A Greek Master Storyteller

 “…mortals and immortals

 with my tales rejoice.”

                               Odyssey, X 346-7

 Stelios Pelasgos is the master storyteller who initiated the revival of the art of storytelling in Greece. He is the artistic director of several international storytelling festivals in Greece. He gives performances, conducts workshops and lectures in Greek, English and French.

 Before even recognizing that words are bearers of meaning he began his apprenticeship at his grandmother's knee. She was a traditional storyteller. Her name was Demeter and she was originally from Eleusis. Indeed, her family house was within the archaeological site of the Eleusinian mysteries. Ancient myths and medieval fairytales were naturally passed on to Stelios as part of the family history. 

 He has walked, and still walks, the four paths that have lead to the current revival of this ancient art, namely literature, theater, psychotherapy and paedagogy. He has met contemporary pioneer storytellers in France and was inspired to follow their lead. He left Athens in 1990 to seek the meaning of folk stories in Nature and small communities. He devides his time beween Athens and a creek in Mount Pelion, mythical home of the centaurs,  among trees, wild animals, and the invisible ancient inhabitants of the land. He travels extensively in Greece, Cyprus and Europe telling stories to adults or children and conducting storytelling workshops. A great part of his work involves groups with special needs (former drug addicts, old people, prisoners, handicapped children e.t.c.).

 His storytelling is usually accompanied by live music and the stories he cherishes show the bonds between Europe, Greece and the Eastern world. His style has its roots in traditional Greek folk storytelling while at the same time giving voice to the epic homeric tradition.