Pūrerehua: Live true stories in Palmerston North July 25

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

This is the theme for Pūrerehua: true stories told live in Palmy, 7pm Saturday July 25.

Pūrerehua is a stand-up event that showcases ordinary people telling personal stories.

Cami Cunningham Sawyer is passionate about storytelling and started Pūrerehua in 2018.

Sawyer says you will be surprised, entertained, be moved and leave with a renewed understanding of the human condition.

"The storytellers on Saturday night will enrich you and your story."

The lineup of storytellers include Zak Rodgers (aka The Punk Rock Poet), Arka Gupta,
Tyler Bailey, Chris Tuffley and Nicky Hughes.

The instrument Cami is holding in the picture is called a pūrerehua which makes the sound of the pūriri moth.

This big green moth comes out at night and is attracted to the firelight and gives a way of connecting through the environment with our past and our future, just like storytelling.

It was carved and gifted to the storytelling group by Warwick Warbrick of Toi Warbrick.

The storytellers say that by listening to the pūrerehua being played, it is easy to picture a group of people sitting around a fire telling stories from the heart, while the pūrerehua gather.

Pūrerehua is a free community event at the Media Room, George St entrance, ground floor of the Central Library.

The first stories told in May 2018 can be heard on: FB link: https://www.facebook.com/PalmyStories/