How the ancient oral tradition of storytelling is rising from the ashes in Morocco and revealing new insights to an ever-changing world

‘We never grow out of wanting to tell or listen to stories,’ says Lucie Andersen-Wood, psychotherapist and counselling psychologist. ‘I think it’s a hard-wired trait – I’m sure storytelling and language developed simultaneously. Stories are part of our thought process. They give insights into other worlds and other lives. They teach and inspire. They provoke thought and entertain. They provide escapism and realism. They show us how to play with language, how to get the most out of it, with allegories, idioms and metaphors, with puns and fantastical characters. They take a multitude of forms, from a one-paragraph fable to a soap opera that runs for decades, and are as far-reaching and infinite as human imagination.’

They’re also an important legacy. In remote communities with little access to outside influences, stories are passed on orally, from one generation to the next, and exchanged between families. Eventually, they become an integral part of that society’s heritage, something that needs to be honoured and protected. ‘Narratives are about communication,’ says Lucie. ‘Think about what that means. The word is derived from the Latin communicare, which means to share, impart, unite or make common. That’s what stories are about. They are a way of bringing people together, of forming bonds, not only among family members and friends, but also within social groups.’

Lucie’s interest in storytelling is academic and personal, professional and emotional. At the most poignant and significant level, she has seen how people can change the direction of their lives by reframing the narrative they assign themselves. She also believes that, by extension, the right stories can help challenge or reshape unhelpful, or even prejudicial, views. ‘For example, if we consider the fairy tales we still tell children – Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White. What’s the message they give to little girls?’ she asks. ‘That as long as they are pretty and kind, they’ll be rescued by a prince and live happily ever after. Stories are an immensely powerful tool, in all sorts of ways.’