First Narratives (Oral Tradition) are the foundation to relationship growth, recovery from inner-generational trauma, and development of inner-generational resiliency. First Narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of education, cultural preservation and instilling moral values. Stories are employed to “weave” relationships among peoples, families, collaborations among Tribes, Nations, traditional ceremonies, programs, local organizations, religious groups and corporations. First Narratives promote whole health… physiologically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

There are two types of stories in storytelling: “Remember when” stories are when you can recall an explicit memory from a time, moment or experience; “creation stories” explain how something, someone or a natural order came to be.

Your body is made of cells, and cells play a major role in the constant working systems in your body. When groups of cells produce natural order of the human body, they are called tissues (The word tissue comes from a Latin word meaning to weave). Cells that make up tissues are "woven" together.  “Cells are the song of our DNA”, -Christian Fleche’. There are eleven systems in the human body: muscular system, respiratory system, digestive system, integumentary system (skin), skeletal system, circulatory (or cardiovascular) system, excretory (or urinary) system, reproductive system, nervous system, lymphatic system, and endocrine system. The respiratory system and digestive system are most activated and harmonized as the storytellers’ speaking the story, meaning their blood pressure goes down, their breathing becomes regulated and calmed. This further allows the listener’s respiratory and digestive systems to attune with the storyteller and resonate with the first narrative. Lastly, as cells are the song of our DNA, then the act of storytelling and listening to our First Narratives can activate the epigenetic memories and employ their original teachings, lessons and origin of designated purpose.

Most importantly, First Narratives are designed and told to keep natural order in the environment and nature, or replicate protocol as to how things were created and sustained. First narratives teach and remind us as a human family how to be human, the best humans rather. Sharing of the stories allows the teller to employ their sacred breath and even calm the environment given that it’s a collectivist cultural activity. These narratives are interpretations of exemplary disciplines, multiple personality traits and virtues tested and tried events pushing the inevitable effects of the original cause of strife. The culture sharing the story will determine the characters and/or time that the genesis began. For example, the story of the buffalo will not be from the Pacific Northwest Coast because buffalo didn’t travel the coast. Whether it’s a remember when story or creation story, there are five moving parts that unfold during the story.

The five parts are:

Trauma: Event, and/or experience causing strain, damage or confusion of the mind, emotional state, physical body or spirit either individually or collectively. Can physiologically, or physically cause one to hold breath, change breathing, frown or have saddened expression(s) or grief. “When one’s voice, choice or power is taken” -Dr. Ruby Gibson.

Witness(es): A witness can be any being of nature, environment, such as the trees, plants, animals, star beings or people(s).

Helpers/Elders: A being who becomes informed of the trauma and is aligned with a potential solution(s) for progressive movement or action(s) to employ the all-inclusive reconciliation.

Reconciliation: A combination of coordinated action(s) or efforts to acknowledge, accept and recover the truth from the original traumatic event/experience. To reclaim a sustainable natural order, promoting peace and employing cause and effect.

Service: Progressive restructuring of moral, spiritual, physical, mental or emotional teaching achieved through the process of reconciliation. Furthermore, providing an equitable and/or inclusive return of service to the self and community as a collectivist culture.

The process of evolving through the five parts motivates the teller and the listener(s) to resonate with the original provisions and purpose of First Narratives. TahkSha-Blu (Vi Hilbert ~Upper Skagit), a renowned storyteller and teacher of many cultural and spiritual knowings, shared, “when you tell a story, the listener’s response should exhale a long deep breath, haaaaa”. Echoing, cause and effect… consequently First Narratives is a traditional healing modality for the storyteller and the listener.