Categories
african dilemma tale myth narrative narrative medicine story circle storytelling teaching story

The Naked Truth and the Lie

The Truth and the Lie meet  on the road one day. The Lie says to the Truth: “It’s a marvelous day today!” The Truth looks up to the skies and sighs, for the day was truly beautiful. They walk together for a while, until they reach a beautiful well. The Lie tells the Truth: “The […]

Categories
african dilemma tale edutainment

An African Dilemma Tale: The story of Umbogo and the Snake

This dilemma tale is used for audiences who are asked what the hero of the story should do – if you don’t have an audience, think about what you would do if you were Umbogo. ONCE THERE WAS AND ONCE THERE WAS NOT, in a small dusty village in the deepest and darkest part of […]

Categories
african dilemma tale change management conflict management leadership

An African Dilemma Tale to Stimulate Change

This is an example of allegorical storytelling in business using the model of an African Dilemma Tale – In the African dilemma tale storytelling tradition, the story is left open ended and so it is up to the listeners to suggest probable outcomes are and answer ‘what happens next, where do we go to from […]

Categories
african dilemma tale facilitation technique metaphor story circle storytelling for children teaching story workshop

Using African Dilemma Tales for Children

An African Dilemma tale is a unique style of participative storytelling. It is a story that has no end other than that provided by the participants. And even then, the story continues…… Why are dilemma tales important for children in the digital age? Children are bombarded with conflicting stories every day. They ingest cartoons, news, […]

Categories
african dilemma tale narrative narrative medicine teaching story

Healing, Change and Storytelling

“The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease” Voltaire (1694 – 1778) Narrative medicine is not something you’ll easily find on the ‘net and if you do, information is sparse. But would it surprise you to know that the techniques employed by both Western allopathic medicine and African traditional healers […]

Categories
african dilemma tale change management creativity edutainment narrative storytelling teaching story thinking skills

A tale of exotic ducks : supporting complex change

This story was developed for a large organisation that had, at the time, a number of IT outsource partners that needed to work together more efficiently within the same infrastructure. Everyone had a very different view of “what was going on” and there were frequent conflicts and system problems. Rationalisation and downsizing was in the […]