Cap’s Off to You! – Nothando Zulu (Posthumously) and Celebrating Story

Featuring: Nothando Zulu

Powerful Leader; Visionary; Generous Mentor

Nothando Zulu remembered to reach out and serve in the art of storytelling for over 50 years. She and her husband, Vusi, attended their first National Association of Black Storytellers (NABS) Festival in 1990. With the ideas flowing, they started a state-level affiliate to NABS While she was known in the Minnesota area named Black Storytellers Alliance (BSA). Nothando’s influence quickly crossed beyond borders and lands.

Even before creating Black Storytellers Alliance, she already had gathered like-minded individuals at the University of Minnesota to bring black theatre with minimal to no props and sets in the community in 1976. This later transformed into theatre to storytelling itself. Thus, it was natural for Nothando to continue to run events for BSA such as Signifyin’ and Testifyin’ or the annual Black Master Storyteller Festival (coming up September 28-30, 2023).

Her stories ranged to those of Anansi and the moss-covered rock, the once-best-friends of dog and cat that changed over cheese, a tree with a name that needed to be spoken to benefit the starving animals, and so many more. She shared with great energy and bliss to those who sat, stood, or danced while listening.

Her legacy? Her legacy ranged much deeper and even more encompassing. So many stories are being posted online from people – from the GoFundMe page for the Zulu family due to her passing to Facebook posts to many more odes to come.

What can be said more than all these message of love? Nothando Zulu’s stories will forever be told. She is truly a powerful and compassionate person who is still telling stories beyond this earth time.

If you have links to add – video, audio, articles – please share by emailing info@storycrossroads.org or commenting on this blog post.

You can see more details on Nothando Zulu with the Story Artists Memorial.

The video below is the 1st of 4 parts. While she starts each part with the same welcoming song “Jambo,” each one video features different stories told by Nothando Zulu.

Do you know a Story Artist who has passed on and want others to remember them? Memories? Pictures? You can submit names and memories of Story Artists who have passed on through our online form. 

I appreciate Nothando Zulu. Anyone who can gather and mentor and give…priceless. Her commitment to others is the same as to the commitment to the stories she told. Unrelenting. Death does not stop this commitment. It continues.

Nothando Zulu still has a story. You have a story. We all have stories.

Cap’s Off to You! – Carol Farkas (Posthumously) and Celebrating Story

Featuring: Carol Farkas

Committed Teller; Advocate; Strong Soul

Carol Farkas left many memories on and off stage. We only wish there were more hints of what she did as a storyteller online. A couple pictures there and a partial video there. What could be figured out is that she was from Abington, Pennsylvania and made her way eventually to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She did advocate for the Ottawa stories to be collected and told.

As she was connected with the 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling, there was an ode to her that hinted as the types of stories she loved to tell: Ethiopian tales.

She did write an article referenced at on the “Memories into Stories” projects by the Storytellers of Canada / Conteurs du Canada. When trying to view the hyperlinked article, the page was no longer found. Carol article is entitled “The Use of Folktales in Healing.” Anyone know how or where this can be found now?

She could surprise people in her energy and willingness to serve despite facing different health challenges.

At least her likes on Facebook showed what she was passionate about: Books Over Borders; Canadian Storytelling Day/Journe’e nationale due conte; Eve Goldberg; Flying Cloud Folk Club; HOOPOE Books (literacy for Afghanistan, books for Pakistan); Our Horizon; Save High Park Zoo; and Storywyse.

Yet, it was important to feature Carol and have her name be read again and her voice heard. So despite the lack of information, we know that not all is held online. It would be so helpful if you or someone you knew could enlighten us more about Carol Farkas.

If you have links to add – video, audio, articles – please share by emailing info@storycrossroads.org or commenting on this blog post.

You can see more details on Carol Farkas with the Story Artists Memorial.

The video below is only a few minutes long due to memory running out on the device. However, we will still cherish hearing her voice and seeing her on stage.

Do you know a Story Artist who has passed on and want others to remember them? Memories? Pictures? You can submit names and memories of Story Artists who have passed on through our online form. 

I appreciate Carol Farkas for the time she dedicated to the art as well as to storytelling organization such as the Storytellers of Canada / Conteurs du Canada. I need to know her better. I look forward to seeing her after this time and learning more.

Carol Farkas still has a story. You have a story. We all have stories.

Cap’s Off to You! – Francis “Frank” McGarvey (Posthumously) and Celebrating Story

Featuring: Francis “Frank” McGarvey

Reader-Turned-Teller, Loving Family Man, Valiant Volunteer

Francis “Frank” McGarvey retired so he could discover storytelling. He didn’t know it at the time. He had a lot of time on his hands and wanted to give back to the community. He found a school that would have him come in to read stories. From that reading, he discovered the delight of stepping away from the written words and celebrating the oral words.

What was before storytelling? He worked for the United States Postal Service for 30 years. He connected to people. But telling? There was a magic to it that he relished.

Frank had a deep voice that could be perfect for the grumbling of goblins to mischievous characters. He knew to start with the “gentle” stories before getting scarier for his audiences.

From the video featured below, he made a point that the kids who say “You can’t scare me” is really not about they wanting to see if you can scare them. Kids simply want to be scared…and safe.

Frank made sure his audience could get scared and then be safe again. That seems like a simple task, but is it? Looking at the bigger picture, I bet Frank had that same thought throughout his family and community life. He might reflect and think, “We live in a scary world. What can I do to make it safe?”

Revealed at Frank’s funeral, a speaker said that Frank did have a soft spot for the story “The Velveteen Rabbit” by Margery Williams Bianco. The question for us in that story: how does one become real? You become real by being loved.

He made other people feel real due to the time and energy he gave to them. One example is that he served in many capacities with the Southern Ohio Storytellers Guild. He was even a Board Member and past Chair.

If you have links to add – video, audio, articles – please share by emailing info@storycrossroads.org or commenting on this blog post.

You can see more details on Francis “Frank” McGarvey with the Story Artists Memorial.

The video below shares an interview that happens to include two stories. The main focus is how to tell stories, especially scary ones.

Do you know a Story Artist who has passed on and want others to remember them? Memories? Pictures? You can submit names and memories of Story Artists who have passed on through our online form. 

I appreciate Frank McGarvey for serving in so many areas of his community including his storytelling guild itself. He gave great respect to those around him. He is certainly gathering people even now to tell stories of his time on Earth and the other tales gathered.

Francis “Frank” McGarvey still has a story. You have a story. We all have stories.