In our continued series about Cadbury’s new initiative to revolutionize storytelling and make it more accessible to modern parents, today we look at how this age-old art has evolved over the ages.
Storytelling is an art as old as humanity itself. Families have gathered around campfires, in grandma’s kitchen, or other communal spaces to share stories for entertainment, education, and to pass down cultural knowledge. Storytelling has shaped children from time immemorial and connected generations and societies.
However, with the advent of technology, the art of storytelling has evolved significantly. In this article, I will trace a few changes that this art has undergone, and how modern parents are still able to partake in this age-old tradition with modern initiatives like Cadbury’’s Give A Generous Voice initiative.
First, we had grandma’s kitchen which is/was the heart of the home. I did not get to experience this but the generation before me in the family did and they have only fond memories of how they used to look forward to evenings. Storytelling in grandma’s kitchen encouraged a sense of togetherness and created strong emotional connections between family members and communities.
Then there is written literature, which is still with us to date and still very popular. Societies have packaged their tales, folklore, traditions, legend, and histories into books. This transition allowed stories to transcend time and space, reaching far-flung corners of the world. As an avid reader, I have firsthand experience in the power of the written word, and how books can open one’s mind to whole new experiences to build the mind.
Print media cannot be overlooked in the growth of storytelling and the written word. For instance, many of us will recall waiting eagerly for the Sunday Nation for the children’s pull-outs they had, or for the older kids and adults, Wahome Mutahi’s ‘Whispers’. Print media has always had assorted content for all ages to enjoy and this continues to date.
Then came radio as a powerful and far-reaching audio medium for storytelling. Families gather around the radio to listen to gripping dramas, adventure series, and captivating news reports. Radio dramas like sports are narrated in a way to stimulate the imagination and evoke emotions and the narrators did and still do a very clean job at this.
Then introduction of television brought visual storytelling into living rooms worldwide. Shows, both local and international became an integral part of the lives of those who had televisions in their homes. In Kenya, we have iconic shows like Tahamaki, Tausi and Tushauriane which had a near cult following. The combination of audio and visuals elevated storytelling to new heights, captivating audiences in a way that was previously unheard of.
In the 21st century, the digital age came upon us. The internet and digital devices transformed the way stories were consumed and shared. E-books, online articles, and web novels opened up new possibilities for writers and readers alike. Furthermore, social media platforms provided a space for people to share their own stories with a global audience.
This digital age is what has borne initiatives like Cadbury’s Give A Generous Voice – a locally curated audio library and urging the public to contribute by recording e-books, thereby lending their voices to story time. These African inspired audio books are accessible through the Cadbury Africa e-library, enabling families to indulge in fulfilling story time together.
Through all these changes, the essence of storytelling remails the same: to connect, entertain, and educate. While the means of storytelling have transformed significantly, the power of a well-told tale to captivate hearts and minds continues to endure. As we embrace the advancements of audio and digitization, we must cherish the timeless magic of storytelling that has enriched human culture for millennia.