Activated Stories

Podcasting from Kumuyaga, Japan

Learn about the flight over, eating out in Japan, a haunted house (Obake Yoshiki "Ghost Mansion") for Obon (Festival of the Dead).

Presenting "Follow the Buzz", one of the stories from the show "Daring to Dream" http://www.activated-storytellers.com/shows.html which has been touring the U.S.A. since May 2005. (Available on the West Coast through December 2006.) Check your library for "The Bee and the Dream".

Vocabulary:
Nippon/Nihhon - Japan
go-shujin - husband
okusan - wife
tomodachi - friend
yume - dream
mitsubachi - bee / bees
hai - yes
takara - treasure
baka - crazy
arashi - storm
za za - "rain"
goro goro - "thunder"
kuma - bear
goto - robbers
hajimemashita - nice to meet you (first time)
kochira koso - same here
yoroshiku onegaishimasu - please be kind to me as I will be to you
ki - tree
gomen nasai - I am sorry
hon - books

To learn more Japanese please visit Japanese Pod 101. http://www.japanesepod101.com

Happy Listening,

Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr

This week, we revisited our roots in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Zephyr attended the famous (in rock music circles) venue in Berkeley where Green Day, among others, got their start. We toured the Jelly Belly factory (the Goelitz Candy Co.) in Fairfield, and found that the owners are very appreciative of Ronald Reagan for helping popularize their jelly beans, but show little acknowledgment of Harry Potter, who's helped promote its Bernie Botts Every Flavor Beans. And we returned to perform at several Sacramento Libraries.

Our podcast story this week is "The Boy Who Listened to Birds", one of the "noodlehead" stories from Russia.

Happy Listening,

Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr

Podcasting from Ukiah, California. This week we were inspired by a drive through Redwood Forest. We hiked amoung trees that are thousands of years old and hundreds of feet tall. Some are big enough to build several houses. The trunks of others have been turned into a 20' room, two story tree houses and even a gas station. There have been several reported sightings of Bigfoot in the area. We didn't catch a glimpse of the elusive Sasquatch but being surrounded by such tall trees we decided the story of Paul Bunyan was a perfect fit.

Paul Bunyan was soooo big. How big was he? Why when he was just a baby his parents had to put his cradle out to sea. Follow Paul and Babe the Blue Ox on their journey to the logging camps across America. There was the summer that was soooo hot and the winter that was soooo cold. How hot was it? How cold was it? Well you'll have to listen to find out of course.

After the story the Activated Storytellers discuss the origins of Paul Bunyan stories.

Download the official Paul Bunyan Activity Map (.pdf) and print it out.

Enjoy coloring and using the map to follow Paul's Journey.

Happy Listening,

Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr

Why do Wolves get such a bad rap in folktales? The Activated Storytellers visit Wolf Haven in Tenino, Washington to find out more about wolves and the role they play. What happens when wolves are erradicated? And did you know there is a joker in every wolf pack?

Stories about wolves have been told for as long as we can remember as have stories about a Cinderella type of character.

The Egyptian Cinderella is the oldest Cinderella story known to man. It comes from Egypt and it may even be true--at least we know that it's based on real events. The prince became the pharaoh Amasis, who ruled over Egypt for 44 years. And he really did marry a former slave girl from Greece. In this version of the story, the slave girl is named Rhodopis, and the prince must find a bride by his 21st birthday. He turns for help to his pet falcon, since falcons were revered as messengers of the sun god Horus.

Wolf Pictures on our travel blog:

• Wolf Haven (July 24, 2006)
• Wolf Park - a Halloween treat (November 1, 2003)

Visit:

• Wolf Haven in Washington
• Wolf Park in Indiana

Extend the story with the Cinderella Trillogy Lesson Plan from ArtsEdge

Happy Listening,

Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza

Are Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr really a family? Find out this week as the Activated Storytellers podcast from Ocean Park, Washington.

This week's story is the Knee-High Man, an African American tale from Alabama, about the importance of recognizing one's own unique gifts.

Also: a couple of little stories about bumping into one of our fans and a past cast member in some unexpected locations. And this week our Web site Activated-Storytellers.com was awarded one of the best educational resources on the web by studySphere!

Happy Listening,

Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr

Coming to you from a rain forest!

The Activated Storytellers bring you the great American legend "Alfred Bulltop Stormalong". What will Old Stormalong do when the pirates attack? How will he defeat the mythical sea creature the kraken?

This week we attended a kite festival in Westport, Washington. We'll tell you all about the festival and the parachuting teddy bears!

Thanks to the students and residents from the Quinault tribe who played the pirates and crew members in this podcast.

Happy Listening!

Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr Goza
a.k.a. The Act!vated Storytellers

You won't believe the stories that Davy Crockett has to tell about wrestling a bear, marrying Sally-Ann-Thunder-Ann-Whirlwind Crockett and journeying to the North Pole to save the earth. But he was indeed a real person, a congressman who lived from 1736 - 1836. You can even see his gun "Ol Betsy" at the Alamo in Texas.

Read the story and play with the "animuls" at Davy Crockett

This week we are podcasting from a campground in Rochester, Washington. We recorded on the 4th of July and reminisce about our past few years when we spent the Fourth of July in "America's favorite hometown" Hannibal, Missouri. We'll give you some background information and insider tips about the National Fence Painting contest which takes place yearly in Mark Twain's Boyhood home and the setting for his books "Tom Sawyer" and "Huckleberry Finn". You'll find pictures and more information about Hannibal, Mo on these pages:

• Hannibal - July 02 (article)
• Hannibal in July 03
• Hannibal in July 04
• Hannibal in July 05
• Hannibal in Winter 2001

Read about our most recent trip to the Alamo

Happy Listening!

Dennis, Kimberly and Zephyr

We are back with the second episode. And this time we are podcasting from Lewis and Clarks' final stop, Fort Clatsop. This is where they spent the winter of 1805-06, 200 years ago.

This week we bring you Han's Christian Anderson's story "The Emperor's New Clothes". Hear the story adapted from the touring theatrical production and listen to tales about Lewis and Clark, the fort and the fire.

You will find pictures of Fort Clatsop (scroll down to 6/26) and "The Emperor's New Clothes", the stage production on our web site http://www.activated-storytellers.com

Premiere Podcast

The Activated Storytellers bring you the story of "The Coyote and The Eagle", a Zuni legend of how the sun and moon came to be in the sky.

Listen to the story and hear about the Goza's recent visit to the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park. Visit our website to see pictures from our trip to Mesa Verde.

Read a story, catch a live performance or bring us to your school or library. For more information please visit the Activated Storytellers web site