Greetings Friends,

The leaves are turning on the trees here in Scotland, the land a rusty palette of ochre, red and gold. Samhain draws near and the veil grows thin. The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is underway and will characterise the rest of October for me.

My attention turns North, to the Orkney islands and to Highland farmsteads, to tales of wolves, lore of plants, and to the role of elders, and gratitude to those keeping the old culture alive whilst navigating the unprecedented nature of these times.

Here's what I'm up to over the next few week, if you want to join some story related adventures.

A Wolf Shall Devour the Sun

This is the big one. A culmination of several years of research, mythic musing and wolf-tracking expeditions. A confluence of myth, folk tale, ecological investigation, social history, religion, animation, shadow-puppetry and music. It's stretch of my creative practice, yet feels ripe for sharing at this year's festival.

The intention is that this show will tour, but you never know, and aligning timetables between artists can be an art form in itself! Either way, this premier is shaping up to be something special and looks highly likely to sell out. I'm 95% certain it will be a full house, based on current ticket sales and general enthusiasm.

If you're keen to join us, get in quick:

https://sisf.online.red61.co.uk/event/913:5681/913:24877/

I'm super grateful to the beautiful poster artwork by Liv Wild Art. Some people are just incredibly gifted, and she's one of them. She is an artist, photographer, videographer, poet and singer!

Check out her work here: https://livwildart.wordpress.com/about/

Orkney Storytelling Festival

I've got my eye on the weather forecast as storms are being predicted ahead of a 6 hour ferry journey from Aberdeen to Kirkwall.

All being well, I'll arrive a day early to enjoy some of the ancient sites of Orkney before starting this small festival with a big heart in the Viking stronghold of the Northern Isles.

This is a roving festival, taking stories to several communities and smaller islands, with a Saturday night event at St Magnus cathedral likely to be a highlight. I can already sense the magic.

Full programme available here:

https://orkneystorytellingfestival.co.uk/main/programme-2024/

Herbal Hearth

For International lovers of story, plant lore and natural remedies, I have an online event on November 7th with my Irish Herbalist friend Cait O'Neill.

We've done a couple of events before, both in person and online, and they always prove popular.

This particular event will focus on the themes of Samhain, and plants of protection, insight and maintaining clarity.

Tune in form wherever in the world you may be.

Herbal Hearth

There are a myriad of other activities brewing for 2025.

I'm anticipating some touring with storytelling performance, as well as delivering more immersive 'retreat' style activities, alongside traditional crafters and cultural workers at a site in the Scottish Highlands.

I'll say more about that in time...but in the meantime, if you live in an area that you think could rustle up an enthusiastic, story-hungry audience, and help make something special happen, bounce me a message.

I'm creating a list of places across the British Isles, Ireland, Central Europe, Scandinavia, and West Coast Canada & US. Now would be a good time to add your neighbourhood to that list.

Wishing you a poignant sense of ancestral connection through this Samhain season, and stories, songs and feasting that would make even the ancients proud.

Sea bound blessings

Dougie