Stories are the thread that binds generations of Pender Islanders, as the Ptarmigan Music and Theatre Society rolls out Once Upon an Island: Building Community Through Storytelling.
The program, made possible by funding by the Victoria Foundation, has evolved from a seniors’ storytelling project into an intergenerational model that unites all ages in the Pender Island community.
“The program is actually an umbrella encompassing several existing outreach programs with the same thread,” said Krista Konkin, artistic director for the Ptarmigan Music and Theatre Society.
The project includes a series of inclusive gatherings with community partners, where seniors’ stories are told through song, music and spoken word.
It also includes a night of storytelling on stage, stories filmed and shared online, and a series of senior-led community storytelling workshops.
“It is both an engaging and participatory event,” said Konkin. “It is an opportunity to practise the art of story-telling. The theatrical show will be based on the true, short stories that depict the pieces of the tapestry that make up Pender Island.”
The project addresses the growing concerns about seniors’ isolation. The project’s aim was to empower seniors by collecting and sharing their stories and life experiences.
But along the way, the project has helped bring about intergenerational friendships, forge social connections and instil a lasting sense of identity and meaning for participants.
“Pender Islanders are by nature an intergenerational community,” she said. “With this program, every single decade will be represented.”
She expects by the end of the year, between 1,500 and 2,500 people will either have been in the audience or participated in the program.
“This project is an opportunity and a venue for them to tell each other stories that showcase the community’s robust arts and cultural identity.”
For more information, go to ptarmigansociety.org.
