Storytelling

"Once upon a time, long, long ago..." - the tradition of telling fairy tales in the Osnabrück region

Have you ever heard of the enigmatic Alkenkuhle (the Alk Crater), the legend of the Crouching Woman, or the legendary Sgönauken (dwarf smithies that live in the Hüggel)? There are numerous myths and legends that are told about places in the TERRA.vita region, most of which are linked to specific geological locations and give them a certain magical touch. The inhabitants of the region have been telling these mystical stories of giants, dwarfs, dragons, witches, and other mythical creatures for generations.

Storytelling is an ancient tradition that has captivated audiences for as long as anyone can remember. The fascination lies in the mystery. The art of free storytelling provides food for thought and stimulates the imagination. At the same time, language is encouraged and identity is gained. Sabine Meyer from Osnabrück recognized the valuable function this has for community life. She has been passionately pursuing the old tradition of storytelling for many years. The Osnabrück Narrative Theater (Erzähltheater Osnabrück) regularly offers storytelling events, workshops, and other storytelling projects. For Sabine Meyer, storytelling is interaction, art, culture, and a direct path to her audience.

The Osnabrück Narrative Theater is not the only place where the legends and fairy tales of the region are still alive today; for example, the Alfhausen band "Wippsteert" set the Alken saga to music and even in Plattdeutsch, a north German dialect! This means that they are the bearers of two intangible cultural heritages from the region and embody a love of home and tradition.

If that's not magical enough, here, you can get an impression of the legendary origin of the Crouching Woman rock formation on the Dörenther cliffs – of course everything has been geologically confirmed ;-):

"A long time ago, the area was hit by a great flood. A mother who lived with her children in a hut at the foot of the Dörenther cliffs had to flee from the flood. She took the children in her arms and climbed the nearby mountain. From there she watched as the flood engulfed the land below, and as the water continued to rise and finally reached the woman and her children, she crouched down and let the children climb onto her shoulders and began to pray. A little later the water began to sink again and the children were able to get off their mother's shoulders unharmed.”

Storytelling was included in the nationwide register of intangible cultural heritages in 2016.

 

Photos: Erzähltheater Osnabrück, Max Ciolek