2 Storytelling and Raw Head and Bloody Bones - with Master Artist, Octavia Sexton

2 Storytelling and Raw Head and Bloody Bones - with Master Artist, Octavia Sexton

Author: Tom Hailey February 22, 2020 Duration: 1:04:44

Episode 2

When you were young did you have family members who liked to have you listen to their stories? Did you appreciate what they were passing on?

Do you like to share stories?

If you want to know more about the importance of storytelling, this episode is for you.

Before we begin…and to put something you'll hear into context…think back to your high school days and that ACT test.

Do you remember what the highest possible score was?

The one that put someone into the top .195% of the test takers.

It was 36.

Keep that fact in mind as we proceed.

Our guest today is Octavia Sexton.

There are still a few people left among us who grew up in the oral storytelling tradition … where stories are told to entertain and to pass on life lessons and values.

Octavia is one of those people.

She is doing her best to see that tradition continue.

Octavia is a Teaching Artist in Kentucky schools.

She uses stories to teach a variety of topics from writing and drama to cultural awareness. She also teaches in the prison system.

Octavia is a Master Artist for the Kentucky Folk Life Center. That's a big deal. She will tell us what that means and how you might benefit from it.

Octavia is working on a new venture where she will reveal stories about the challenges women in Appalachia face. Challenges that you probably haven't thought about.

It's good to know that people are working to preserve the art of Storytelling.

Especially a brilliant dedicated person like Octavia Sexton.

If you like Action Steps at the end of a podcast, here are four to consider:

1. Pay attention when an elder in your circle wants to tell a story.

2. Begin to collect and tell some of your own.

3. Attend a meeting of The Wandering Storytellers at Joseph-Beth Booksellers the third Monday of each month at 7:00 pm

4. Subscribe to this podcast with your podcast app

The next episode will feature storyteller Buck Creacy.

It will post on Saturday, March 7, 2020.

Until then, let's enjoy life. Bluegrass Life.


There's a particular rhythm to life in central Kentucky, a blend of rolling hills, deep history, and vibrant community that Tom Hailey captures in his Bluegrass Region Voices and Views podcast. This isn't a travelogue or a dry history lesson. Instead, Tom sits down with the people who give this area its character-artists crafting in studio barns, community organizers planting roots for the future, and historians uncovering layers of the past. You'll hear stories from the front porches of small towns and the bustling kitchens of local eateries, getting a genuine sense of place that goes far beyond the postcard. Each episode feels like a personal introduction, whether it's spotlighting a family-run orchard you've never heard of or a cultural festival that defines a community's spirit. The conversations are meandering and authentic, often uncovering the quiet passions and unexpected projects that truly shape the region's identity. For anyone curious about the soul of Kentucky beyond the racetracks, or for locals looking to rediscover the richness in their own backyard, this podcast offers a thoughtful, human-centered audio tour. It’s about listening in on the stories that are already being told, if you just know where to find them.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 65

Bluegrass Region Voices and Views
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