Nationally recognized storyteller Victoria Burnett will present a one-hour performance, “Storyspiritualogy” the art of telling stories through spirituals, at noon on Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Eppley Science Hall Amphitheater.
The performance is sponsored by UNMC’s Community Partnership, Preventive and Societal Medicine and the Employee Diversity Network. Food will be served to the first 50 attendees.
Burnett, a breast cancer survivor, has found the healing touch through story. Each story in her presentation is based around a spiritual and includes history, oral history and song woven together in a unique way.
A native of California, Burnett also will appear at the Moonshell Storytelling Festival at Mahoney State Park on Saturday, Sept. 24. The all day festival, sponsored by Nebraska StoryArts, is free with park admission.
Burnett believes that music is a part of every story. Her stories are dynamic and lyrical. She infuses multicultural stories from Africa, Thailand, Italy, France and Israel with her sensitivity, wonderful sense of playfulness, spirituality and reverence for the culture from which these stories rise.
She finds herself telling stories whose words and music have lingered with her, bringing her comfort, artistic inspiration and healing. Burnett’s fusion of a delicious mixture of story and music delights and soothes the spirit. She affirms the importance of preserving the “best” of who we are and passing it on.
In 2000 she was featured in the National Black Storytellers’ Conference. Eight years ago Victoria was diagnosed with cancer, and survived. She has drawn from that experience.
“I walked through the cancer with a smile, and I looked good,” she said. “I shared that story with adults during some of the storytelling, and people asked me more about it. Kaiser Permanente called and asked me to tell stories to children just before they had chemotherapy. I didn’t talk about illness, but just told stories to help them relax. I feel it’s part of my healing process.”
Burnett has performed in schools, museums, community colleges, festivals, corporations, libraries, hospitals and taught storytelling workshops and classes.