In the province of Guanacaste, a great oral tradition existed, where grandparents recited stories, songs and poems to their grandchildren. But with the passing of the years, these traditions are being lost, not only in Guanacaste, but practically worldwide.The Voice of Nosara seeks to recapture love for words and listening, and there’s no one better to achieve that than a professional of the imagination. 
 
Ana Coralia Fernandez, known in Samara and Nosara as the “Storyteller,” visited us for the second time and brought in her suitcase stories and tales full of images and fantasy for kids and for adults as well. 

Ana, hosted by VON, initiated her visit on Wednesday, November 30th at the school in San Fernando, Samara, where about 30 children received her with so much enthusiasm that in the end they requested that she return and that it shouldn’t be the last time that she visits them. Later she presented her stories in the community hall of El Torito, where more than 50 students welcomed her, some repeating enthusiastically, “storyteller, storyteller.” Teachers and parents also joined in. 

On Wednesday night, in the Vela Latina restaurant, the stories were a bit spicier in the setting with more than 20 adults present. 

On her way to Nosara on Thursday, December 1st, Ana visited the schools of Garza and Santa Marta, where the children waited for her with giant smiles, situating themselves in the classroom to start the stories. Boys, girls and some parents sang along gleefully, the rock version of Los Pollitos (The Chicks), paying homage to Costa Rican singer-songwriter Jose Capmany. In the hallways of the school, only songs and laughter were heard, accompanied by the storyteller’s guitar. 

“With a thousand stories I leave you here, because soon I will return.” Thus Ana bid farewell to the children, leaving them a bigger smile than the one they welcomed her with. 

In an interchange of experiences in which parents shared with their children and the children with more children, Ana Coralia gave a presentation Thursday night at Rancho Tico, Nosara. Around 7 p.m. the floor was opened for the stories, and more than 25 people listened intently to her tales of love, peace, friendship and family. Behind each tale, there is a message with values, teachings and morals.