Storyteller for The Earth

Read The Resources

This performance was shaped by folklore, community movements, and conversations about our relationship with the Earth. Below is a curated collection — for those who want to keep exploring after the curtain falls.

Read the Synopsis

Get the full picture before you explore the resources below.

Two cultures, two traditions, one shared story about the Earth.

Storyteller for the Earth: Synopsis Booklet

Synopsis

Read the full synopsis booklet for Storyteller for the Earth: Folktales for The Living Earth, outlining the stories and themes woven throughout the performance.

Storyteller for the Earth: Synopsis Booklet

Synopsis

Read the full synopsis booklet for Storyteller for the Earth: Folktales for The Living Earth, outlining the stories and themes woven throughout the performance.

Stories

Folktales that inspired the performance, from Sumatra to Somerset.

Two cultures, two traditions, one shared story about the Earth.

Malin Kundang: The Cursed Stone of West Sumatra

Live Site

A well-known Indonesian legend about a son cursed to stone for disowning his mother, and the rock formation said to mark the spot.

Malin Kundang: The Cursed Stone of West Sumatra

Live Site

A well-known Indonesian legend about a son cursed to stone for disowning his mother, and the rock formation said to mark the spot.

The Tidy Mun (Lincolnshire)

Book

Originally documented by M. C. Balfour in Legends of the Carrs, published in the folklore journal Folk-Lore (1891); considered the original printed source for this tale.

The Tidy Mun (Lincolnshire)

Book

Originally documented by M. C. Balfour in Legends of the Carrs, published in the folklore journal Folk-Lore (1891); considered the original printed source for this tale.

The King of the Moles (Somerset)

Story

Adapted from Somerset Folk Tales by Sharon Jacksties (The History Press).

The King of the Moles (Somerset)

Story

Adapted from Somerset Folk Tales by Sharon Jacksties (The History Press).

Suwidak Loro

Story

A traditional folktale from Central Java. While several versions exist, this performance draws primarily from the version published by Buana Ilmu Populer, written by Dian K.

Suwidak Loro

Story

A traditional folktale from Central Java. While several versions exist, this performance draws primarily from the version published by Buana Ilmu Populer, written by Dian K.

Ibuanari and The Moon Sago

Story

A folktale from Papua, written by Gin Teguh and illustrated by Hadi Wardoyo, told in both Indonesian and Papuan Malay.

Ibuanari and The Moon Sago

Story

A folktale from Papua, written by Gin Teguh and illustrated by Hadi Wardoyo, told in both Indonesian and Papuan Malay.

Go to Sleep, Gecko!

PDF

A folktale from The Earth Stories Collection, exploring the delicate balance between humans and the natural world.

Go to Sleep, Gecko!

PDF

A folktale from The Earth Stories Collection, exploring the delicate balance between humans and the natural world.

The Queen Bee

Live Site

A classic Grimm fairy tale about kindness toward small creatures being rewarded in unexpected ways.

The Queen Bee

Live Site

A classic Grimm fairy tale about kindness toward small creatures being rewarded in unexpected ways.

Movements

Communities and initiatives turning environmental care into action.

Two cultures, two traditions, one shared story about the Earth.

Sussex Kelp Recovery Project

Live Site

A UK conservation initiative rewilding Sussex's kelp forests, which support biodiversity, carbon storage, and coastal protection.

Sussex Kelp Recovery Project

Live Site

A UK conservation initiative rewilding Sussex's kelp forests, which support biodiversity, carbon storage, and coastal protection.

Sussex Underwater

Blog

A marine conservation and storytelling organization sharing updates on ocean advocacy, from marine habitat restoration projects to the fight against bottom trawling along the Sussex coast.

Sussex Underwater

Blog

A marine conservation and storytelling organization sharing updates on ocean advocacy, from marine habitat restoration projects to the fight against bottom trawling along the Sussex coast.

Sekolah Pagesangan

Live Site

A rural school in Gunung Kidul, Indonesia, teaching children organic farming, water conservation, and disaster resilience alongside traditional education.

Sekolah Pagesangan

Live Site

A rural school in Gunung Kidul, Indonesia, teaching children organic farming, water conservation, and disaster resilience alongside traditional education.

Wana Nagara

News

An urban forest and flora sanctuary studio in Java, planting city forests while reviving fading ecological knowledge.

Wana Nagara

News

An urban forest and flora sanctuary studio in Java, planting city forests while reviving fading ecological knowledge.

Komunitas Resan Gunungkidul

Live Site

A grassroots community protecting local water sources, blending folklore, traditional wisdom, and tree conservation.

Komunitas Resan Gunungkidul

Live Site

A grassroots community protecting local water sources, blending folklore, traditional wisdom, and tree conservation.

For Further Reading

Essays, research, and reflections on storytelling, climate, and decolonial thought.

The Power of Climate Storytelling

Article

A white paper on how narrative can shift public understanding of the climate crisis.

The Power of Climate Storytelling

Article

A white paper on how narrative can shift public understanding of the climate crisis.

A Conversation on Hospicing Modernity

Video

Vanessa Andreotti reflects on what it means to let go of unsustainable systems, and what might take their place.

A Conversation on Hospicing Modernity

Video

Vanessa Andreotti reflects on what it means to let go of unsustainable systems, and what might take their place.

Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures

Live Site

A collective exploring Indigenous analyses of ecological and social crisis, and alternative ways of relating to the more-than-human world.

Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures

Live Site

A collective exploring Indigenous analyses of ecological and social crisis, and alternative ways of relating to the more-than-human world.

The Original Tree Huggers

Article

Women's Earth Alliance on the women who gave their lives protecting forests, and the legacy of environmental sacrifice.

The Original Tree Huggers

Article

Women's Earth Alliance on the women who gave their lives protecting forests, and the legacy of environmental sacrifice.

The Four Denials

Live Site

A framework mapping the ways societies deny complicity in systemic violence, ecological limits, and entanglement with the living world.

The Four Denials

Live Site

A framework mapping the ways societies deny complicity in systemic violence, ecological limits, and entanglement with the living world.

9 UK Species Affected by Climate Change

News

WWF UK on how a warming climate is already reshaping wildlife closer to home.

9 UK Species Affected by Climate Change

News

WWF UK on how a warming climate is already reshaping wildlife closer to home.

The Age of Carbon

PDF

A Sporebooks publication reflecting on carbon, extraction, and planetary limits.

The Age of Carbon

PDF

A Sporebooks publication reflecting on carbon, extraction, and planetary limits.

Deforestation Fuels Deadly Disaster in Aceh

Article

Forest Watch Indonesia's report linking recent flooding and landslides in Aceh to years of forest loss.

Deforestation Fuels Deadly Disaster in Aceh

Article

Forest Watch Indonesia's report linking recent flooding and landslides in Aceh to years of forest loss.