When a blackberry became more than a fruit, and on-line more than an East Coast
expression (for waiting in line), storytellers became infinitely more important as preservers of direct human interaction.

DVC’s 19th annual Ethnic Storytelling Festival on Feb. 11 brings together true and beautiful elements of Chinese, African, and Indian traditions.

The event is free and scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.

“The beauty of any story is that it allows us to identify with the characters with whom we hold things in common and, at the same time, experience the differences,” said festival co-host Nancy Malone.

Kirk Waller, a professional storyteller set to perform at 11:20 a.m., told the Inquirer, “There’s something in every good story that every human could relate to in one way or another.  It has to have some aspect that is true to our experience; otherwise people would not be interested in it.”

Kirk said each of his stories takes on a life of its own and becomes unique based on the dynamic interactions among him, the room, and the audience.

His stories – some drawn from experiences, some adapted from folk tales – often address diversity, equality, death, life and loss.

Kirk said people tell stories every day: what they did on the weekend, that someone died, or someone cut them off on the freeway.

But storytellers express those stories in a universal way, so, in that sense, storytelling is practical, he said.

“We move so fast with technology,” Kirk said. “The beauty of story telling is that it’s almost a lost art, like a hidden art, of human interaction.”

Waller is the author of a soon-to-be released children’s book, “Sister Water Misses Wind.” His CD, “Quack Gabble and Squawk and Other Animal Tales,” is available on Kirkwaller.com

Other performers include, Charlie Chin, a Chinese American storyteller, and the Abhinaya Dance Company, which tells stories through classical South Indian dance and miming.

Chin performs at 9:30 a.m., followed by Abhinaya at 10:20 a.m.