 |
||
| Lala is a captivating storyteller (uruga) from the community of Triunfo de la Cruz, Honduras. Photo credit: Drew Irwin. | ||
I knew many urugas (storytellers) because I was a very curious little girl. I looked to my grandparents and my great grandparents, who told stories like this at the first-night wake, or when they were praying at ninth-night wakes. Every night, we went to each other's homes to tell stories so that people felt at ease. I was very little in those days. I was only eleven years old. I went with my mom and she sat me down to listen. That's because it was mainly the older folks who told stories. I sat down to listen and perhaps this became engraved in me. I listened, laughed, and had a good time. I said to myself, "How beautifully does this old man tell stories. People feel at home." Little by little, this became a part of me. This was stuck in my head since I was very small.
A Tradition Under Siege
Now, there is no one who can tell these stories here in my community, Triunfo de la Cruz. I don't tell them because I am not the type of person that goes to wakes. The only thing I do in wakes is sing punta. I don't have time to tell stories but rather, dance punta all night long. I like dancing punta more. But, from time to time, I tell stories because the people here don't know that I can tell them. *Note that many scholars agree that storytelling appears to be declining among many Garífuna communities today. Unfortunately, no cohesive effort has been taken to record and preserve this rich cultural tradition. Be sure to listen to Lala tell two of her captivating stories: The Fable of the Lion and the Fox and The Tale of the Royal Family and the Old Hag !
Credit: Interview and transcription by InCorpore Cultural Association© with Eulalia "Lala" Castillo; Triunfo de la Cruz, Honduras; August 1997 and July 1998. All rights reserved. Edited and translated by K.Stevens, Stanford Center for Latin American Studies, 2/1/00.