FEAST was launched in Chennai in 2018 by a group of passionate and experienced storytellers and since then there have been 3 conferences. My story colleague, Anna Manuel and I, attended the 2019 gathering in Bangalore and co-presented 2 workshops on kamaishibai and telling stories with paper, string and body percussion. And then came Covid and the story world went virtual.

Finally the FEAST community got to gather again in Jakarta. With over 100 delegates from 14 countries, the excitement was palpable. There were 16 workshops planned, story swaps, keynotes and a cross-cultural 90 minute performance of the Ramyana. There was dancing, singing and spontaneous evening story gatherings that went late into the night. All of it fantastic but one of the highlights for me was re-connecting with story friends living in Asia who I only ever get to see on special occasions.

For this conference, I was persuaded by my friend and colleague, Kate Lawrence, to offer a workshop, Let the feather fall - hosting and holding community to tell stories. We both run community storytelling events in Melbourne - different but similar. Kate founded Story Wise Women in 2016 - Melbourne’s original storytelling event for women and I co-coordinate the Newport Storytellers. Our aim was to have a session where people could share their experiences of community storytelling or leave with their own draft plan for creating caring and inclusive storytelling events through shared storytelling and listening.

Photo: Alicia Dongjoo Bang, Jackie and Kate

The next FEAST Conference in 2024 will be in South Korea. Now that’s something to look forward to!

Children’s Book Week is a favourite time of year for authors - a chance to meet our readers and share our love of story making. I love nothing more that having the chance to share my passion for oral storytelling and how speaking can clear the bumps in the road to fluent writing.

If i’m very lucky, I might even get to visit a school where the children and staff are dressed up as their favourite characters or sporting some book themed outfit.

I met a shark.

I knew that book fairies existed but this is the first time I’ve spotted one. Great use of old books that would otherwise end in the recycle bin! I’m guessing this gown would be ‘dry clean only’.

And of course, I’m not leaving a school without introducing the students to kamishibai storytelling.

Well we all have our dreams and one of mine has been to tell the story of The Amazing Case of Dr Ward in the Bond Store at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG).

In the Bond Store, amongst a plethora of interesting things, is a permanent exhibition about the global trade and transportation of plants during the 19th century. There is a replica Wardian case, several early microscopes, a flower press, and vasculum and other bits and pieces to excite plant nerds.

The Beaker Street Science Festival is an annual event that celebrates science past and present with talks, debates, music, visual art - its both fabulously entertaining and feast of ideas for hungry minds.

That’s me - grinning like a happy possum!

And if you’d like a copy of my book on the subject, you can order HERE.