobooks or podcasts can capture the essence of an oral story, and preserve story-telling cultures in this way?
Hi Georgia,
Thank you for your comment. To your first point, I’m not sure that indigenous peoples can spare the time either. The modern way of living leaves little time to spend on such long activities, indigenous or no. It’s difficult for anyone to find time for these things outside, perhaps, of holidays.
To your second point, I think it depends on what one thinks is the function of the storyteller and the art of telling stories. If it is to provide entertainment, then it’s plainly obsolete. Even if it’s main function is to educate, I think it’s apparent that there are much more efficient and accessible means of educating people about any subject one can think of. But if, however, the main function of telling these stories is to preserve culture and it’s unique perspective on the world, then I think it won’t become obsolete as long as storytellers take advantage of the tools that are now at their disposal. I don’t know if podcasts or audiobooks could capture the entirety of the art, but I feel that platforms such as YouTube could. As Robinson – through Wickwire – makes clear, storytelling is both a visual and audible art, and is performative at it’s core. The means used to preserve this tradition must be able to make use of both, and I think that YouTube and similar platforms provide a perfect opportunity to do so. What do you think?
Cooper
I also could not point a finger on the third reason by reading the introduction. I find your view insightful because a lot of the first stories only exist orally and the only way they can be preserved is if these stories are told time and time again and pass from generation to generation.
What a noticed at the end of my reading is that how challenging it was for Wickwire to visit Harry and put together the stories. So, I put the third challenge to be lack of a structured way to collect first stories. I think Wickwire had to take her own measures and go above and beyond to collect the stories.
There are the two main reasons Dr Patterson gave as that already happened (some still happening) that corrupted the first stories. What are we doing now to undo some of those damage and collect the stories for future? My view was more from academic institutions and researcher. How much is Canada and its institution work towards preserving and collecting the exiting stories?
To add to the point that Georgia brought up, I think the modern platforms such as podcast and audio books can be useful in passing these stories. YouTube give the visuals and perhaps depict the actual social way of storytelling, but I think the audio tools can be as useful as well to ensure that they reach a wide range of people.
Thank you Copper,
A really insightful answer to my question, thank you. Eloquently written and so nicely concise and clear.
You write:
“There seemed to me to be, however, a certain line of thought that Robinson touched on several times in the introduction. That being the necessity of time in the telling and retelling of these stories.”
And this is so true, but it is more than time alone that is necessary, it is the time to connect the stories; they are all connected. Look at page 19: “Harry stressed that they (the stories) contained hidden messages and connections that would take time to decipher.” And note how Harry told his stories is cycles of four narratives. Like the medicine wheel; the four cycles of life.