Sometimes the stories were simply family anecdotes; their retelling kept alive the names and lives of ancestors long gone. These stories gave people a sense of identity and belonging within their culture.
Other stories could be of the epic kind, featuring heroes and monsters whose adventures led to the formation of lochs and mountains, such as the Orkney Islands story of Assipattle - Orkney's very own creation myth.
The Orkney Storytelling Festival aims to capture folk tales and promote their retelling. We also support new forms of storytelling, keeping alive the oral tradition in a modern world. Join us and our guests in October and get happily lost in great traditional tales.
