Storytelling: Performances, ceremonies, celebrations, and rituals

When we combine our storytelling with the other arts, we refer to that event using words like performance, ceremony, celebration or ritual. These words are used interchangable and their meanings can be confusing. Sometimes it is possible to distinguish the meaning of terms by looking at their etymology, or origin. 

Possibly the oldest of these terms is the word ceremony, which possibly was of Etruscan origin (8-3 century BCE). It came to English from the Medieval Latin word ceremonia, which referred to sacredness or holiness. 

The word ritual is a proto-European word that possibly came from Sanscrit (c. 1500-500 BCE), it came into usage around 1560 CE and made reference to a religious observance.

The next oldest word is celebration. Its root came from the Latin word celebrationem, which means numerous in attendance, possibly for a sacred event. 

As these three terms have the oldest origins and make reference to gatherings that are of a religious nature, it suggest that the earliest use of storytelling, when combined with the other arts, was a serious event, rather than merely a social or enjoyable event.  

Performance is the youngest of these words. It appeared in English during the late 15^th century to refer to public entertainment. While the meaning of words can and does change over time, the word performance continues to be used in the same sense today. Operas and plays are performances. These events are held at certain times and certain places. The audience, except in the case of slapstick, typically sits quietly and its only participation is to, perhaps, quietly laugh or sigh, and certainly to applaud.

Rituals, ceremonies and celebrations also are typically scheduled on certain dates, at certain times. These events all are patterned, meaning they have recurring features, including starting with some sort of greeting or introduction and typically people in the audience participate in some way. These three words were, as stated before, used at least at one time to refer to a religious event. Although we used the term celebration to refer to sacred occasions, such as the Celebration of Mass, the term also is often used to refer to an event like a birthday party. Celebrations like birthday parties are patterned. They typically start with a welcome and the placing of the gifts in a pile. People then move to view the birthday cake. They then play games, then sing a happy birthday song, light the candles, then blow thee out, and then cut the cake and open gifts. The audience may cheer, shout or boo. Jokes might be told. The story told is about the birthday boy or girl. The art consists of the song, the decorations, perhaps crepe paper streamers, the gaily wrapped gifts. and the "best cloths' that participants often wear. 

Rituals and ceremonies are more serious events than celebrations. They are held in a place said to be special, such as an auditorium, or sacred, such as a mosque. Confucius felt that rituals transformed man from an individualistic ego into one characterized by strong kinship ties, generosity, diligence, earnestness, filial piety, fraternal duty, loyalty and sincerity.A graduation is referred to as a ceremony. It follows a pattern of steps, beginning when Pomp and Circumstance is played and the university marshall enters the room carrying a mace. The mace, which is about three feet tall and golden, is a symbol of governing authority. Then faculty and students file in and take their seats at the front of the room, before the stage. there is a welcome, some presentations are given, and the school song might be sung. A story will be told about the graduates, their future, and what they can contribute to their academic and society. The ceremony ends when diplomas have been awarded and then there is a recessional. Perhaps graduates will toss their caps into the air..the audience cheers.  The art consists of the caps and grown, the gonfaons, or banners carried to represent each college. A graduation party is celebration.  

A ritual typically is considered to be the most serious type of event, one that in some way - a song, a prayer, a blessing - invokes the supernatural. If a graduation mass is held, it is a ritual. If an invocation, or opening prayer, is recited at a graduation it becomes more like a ritual. A wedding, if no reference is made to religio u , or faith or the supernatural, is a celebration. If held in a church or other sacred place and the event is conducted by a minister or rabbi, it is a ritual. A wedding reception is a celebration.   

The type of art used with stories that are part of ceremonies differs from the art and stories used in rituals. Of the two, rituals are more patterned and special or sacred objects often are used and the story of their sacredness is described. Rituals also can involve reading from a sacred text and prayer, which is an appeal or attempt to call upon a supernatural entity. The stories told also can relate the importance of the event itself, the history of the sacred place and the sacred objects used, the miracles that have occurred and the deeds of the heroic or saintly individuals involved.  

Drums have played and in some cases continue to play an important role in ceremonies and rituals performed in many parts of the world. The sound of the drum, for some people, is said to be sacred. The Igbu of Nigeria use different types of drums play during the Eke Celebration. Participants arrive in decorated war canoes playing the egume drum. As they near the royal place the ufie, the king’s talking drum, calls to them, telling the stories of his great deeds. Each participant then stands, dances and recalls his own ancestors’ heroic deeds (Jackson 1968; see also Calame-Griaule 1986). “These drummers, Rattray (1916:134) writes, “are trained from childhood, and must not only be experts in drumming, but also have learned the traditions and genealogies of all the kings, and the folklore of the tribe as contained in the proverbs. “

A good description of a ritual comes from the istory of St. Thomas Becket, who was Archbishop of Canterbury during the Middle Ages. When his opinions clashed with those of King Henry II, he was killed by four of Henry’s knights while he knelt in prayer at the altar. In 1173 he was declared a saint after more than 700 miracles had been recorded as occurring at his tomb. For centuries, thousands of pilgrims traveled great distances to reach his Shrine. Today, pilgrims follow the Pilgrims Way for fifteen days (153) miles, from Winchester to the shrine at Canterbury. When they arrive they tour the cathedral singing hymns and stopping to pray at places connected with Becket’s life and death. His miracles are portrayed in beautiful stained glass windows. One shows the healing of Petronella of Polesworth, a nun who suffered from leprosy. She is shown bathing her feet in holy water while sitting on the tomb of St Thomas. At each window the relevant story of his life was recited

to be continued