Storytelling : Elders’ Wisdom Dished Out On Cameroon Stage

“The tales I performed were from Indian and French traditions. Almost all of them had wisdom as the theme – that is, what humanity can do to live better. They were stories for adults, with philosophical messages. In all, I performed 11 tales that talked about the spoken word and its influence on people. The word is like honey when it encourages. But can also be sour if it discourages or creates confusion,” said Martine Quentric-Séguy 77. Quentric-Séguy, of Indian-French origin, was an ethnologist and then a psychotherapist. Today, she is a painter, storyteller, writer and comedian.
“Just as we need the spoken word, we also need ears to listen to it. This was the general theme of the performance,” Martine added. She spoke in Yaounde on Saturday September 9, 2023 after a storytelling performance in Centre Zingui theatre hall in the Yaounde neighbourhood of Ekoumdoum. The performance was jointly organised by David Noundji, the founder of Centre Zingui, the Centre camerounais de l'Institut international de Théâtre-Unesco, CCIIT, founded by Junior Esseba; and the Ministry of Arts and Culture. 
“There was much wisdom in Martine’s performance. I especially appreciated her manner of passing across emotions. It was a very beautiful moment for me,” said Rosine Nguelle, a Cameroonian comedian, storyteller and singer. “Storytelling is appreciated in Cameroon because it is a whole school! Stories never become obsolete. They are always new and full of great wisdom to people of all ages,” underscored Rosine, who has been performing stories for 13 years now. 
Comparing Indian, French and Cameroonian storytelling, Quentric said the difference is in the performance. “Indian and French storytelling performances go along with singing and dance. In Cameroon, it can be with or without music. But wisdom storytelling is the same all over the world,” she pointed out.
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