Give the Gift of Story — A Roaming Trees Storytelling Experience
Imagine giving someone more than just a present — imagine giving them a moment of magic, connection, and wonder.
With the Roaming Trees Storytelling Gift Card, you’re gifting a 40-minute live storytelling performance delivered by Tamas, a skilled traditional storyteller. Whether in a cosy living room, under the open sky in a garden, or with the soft crash of waves on a beach — the recipient gets to choose the place that becomes their own enchanted story space.
For more information and to purchase the gift card, please follow the link:
https://events.humanitix.com/storytelling-gift-card
About Tamas as a storyteller
Tamas is a skilled traditional Hungarian storyteller. His Roaming Trees Storytelling platform has seen him captivating audiences on international stages in Europe and Australasia, retelling folk tales, myths, and legends in his uniquely engaging way. He says he tells stories to nurture his audience as a community, but even better, to create something transient with them that also has the power to make a long-term impact. His end goal is not just to tell a great story, but to learn with his listeners about what it means to be human.
Tamas does classical storytelling and interactive performances. His tellings are intergenerational events, or in other words, stories for all ages. While kids may enjoy them more enthusiastically, adults have the ability to do the same! He always shapes his performances to best fit the actual event, whether it focuses on kids, families, or communities. Some stories are longer and require a more focused presence, making them better suited for an older audience.
Classical storytelling is an intimate situation for everybody. Traditionally people gather and sit in a semicircle, and the sound of the flute creates a mental space where the “sleeping” story comes to life and floats into our minds and hearts. Tamas uses stories from his own Hungarian tradition, as well as from other cultures around the world, in the most respectful and sensitive way.
Header image: Roaming Trees
Workshop and presentation at the Sydney International Storytelling Conference 2023
Tamas was fortunate enough to present a workshop at the Sydney International Storytelling Conference. His workshop ‘To tell or not to tell’ explored how our contemporary society requires storytellers to actively investigate their own repertoire of folktales, whether they include any forms of racism, family violence, or biases for or against an individual, a group, or a belief. This workshop aimed to create a safe platform for a discussion of how each individual storyteller can relate to this actual topic.
This project was made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia.
A few storytelling examples
Hopefully some of these recordings can bring back the sense of the live act.
The Flying Apple Tree – how the first apple tree came to the Huon Valley
Prepare to be amazed by the first collaboration between Tovaresh and the Roaming Trees Storytelling! Brace yourself for an incredible tale that originated from a humble seed. Picture this: we acquired a batch of heavenly organic apples from the esteemed Huon Valley. As we savoured the crispness of one particular apple, we were captivated by the sight of a sprouting seed within. Without hesitation, we planted this precious seed in a pot and witnessed the birth of a magnificent sapling. Can you fathom the magic that unfolded before our eyes? Overwhelmed by nature’s generosity and the marvel of the Huon Valley, we were determined to express our gratitude. And so began our quest to locate the most majestic and ancient apple tree in all of the Huon Valley, setting the stage for the enchanting story that lies before us. We present this spellbinding tale, gifted to us by Martin Maudsley of Dorset, England.
The Salt – Oslo Metropolitan University exam performance of the artistic research project: The Guy who tells Stories.
ORAL STORYTELLING AS ARTISTIC RESEARCH paper for OSLOMET
Interview with LalinRoka Production about storytelling
Davey and the Devil – With this performance Tamas won the Storytelling Cup of the 2021 Huon Valley Midwinter Festival. (film and photos: Linda Abraham)
After the festival Tamas was interviewed by Jane Longhurst from ABC.
Doja, the Gypsy Fairy – a tale that explains why the gypsies are all around the world. Read below Tamas’ explanation about this story:
“This story has its own story in my repertoire. Actually, it is not a folktale but a story that Magda Szecsi wrote. She is a Hungarian Roma artist and writer who has written several books for children and is a prolific illustrator. The story was written in a folktale style and drew on the author’s own tradition and experience with collecting original folk tales. When I met this tale, I thought I had found a folk story and I was not aware of its origin, but I just loved it so much it began to live its own life inside my imagination. When I discovered its origin, I made the decision not to tell it, but…
One day, when I was part of a small festival and my performance was already done, and we were all waiting for the last act, the fire acrobats, sitting on the warm sand of the ocean at Taroona Beach… Maybe it was the magical fire in the dark, or the breeze from the sea…, but the story just came up and floated through the small crowd, squeezing tears from those eyes that reflected the ocean and the fire… So my version of this tale was born, and I only tell it on special occasions with the author’s permission.
I recorded this version as my application to the Sydney International Storytelling Conference and was accepted, although the event was postponed to 2023 where finally I told it to my peers.“
Stone Soup – a tale about sharing
This tale transpired during an Asset-Based Community Development workshop. Each participant was encouraged to bring a gift to the circle, and I decided to contribute a story. In my rendition, the central focus lies not on the cunning soldier character, but rather on the potential of sharing and collaboration.
Testimonials
We always prefer testimonials directly from the audience, so here is one of our favourites:
A few more testimonials from organisations that I successfully collaborated with as a storyteller.
“Tamas and I have crossed paths when I worked as a Social Worker for the Connected Beginnings project in the Brighton Area, and during that time I learnt that he was a skilled storyteller and used this as a way of engaging vulnerable members of the community and used the mechanism of storytelling to help people make meaning and sense of their own lives and circumstances. I have been lucky enough to witness him wrap a magical cloak around a room, create a fire in the center of it and draw everyone in, only to be quickly transported out when the story ended.
As a proud Tasmanian Aboriginal woman, the art of storytelling as a way of passing on knowledge and connecting people through time and place is never more important than in times of struggle and trauma such as the one we are facing now, which is why to me personally, the projects Tamas is running are very exciting.”
Joselle Griffin
Community Development Project Officer – Australian Red Cross – Tasmania
“Tamas has visited our school on numerous occasions to inspire us through his expert sharing of knowledge via the art of storytelling. On every occasion, the students and staff involved were left elated and moved by Tamas and his tales. His storytelling techniques have brought joy and contemplation and have enriched our lives.”
Teachers at Mount Stuart Primary School: Kirsten Toselli, Analie Marmion, Kas Klap and Heidi Wiebke
“We were amazed by the quality of Tamas’ performance at that event and certainly noticed his wide and deep knowledge of the Hungarian folklore and traditions. His way of telling stories is very unique and very natural therefore his performance was a truly memorable cultural experience and social engagement for our younger and older Club members as well.”
Petra Lipoth
Manager of the Auckland Hungarian Club
“Tamas was a key contributor to the 2019 Hobart Writers Festival Children’s Activities over two days. His story-telling thrilled children and adults alike.”
Sue Kennedy
TasWriters Board of Managemen
“Tamas’ has a remarkable ability to connect with people of all ages through performance and storytelling. Weaving traditional stories with new content, Tamas’ adapts themes and narrative to the social setting of the performance, often with the audience participating, directing the final outcome.”
Sarah Proud – Project Manager
24 CG Museum of Old and New Art
Roaming Trees 