Story Telling Ideas

from: El Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes por medio de la Dirección General de Culturas Populares y la Secretaría de Educación Pública, a través de la Dirección General de Educación Indígena: the contest: "Mounds of Stories" for bilingual children, who were to submit their stories written in two languages
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1. The customs of my town

2. Grandparents say...

What do you know, or what what has been said about the founding of your town?

What were the main problems of the first people in your town? How did they live? What were there customs?

3. The people of my town. What individuals are known in your community for some quality, for accomplishing some great act, or for their work? What are the people like? How are they different from other people?

4. Celebrations and customs of my hometown. What are the most important celebrations and what are they like in your community? (The anniversary of the founding of the town, the patron saint, some historic fact, famous families, leaders). Tell us what people do and what they eat at the celebrations. Are there any special celebrations at times of planting, harvest, or for the land or the rain? When people or animals get sick, who cures them, and how do they do it?
5. This is my land. Surely in your community there are rivers, forests and mountains, deserts or beaches. What kind of animals are there? What are the main activities of the people, farming, ranching, honey production, fishing, or what? Do they do some type of craft such as wood carving, basket weaving with palm, wicker, reeds, or other material; do they do sculpture with metals, paper, papier màchè, clay, leather or others? How do they do it? Is it easy or difficult?

6. Stories and Legends. The stories or legends told in your community.

7. Games and Songs. What are the toys like that are made in your community? Who makes them? What material are they made of? Did your parents or grandparents play with the same toys you have now? Have they told you how they played with them? Do you know children's songs appropriate for your region? Have you composed a song? What did your parents or grandparents sing as children? (if possible, tape record them).