Storytelling Training, 13th-15th March, Glen Etive.

Eric Maddern revisted the art of storytelling with us at the bothy...

We investigated the storytellng epochs and their place in the British psyche,

the type of landscape, minds and forces that formed them

from the archaic to the mythic,

from the magical to the heroic

from the hunter-gather to the agrarian to the industrial ages

and our place as storytellers here, now.

The weekend was moving, sublime and ridiculous with all participants telling their personal and classical tales as well as the forming of Kinlochetives first song for the howff':

"Its a Chunker!"

    D                 F”m
A tree stands in its native land
   G                         D
The wild wind rages up the glen,
    F”m                  G
A loud crack and the woodman’s axe,
    E                             A
A gift from the forest to the men (and the women!)

Chorus

    G           D
Chunker, oh chunker,
    G              D
Let’s have a cup of tea.
    G           D
Chunker, oh chunker,
    E            A
Here comes fecundity

A canny plan for many hands
Moving it all together,
We shouldered our load over river and road, Grafting through all the weather.

Chorus

With a motley team we raised our beam
For the howff did need a backbone,
It’s a shelter strong for fire and song, It makes this wild place our home.

Chorus

Composed at Kinlochetive Howff by Eric Maddern and the Venture Scotland crew 15th March 2009

Heres to a fecund summer!

Many thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support in bringing this element to our programme.