Sang Kancil: the Mousedeer and the Tiger

Summary

In this engaging storytelling session, Ika Lestari Damayanti from the University of Michigan shares a story in both English and Indonesian about a clever mouse deer outwitting its larger enemies, including a tiger. The presentation is interactive, encouraging audience participation with hand gestures and expressions. Ika emphasizes the importance of storytelling as a universal tool for communication, blending verbal and non-verbal elements to convey emotions and meanings. Through her storytelling, she demonstrates how such narratives can foster empathy, invite discussion, and create a shared understanding, regardless of language barriers.

Takeaways

• 😀 Storytelling is about happiness and sharing experiences, and it brings joy to both the storyteller and the audience.
• 😀 The speaker, Ika Lestari Damayanti, is an experienced educator with extensive research on storytelling and language teaching methods.
• 😀 The storytelling session was aimed at demonstrating how to engage an audience, including children, with an interesting narrative.
• 😀 The story of 'Si Kancil' (The Mouse Deer) was used as an example, highlighting the character's cleverness despite being small.
• 😀 The speaker used interactive techniques, such as asking the audience to react with hand gestures, to make the session more engaging.
• 😀 Despite some participants not being fluent in English, they were still able to enjoy and follow the story through expressions and body language.
• 😀 The story involves the clever mouse deer outsmarting larger animals like the tiger, which showcases the theme of overcoming challenges.
• 😀 The importance of using both verbal and non-verbal cues in storytelling, such as facial expressions and gestures, to convey emotions and meaning.
• 😀 The speaker emphasized the use of empathy in storytelling, where the audience can relate to both the hero and the villain of the story.
• 😀 The speaker also highlighted the significance of tailoring the storytelling style to the audience, considering factors like language proficiency and medium (e.g., Zoom vs. in-person).

Q & A

What is the main theme of the storytelling shared by Ibu Ika?

The main theme of Ibu Ika's storytelling revolves around sharing happiness and stories, emphasizing that storytelling is a means to connect with others, foster joy, and build relationships.

How does Ibu Ika describe the significance of storytelling in education?

Ibu Ika highlights storytelling as a universal tool in education, capable of conveying emotions and values. It helps engage the audience, regardless of language proficiency, by using expressive non-verbal communication such as gestures and facial expressions.

What story does Ibu Ika use as an example in her presentation?

Ibu Ika uses the popular Indonesian folktale of 'Si Kancil' (the mouse deer), a clever and small animal that faces larger, stronger enemies like a tiger, to demonstrate storytelling techniques.

Why does Ibu Ika ask the audience to engage by showing thumbs up or reacting during the story?

Ibu Ika encourages audience engagement by asking them to show thumbs up or react to make the storytelling interactive. This participation helps to create a more dynamic and engaging atmosphere, especially when storytelling through a virtual medium like Zoom.

What was Ibu Ika's approach to storytelling via Zoom?

Ibu Ika adjusted her storytelling approach for the Zoom platform by ensuring that her body language and facial expressions were visible to the audience. She also used a script to help her manage her thoughts, while balancing between verbal and non-verbal cues.

How does Ibu Ika describe the role of gestures in storytelling?

Ibu Ika explains that gestures play a significant role in storytelling, especially in virtual settings. She carefully planned certain gestures to help convey the story's emotions and actions, ensuring that the audience could understand the plot even if they were not familiar with the language.

What challenges does Ibu Ika face when storytelling through virtual platforms like Zoom?

Ibu Ika faces the challenge of ensuring that her expressions and gestures are visible to the audience, as some participants may have their cameras off. Additionally, she has to ensure that her language and expressions resonate with diverse audiences, especially when using English in a mixed-language environment.

What lesson does Ibu Ika impart about overcoming challenges, as seen in the story of Si Kancil?

Ibu Ika uses Si Kancil's character to illustrate perseverance and cleverness. Despite facing dangerous situations, Si Kancil never gives up and always finds a way to escape, teaching the value of resilience and thinking strategically to overcome obstacles.

What does Ibu Ika mean by 'grey areas' in storytelling?

Ibu Ika refers to 'grey areas' as situations in stories where moral judgments are not black and white. This approach encourages deeper thinking and empathy, allowing audiences to consider multiple perspectives rather than simply adhering to right or wrong.

How does Ibu Ika balance storytelling with audience participation?

Ibu Ika effectively balances storytelling with audience participation by incorporating interactive elements like asking the audience to predict the outcome of the story or respond to specific actions. This makes the storytelling process more engaging and ensures the audience feels connected to the narrative.