The power of storytelling
The writing on the wall
The things which make us feel most human, and connected to those around us, are not built from metal or glass, circuits or keyboards, processors or engines. The things which connect us most as humans are in the giving and receiving of stories.
But, hasn’t it always been that way, ever since early man crawled his way into the depths of a darkened cave and began to paint or engrave the stories of the world around him onto the cave’s living walls?
There are some schools of thought who speculate that the cave paintings of early man were the visual representations of our first attempts at language. There are others who believe that this cave art was the visual representation of thought. Whichever school may be closest to the truth the art was, in essence, a redoubling of the story which our ancestors wanted to convey.
It was stories that brought value to the community, offering lessons, directions, dangers, encounters with animals, and perhaps even the first seeds of religious belief or self-awareness.
The tools with which to create these stories were important — they had to be found, collected, prepared, shaped and honed — the ochres and brushes, the oil for the lamps to light their way, and the etching stones, but it was the stories themselves which offered the real value.
Stories as pictures
Back in the 1980s plans were well underway for the construction of a dam on Portugal’s Côa River. With the dam’s completion, the entire valley would be submerged along with everything in it.
However, on the walls of the cliffs which lined the river valley magnificent discoveries were being made. Petroglyphs. Ancient rock carvings etched into the face of the bare rock. The carvings represented the creatures that would have been typical of the era, and the location; aurochs (giant wild cattle), deer, wild horses, goats, and even the fish that swam in the nearby Côa river.
As more and more discoveries were made along a 17km length of the river, and after much public and political debate, the dam project was finally shelved, and a cultural goldmine was saved. In 1997 the entire carvings site on the banks of the Côa River was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
That is the power and importance of the stories we create and share.
Why are stories important?
There is no definitive theory as to why the Côa Valley is so rich in the cultural heritage of storytelling. Why our ancestors chose this place above all others? And, the unfortunate part is that we will never know why, all those centuries ago, our predecessors spent countless days and nights, chipping away with their primitive tools, creating a library of knowledge and stories.
Academics continue to argue over the prolific existence of artworks in this particular location. Some say for religious purposes, others propose the idea of the carvings’ magical properties, and even more espouse the theories of shamanism and fertility rites. Even Picasso chipped in with his own idea, that all prehistoric art is no more than the age-old notion of ‘art for art’s sake’. But the one factor where everyone agrees is that they all realize the importance of cultural heritage
Whatever the reason for their presence, there is one certainty. It is because of the dedication of these ancient Iberians to retelling the stories of their world that they will never be forgotten.
To ensure that their stories are never forgotten, the nearby monolithic Museu do Côa houses replicas, models, dioramas, explainers, theories, and graphical reproductions of their art and stories. It traces the history and evolution of these stories and even houses some startling surprises. In addition, the entire landscape of the area has been dedicated as ‘The côa valley archaeological park’.
Evolving stories over time
It seems that the rock faces of the Côa River valley were not only revered by the ancients. Right throughout history, these walls became a living library of stories for each successive generation.
Inside the Museu there is one particular representation of some latter-day rock art, depicting a lady in traditional 19th-century Portuguese dress standing next to a steam train.
Just like in literature our stories follow on from the ones which came before. From Beowulf to The Canterbury Tales, from Shakespeare to Milton, from Wordsworth to Melville, and from Kafka to Beckett, our stories evolved and continue to evolve.
That is one of the main reasons why humanity loves, and even needs stories, because no two stories are ever the same. We value the words of the storyteller. And we value the fact that there is always some slight deviance or discrepancy in stories, even between those who have witnessed the same event. We like to be entertained, informed, educated, and, I suspect, this has always been true.
Why is storytelling important?
Sometimes it is easy to forget our love of stories. We have become consumed with material possessions. We somehow believe that the possession of these material things will add to our stories. A new car may entertain those around you temporarily. You may want to expound the virtues of some new technology, but the interest will be fleeting. Material possessions, do not make for good stories, but still, we keep on gathering.
But, just like the stories humanity has always told, things are evolving. There is a growing trend to rid ourselves of the anchor associated with the possession of material things. Perhaps we’ve finally seen the light and have begun the journey of freeing ourselves of ‘stuff’.
For too long we have filled our lives with things we don’t need. Clutter. Stuff. Things. Belongings. Collections. But things are changing slowly, for the better.
It seems that we are now beginning to appreciate experiences over material possessions. We require adventures, new places, new people, new cultures, new sights, new sounds, and new tastes. It is as if we have collectively awoken from our collective fascination with materialism.
There is a growing interest in travel to more remote areas. A fascination with testing our own abilities, asking ourselves, how far, how high, how long? It is as if many of us have finally worked out why we are alive.
Giving stories as gifts
Even in the simple act of gift-giving, there is a revolution happening. Companies like Tinggly have realized this sudden demand to really touch the world around us and have responded by offering a whole world of real life-enhancing experiences as gifts.
Many others want to delve in and dirty their hands cleaning the planet. Not as a chore, but as a way of touching the world around them and feeling the heartbeat of their connection to the planet.
More want to test themselves to the extreme, to push their tolerances to the limit. They want to go right to the edge and see for themselves how the edge feels.
But what are the rewards of this evolution? The answer is simple, we are creating a whole new world of stories to share and memories to cherish. We are relearning what our ancestors already knew. That stories are what connect us and constantly remind us of our humanity.
