The Soul of Masculinity
Imbolc 2021
Enjoy the complete journey of storytellers, musicians, and poets!
Any issues/questions? contact@themythicmasculine.com
Saturday Opening
We begin the our journey with a traditional opening from founder & host Ian MacKenzie, who introduces Diane Sam (səwəyələk), a local wisdom holder to share about the lək̓ʷəŋən people and land where the headquarters are located (colonial name Victoria, Canada). Then co-host Zamir Dhanji offers his welcome and begin exploring the theme. We welcome a surprise visit from author Charles Eisenstein, who speaks on the power of story.
Pat McCabe (Storyteller + Q&A)
Our first storyteller is indigenous activist and grandmother Pat McCabe, who speaks of her own journey in healing her relationship to men’s nation and the masculine. She invites us to re-examine the Witch burnings in Europe, and the ripples of trauma that continue to reverberate today. And she wonders what might the masculine resemble in a “thriving life” paradigm?
Alan Cooke (Poet) | Boe Huntress (Musician)
The Wild Irish poet Alan Cooke regales us with gorgeous poetry and prose from the land, finishing with an ode to the Goddess Brigid. Boe Huntress joins us from her candlelit seaside abode, offering her songs and stories of healing the masculine line in her family lineage.
Andreas Kornevall (Storyteller + Q&A)
Through spoken word and poetry, join Swedish storyteller and independent scholar of Norse Mythology, Andreas Kornevall. We explore the mythic origins of climate change, the power of grief and of reconciliation and what the consequences are when we harness the power of Giants. Be prepared to be transported to wintry lands of trickster giants, elves, and sleighs soaring under the Northern Lights.
Michael Meade (Storyteller + Q&A)
In the story of the Half-Boy, veteran storyteller Michael Meade shows how culture can disintegrate into a "half-village" that rejects its youth and forgets its elders. The path to making the village whole again requires the recovery of the dreams of youth as well as the visions of the elder.
Olenka Toroshenko (Poet) Closing Session Ian & Zamir
Spoken word artist Olenka Toroshenko offers three powerful pieces, the first two dealing with her experience as a woman, in relationship and her body. The third is a piece spurred by a talk Ian gave in her community years prior, encouraging us to commit to “love without fear.” Then, Ian and Zamir close the day with a harvest and reflection upon the journey so far.
Day 2
Sunday Opening
We begin our second day with a beautiful weaving of sound and poetry from Ian & Zamir. Then Zamir offers a longer tale: The Warrior and the Dalai Lama, which explores the essence of true power.
Sharon Blackie (Storyteller + Q&A)
The guiding mythology of Western culture is not only intensely heroic and individualistic in nature, it is also profoundly goal-oriented. What might a post-heroic mythology look like instead? In this session, Sharon Blackie will focus on the Grail lore – one of the foundational mythologies of Western Europe – and in particular, the story of Parzifal as the perfect post-heroic quest: the archetypal Fool’s Journey.
Tom Hirons (Storyteller) | Murray Kyle (Musician)
The King of England is sick with a disease that no one can cure. His three sons must undertake a quest to find the one thing that can heal him. Nothing goes to plan. It is not certain that our hero is actually a hero, nor that the success or failure of the quest will serve the kingdom as expected. Tom Hirons offers this story called The Castle of Melvales - the kind of story that unlocks doors, unbinds what has been bound and reveals what has been hidden. Murray Kyle follows with a four song performance from the Byron Bay, Australia, igniting the sense and heart.
Jan Blake (Storyteller + Q&A)
A Hunter sits hidden in the branches of a tree, overlooking a watering hole, his bow and arrow trained on a buffalo calf, drinking with her mother. As the Hunter lets loose his arrow, the buffalo mother leaps in front of her daughter and is instantly killed; the calf looking on in horror.
The Hunter returns to his village with his kill, to feed his family & community but the calf determines to seek out the hunter when she is old enough and take her revenge. Jan Blake treats us to a tale of mothers and sons, and the importance of this relationship today.
Bayo Akomolafe (Storyteller + Q&A)
Our final storyteller Bayo Akomolafe, shares a wild tale from West Africa, cautioning about a masculinity that is too polished and too perfect. How might we look outside our existing ideas and perceptions, even to the beyond human realm? In true Trickster fashion, Bayo engages the mind and heart in delightful disorientation.
Final Harvest + Deus Fortier
Our journey is now winding toward’s its close. Ian & Zamir offer space for a harvest of our time together and what we’ve discovered along the way. The final performance is a potent transmission from spoken word artist Deus Fortier, who testifies that ‘Being Gentle is Hard.’
What’s next…
Pay it Forward
If you’re stirred and inspired by this Gathering of Stories, please consider gifting it to a friend or family member. Use the button below for USD, or there’s options to pay in CAD or pay in GBP depending on your country.
Join The Mythic Masculine Network
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