I recently delivered a storytelling workshop as part of the Folkstone Book Festival, and one participant told me she had a problem with traditional tales because of the stereotyping  one encounters. My short answer to her was that when you delve further into the vast array of stories, more complex and varied characters reveal themselves. But I have to concede, stereotypes are there in folktales and can present a problem.

One of my biggest issues is the ‘wicked Stepmother’. I have my own blended family where two of my children enjoy good relationships with both a stepfather (my husband) and a stepmother (their father’s girlfriend). So I find the character of the wicked step parent who prefers their own children to inherited ones somewhat uncomfortable. However, I don’t want to remove all bad parents from my repertoire. It can feel more fair on step parents if I take away the ‘step’ and leave a mother who favors some children over others. Not an easy dynamic either, you could argue. But these traditional stories are not meant to be fair, or easy.

Folktales were created long before views on equality and stereotyping were on the agenda, they were meant to embody a simplified microcosm of the human experience to help us comprehend and question the world around us. Not always easy to do in a tale that is likely to take no longer than 30 minutes to tell. I think some stereotyping is necessary. The actions of these characters are immediately understood (even expected) and so the narrative is readily followed. And they contain the kernel of recognizable human characters, even for today, which have been wildly exaggerated for dramatic effect. For example, if we go back to the ‘wicked stepmother’ who favors one child over another, aren’t there many of us who have either experienced favoritism within our own families or (more likely) imagined it as children? Through the story we can enjoy a level of release to have these fears played out. (Or just feel gratitude for the family we have!)

I often find that what seem like two dimensional characters are far more complex on further exploration. I adore the tales of The Orichas, the Yoruba Gods and Godesses, because these tales show us deeply flawed and very human characters. Chango may be the buffed, fearless god of fire, but he has also paid heavily for his arrogant and irresponsible behavior when he set fire to his home, with his wife and children still in it. Oshun, the Goddess  of love and beauty, seems to spend all her time bathing in rivers, dressing in fine fabrics and looking at herself in the mirror. But she is also deeply insecure, dangerously impulsive, and a driven entrepreneur who’s main desire is to provide for her children.

And there are endless other characters that appear in stories that do not fit any particular mold. There are men and women who are fools, and as many of both genders who use their brains to outwit their enemies. Good and evil are not gender specific either, with plenty to choose from on both sides. And good and evil are not always mutually exclusive. Mischievous Tricksters such as Anansi, Loki and Eshu inhabit a place that is neither and both. Wicked witches can morph into wise women, as with Hecate and Baba Yaga.

Racial stereotyping is completely avoidable and has no place in storytelling. Each folk tale has the wonderful ability to be both culturally specific and universally accessible. Telling a tale from any county is in itself a celebration of that culture. And yet more often than not we connect with the characters and messages we discover within the tale. There is no need to use cultural stereotypes, or attempt accents, if it is not culturally specific to you as a teller. If you want to explore that culture more within the telling, other elements can be used that  support that cultural content, such as songs, use of instruments or props, or linking it back to where and how you discovered it (i.e. ‘ I have a good friend from Brazil with whom I spent many long nights hearing the tales of his childhood’, or, ‘I have always been drawn to the Caribbean, and have been exploring the folktales of Jamaica’).

Avoiding stereotyping or cultural cliches is why many storytellers choose to exclusively tell stories from their own cultures or cultures they have a direct connection with. I don’t think this is always necessary, I certainly tell tales from all over the world. But it is important to respect the story and it’s heritage, and be clear that you are sharing the voices and wisdom of that culture without claiming it as your own.

So how do we approach stereotypical characters for effective storytelling in a way that feels relevant today? I think it is important to note that characterization within a performance is only to be touched on as part of the narrative. It is not a storyteller’s job to ‘become’ these characters, and so the danger of negative representation is less likely. As storytellers we are telling a tale, and the characters in these tales are there to support the narrative and the message behind the story. Focus on the story as whole entity. How are you going to ensure your audience follows the narrative and its messages? How is this character supporting that narrative? What is his/ her function and how can I make that clear? What is the character trying to tell us through his/ her actions? These questions are of more importance than fretting about how stereotypical each character is.

Don’t let stereotypes allow you to dismiss traditional tales or put you off sharing them with others. These stories are full of wisdom, laughter and magic, and they are as relevant now as they ever were. They need to be kept alive, so keep telling.