Tehran – Acclaimed Iranian Nakkal Bahalev Jahhandsto participated in the 15th International Sigana International Storytelling Festival in Kenya from June 1st to 8th, performing stories from Feldoushi’s Shaname (The Kings’ Book).
According to the IRNA, international storyteller and narrator Jahhandst participated in the event as a special guest, performing at the festival’s opening ceremony and its main event.
Under the auspices of the United Nations, her performances at schools and cultural centres in Kenya, including the renowned Alliance High School, were warmly accepted by the audience.
Jahhandst also appeared live on Kenya’s national broadcaster KBC’s morning program, Good Morning Kenya, where he held two storytelling sessions in English in a 30-minute interview.
She also gave a special performance for Persian-speaking Iranians and Afghans at the celebration of Eid Al Ada, hosted by the Cultural Attache Office of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kenya.
Reflecting her experience at the festival, Yahhandst said: “The biggest difference I noticed between Iran and Kenya storytelling is the content. Their stories are often very simple, even mythical and traditional stories. It’s not just a feature. Most of their stories are based on nature.
“In Iran, even our children’s stories are based on rich, layered literature, such as simplified versions of “Shename” and works by Saadi and Rumi. The Iranian story contains a hidden layer that even adults can appreciate. This experience has given me a deep appreciation for Iran’s vast and deep story heritage.
Despite these differences, she highlighted the cultural significance of storytelling in African traditions. “Even under challenging economic and social conditions, storytellers are highly regarded in Kenya. The opening ceremony of the festival lasted five and a half hours, and the children listened with complete enthusiasm. Iran,” she pointed out.
“For the opening ceremony, I choose the story of ‘Zal and Simurgh’, telling the birth of a child with unusual hair and skin tones, and ultimately find value through wisdom, not through appearance or race,” says Jahandoust. “This was an important message for the children in Kenya.”
Her second performance was “The Battle of Rustam and Akvan Div.”
“I wanted a more imaginative environment, and to make it more child-friendly and suited to the tastes of the audience, the kids were eager to move. They mimicked the movement, were called out, searched for characters, and helped them decide what Rastam behaved.
In a television interview on “Good Morning Kenya,” Jahhandsto spoke about Shahname’s message, his vision for humanitarian and peace, based on wisdom. She introduced Nakkari as a cultural treasure and introduced her intangible heritage registered by UNESCO.
“The host asked me an impressive question: ‘In today’s social media world dominated by speed and superficiality, how can we preserve ancient stories?’ In my view, the stories are powerful enough for themselves.
Naqqali, or Persian epic storytelling, is the oldest narrated narrative form in Iran, and has long played a key role in society. Naqqal is a storyteller who recites epic stories, revolving primarily around the stories of Iranian myth kings and heroes.
Bahareh Jahandoost, 40, has been involved in theater since she was seven years old, and she trained with Morshed Vali-Allah Torabi, a famous Iranian Naqqal. Using traditional forms of tales throughout Nakkari’s performance, she performed in China, France, Hungary, India, Italy, Russia and Turkey.
Starting in 2009 and now held every other year, the Shigana Festival is one of Kenya’s major cultural events. Celebrating traditional storytelling. The word “shigana” refers to the African style of storytelling with music and song. This is similar to Iranian Nakkari, using exaggerated gestures and performance narration.
Photo: Bahale Jahhandsto performs at the 15th International Sigana International Storytelling Festival, which will be held in Kenya from June 1st to 8th.
SS/SAB