August 2016: Lost in Translation
Natural Born Storytellers on 5 August took a sideways look at the misunderstandings that arise from language barriers, different cultures and simple human error. It was a terrible wintry night - but still there was a lively vibe at Exchange Christchurch. We had a full and varied line up with some people telling stories for the first time. Nicki and Mel started off the eveing wearing big comical ears - reminding us to listen! If only people listened more there would be far less misunderstanding in the world! Nicki then told a fascinating tale of strange orange-throwing customs in Italy. The true-life tales took a tragic turn as we heard of a dreamed of trip to Antarctica that very nearly happened had it not been for a terrible misunderstanding. Other stories ranged from the uncool (a teacher hearing 'injured turtles' instead of ninja turtles) to the alien ways of our own family members. We laughed at how our kiwi-isms are interpreted by foreigners and learned that in France the evening begins at 4pm. Our tellers were imaginative in their delivery, with Lisa Tui showing us that some things are universally understood – such as a smile.
|