Rebecca says...
(About the story)
"This tale from the Serer people of West Africa is the first story in Stories of the Heart, a book I co-authored with Jim Brulé. It feels especially close to my heart at the moment, as it reminds me that art, creativity, poetry, and storytelling are true medicine in times of grief and difficulty—not only when someone physically dies, but whenever we experience loss. I don’t usually tell stories from cultures I do not know deeply. I make an exception with this one because I find it profoundly healing and believe it carries an important message for our times. I share it with humility and gratitude."
(About Rebecca)
"I am a Belgian-British storyteller currently based in the South of Spain. I tell stories in English, Spanish, and French, wherever the wind takes me—Spain, India, Little Tibet, the Middle East, Morocco, Belgium, and online, to name just a few places. My passion lies in looking into people's eyes and travelling with them through stories, whether in a prison, a yoga school, a Tibetan monastery in the Himalayas, a festival, a theatre, a library or online with Palestinian children and young people.
My repertoire includes mystical and healing stories, humorous tales rooted in my Belgian and British heritage, magical stories from the time of Al-Ándalus, and stories from India and Arabia, where I lived for several years. I have studied music since childhood and often weave sound into my storytelling, using flute, tampura, kalimba, voice, and drum to add depth and atmosphere.
I also lead groups exploring death and grief through storytelling, conversation, creativity, and meditation. I have co-written and published a book on this subject titled Stories of the Heart – A Journey into Dying and Living.
I also offer introductory courses in storytelling skills for teenagers and adults, and coach beginner and intermediate storytellers one-to-one online or in person.
I hold a BA in French and Indonesian Literature and an MA in Anthropology. While these disciplines may seem worlds apart, storytelling brings them together—storytelling is the literature of the people. I studied El Arte de Contar Cuentos with Numancia Rojas in Barcelona for three years and have taken shorter workshops with storytellers from diverse traditions, including Jan Blake (UK) and Martha Escudero (Mexico). I continue to learn from fellow professional storytellers whenever I have the opportunity.
For me, storytelling is a form of communication that goes far beyond words. It is a heart-to-heart encounter—and that is why I love it."
Contact Rebecca at:
www.rebeccalemaire.com
Insta: @rebecca.storyteller
Facebook: Rebecca Lemaire
Youtube: Rebecca Lemaire