Get ready for a fun, heartfelt tribute to extraordinary cows and the women who love them! Finnish duo Riikka Palonen and Satu Lankinen bring real-life farming tales, folklore, and mesmerizing ancient cattle calls to life in a magical blend of storytelling, music, and cowbells. We were fortunate enough to grab some time with Palonen to discuss their three upcoming pieces with a host of talented storytellers:
Would you mind giving us insight into your art/event/performance?
First of all, this performance is a restoration of honour for ordinary but oh so extraordinary cows, and a tribute to all of those hardworking women milking those cows and filling the larders of mankind with butter and cheese. It’s also a depiction of resilience – how women and their cows have walked through hard times together – and it is a story of getting by with what you need, and no more. Old stories from both of my homelands, Finland and Scotland, as well as tales of my own experiences with cows; all this is crowned by archaic Finnish music, mind blowing cattle calls, and, of course, cowbells.
Tell us about the creative team and the process involved in producing your performance?
We are two girls from Finland, Satu Lankinen and Riikka Palonen. Riikka has always loved cows so when she heard about this year’s theme it was absolutely clear for her what beast should be honoured with stories! As Riikka and Satu have a long history of creative work together it was an easy decision to join forces. Satu is a master of all weird and wonderful archaic instruments, like kantele, bowed lyre “jouhikko” and a variety of folk style wind instruments, and she knows the secrets of ancient cattle calls – you can actually come and learn “kulning” cattle calls on our workshop in the Storytelling Centre!
As Riikka lives nowadays in Scotland and Satu in Finland we began to process our ideas through messages and recordings, and final rehearsals took place remotely. But as we know each other so well, and both possess the patience of a cow, everything has gone as smoothly as possible.
With the launch of this year’s programme, Birds and Beasts, how does it feel to be involved in the Festival?
It’s a double-edged sword! It is absolutely wonderful to be at such a magnificent festival sharing stories that are deeply important and close to my heart – but at the same time, it’s gut-wrenching to see so many fascinating performances on the programme that I simply don’t have the time to see given my own schedule!
With shows from all over the world, is there anything in the production/team’s backgrounds and identity that influences the show?
Absolutely! While living in Finland, Riikka worked as a full-time cattle farmer for over twenty years, so she has a wealth of insight from the cow’s perspective. The presentation even includes a true story about one of her cows, the remarkable Queen Samanta.
Storytelling in Scotland is a treasured, if often unsung, craft within the media. For those who may be unfamiliar with a live performance, what can audiences expect?
The magic of live storytelling lies in its ability to take the listener on a journey. Images, emotions, and atmospheres steal into the listener’s heart, and suddenly you feel like part of the story – part of that time and landscape. Live storytelling combined with live music is a gentle and magical experience.
With one foot in tradition and another in the present, what do you hope for Storytelling’s future, either as a performance or as a community?
Both feet are equally important. Traditional stories carry with them valuable knowledge, a snapshot of the times, entire worlds – joys, sorrows, ghosts, and fairies… yet living tradition should constantly create something new as well. Fifty years from now, the story of my cow will be a window into a bygone world. There is no such thing as a boring ordinary story -everyone has a story which is unique and worth telling. I think the Scottish Storytelling Centre does a wonderful job of making space for both the new and the old, while simultaneously sustaining our community of storytellers. Together we are strong!
Sun 25 Oct. 10.30am Workshop: Oh Those Inspiring Cows! Edinburgh with Riikka Palonen and Satu Lankinen, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, £20 (2hrs 30)
Sun 25.10. 4.30pm New Work: Give Me a Piece of Land and a Good Cow, Edinburgh with Riikka Palonen and Satu Lankinen, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh £14 (1hr)
Mon 26.10. 7pm New Work: Give Me a Piece of Land and a Good Cow, Carnegie Hall Lecture Room, East Port, Dunfermline, KY12 7JA, £10, (1hr)
Sat 31.10. 7pm Of Stars and Bears and the Beginning of Time, with Riikka Palonen and folk musician Richard Clarke, St John’s Church, Princes St, Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ £10 (1hr) Tickets Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/of-stars-bears-and-the-beginning-of-time-tickets-2000460700807
Fri 20.11. 7pm Of Stars and Bears and the Beginning of Time, with Riikka Palonen and folk musician Richard Clarke, Aberfeldy Birks Cinema, 1 Dunkeld St, Aberfeldy, PH15 2DA £10 (1hr) Tickets https://tickets.birkscinema.co.uk/movie/of-stars-bears-and-the-beginning-of-time/
Interested in being featured on our Have a Gander page? With many previews and Q&As lined up, we’re always happy to chat about including your show in future articles. Please do get in touch through the contact page to feature in an upcoming ‘Have A Gander’