The Art of Yarn Spinning: Illawarra's Hilarious Tradition of Tall Tales
There is nothing quite like hearing a good yarn or a tall tale that has you on the edge of your seat, but Shellharbour man 'Big Russ' Hannah fears people are losing the art of being able to tell a good yarn. Storytelling is a much-loved Australian art, and the 82-year-old said anyone who can 'spin a good yarn' is great fun to be around.
A Dying Art in the Digital Age
"Yarn spinning is a bit of a dying art. Years ago, people wrote books of yarns," Big Russ said. Before the digital age and smartphones, yarns were told at the pub as fast and furious as the punters would listen to them. "When you went down there, you didn't have a little computer, if you wanted to be entertained, you had to go to the pub and you'd tell jokes down there," he explained.
He recalled a memorable experience: "I remember hitchhiking once and I got a lift with this bloke and we told jokes to each other, all the way from Tamworth to Sydney." This highlights how yarn spinning was once a spontaneous and social activity, deeply embedded in everyday Australian life.
Keeping the Lost Art Alive at the Illawarra Folk Festival
In some corners of the Illawarra, telling a good yarn is alive and well. At the Illawarra Folk Festival over the weekend, the Woolly Yarns competition showcased this tradition, with some participants not letting the truth get in the way of a good story. The event has been a festival staple for the past 38 years and is hotly contested.
"People tell jokes, but it's technically not a joke," Big Russ noted, emphasising the unique nature of yarn spinning. There are two key rules in the competition: you have to say "this is true" during your yarn, even if it is not true, and it has to be less than five minutes long.
When the festival's former beer sponsor, Coopers, was still on board, competitors would get an extra point from the judges for naming the brewer. Most of the yarns, tall tales, and stories are not true and often end in riotous laughter from the audience. "People would listen and there'd be terribly rude jokes I might say, but there were some terribly funny ones," Big Russ added with a chuckle.
The Gloop Maker and Other Woolly Tales
As Big Russ finished telling the Mercury a woolly yarn on video and the interview wound up, he posed a question: "Did you hear the one about the gloop maker?" It's a long one, he warns, usually going for about 10 minutes. "It goes on and on and on and he gets to the boat and he throws something over the side and it goes 'gloop'," he said with a belly laugh, illustrating the playful and extended nature of these stories.
This tradition not only entertains but also fosters community and connection, reminding us of the value of oral storytelling in an increasingly digital world. The Illawarra Folk Festival serves as a vital platform for preserving this cultural heritage, ensuring that future generations can enjoy the humour and camaraderie of a well-spun yarn.
