Storytelling

Hi, I’m Dr. Ileheva Tua’one, and I am a professor at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) in the Women’s and Ethnic Studies Department. I also hold a special position as the inaugural Kraemer Family Library Storytelling Professor.

I study 18th-century texts about Oceania and other spaces of the world not normally covered by 18th-century scholarship. I came across this text while studying that period. I’m also a professor of Indigenous Studies, and because of this, I really focus on indigeneity in the 18th century and indigeneity in general.

Because of this, I really value orality and oral history—the kinds of histories that are passed down through spoken word from person to person. To honor my ancestors, the master storysmiths who memorized epic poetry and legends that could last for days when recited, I decided to begin memorizing long epic poetry myself.

The first epic poem I ever memorized was The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, written in 1798. I chose this poem because of its rhyme scheme and the way its rhythm makes memorization easier. Coleridge’s use of alliteration and repeated sounds made the poem especially accessible.

Follow the link to watch Dr. Ileheva Tua'one recite the Rime of the Ancient Mariner and listen to their analysis of the epic poem.