Oral storytelling is the most ancient form of communication. Thousands of years ago, people used this personal and intimate process to pass down traditions and experiences within their families and tribes. Even today, storytelling is a tradition in some parts of the world, such as India, Africa, Vietnam, China and Japan.
'We tell stories all the time. We share past experiences with our families and best friends, partners and neighbours,' says Roger Jenkins, a professional storyteller from Singapore. 'When I tell students I am a storyteller, and that what I do for a living is to tell stories, they're always surprised.'
Jenkins was born in Singapore and grew up in England before moving back to the Lion City in 1978. He was trained in drama in Britain. He taught the subject for years before setting up a drama company in Singapore in 1992. But he realised that storytelling was his true passion. He became a storyteller in 1998 and closed his company in 2007.
Since then, he has been telling stories at various festivals and conducting workshops in schools all over the world, including Edinburgh, Bahrain, Manila, Singapore and Hong Kong.
He has been a frequent visitor to Hong Kong over the past few years.
Joyce Chan Wing-kay, a Secondary One student at Singapore International School (SIS), says: 'When I first saw Roger, I thought he was a serious teacher. But when he started telling stories, he was so funny.'
Joyce, 13, and her classmates attended a workshop conducted by Jenkins. 'I've learned from Roger that we can tell stories in many different ways. His activities were very interesting and interactive,' she says.
