Ep 36 – July 13, 2023

Japanese-born Storyteller Masako Carey has lived in rural Co Antrim since 2001. Masako tells stories in schools, libraries, and community venues with people of all ages and abilities.

As a child Masako always loved reading but also watching animated Japanese folktale stories on TV.  The influence of the world of animation combined with her experience as a kindergarten teacher gives Masako a unique style of telling. Her increasing repertoire of traditional Japanese tales includes those which are both comical and serious and she also tells tales from around the world.

Masako started telling stories professionally after successfully completing a National Open College Network Level 2 qualification in oral storytelling taught by her mentor Liz Weir and local storyteller Stephen O’Hara.

Since then, Masako has performed her stories for adults and children at various events through the Armstrong Storytelling Trust, Libraries NI, Museums NI, Poetry of Ireland, Mid and East Antrim and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

She was a featured storyteller at Belfast Mela and the Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival and was awarded with Ethnic Minority Mentoring and Residential Grant by National Lottery Fund through Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Masako was mentored by renowned awarded storyteller Daniel Morden and performed her show of Japanese folktales at the Black Box in Belfast.

During the pandemic, the demand for Masako’s online storytelling spread worldwide to audiences in India, Singapore, the United States and beyond.

日本出生嘅說書人Masako Carey 自 2001 年以來一直住在安特里姆郡鄉村。Masako 係學校、圖書館同社區場所與各個年齡段和能力嘅人作說書表演。

Masako從小就喜歡讀書，亦喜歡看電視上嘅動畫日本民間故事。動畫世界嘅影響加上佢作為幼兒園老師嘅經歷，賦予了Masako獨特嘅說書風格。佢亦越來越多地講述日本傳統故事，包括 幾滑稽，但嚴肅嘅故事。

Masako 係成功完成由導師 Liz Weir 及當地說書人 Stephen O’Hara 教授嘅National Open College Network 2 級說書資格後，開始專業說書生涯。

疫情期間，Masako 嘅觀眾， 通過線上說書，已經蔓延印度、新加坡、美國等地。

Want to connect with Masako?

想追蹤 Masako 嘅動向？

FB: https://www.facebook.com/masako.carey/