On Saturday, December 7th, Parihoa hosted an intimate community storytelling night, facilitated by creatives-in-residence Marko Ayling and Anna Barouh Davis. The evening, themed "Metamorphosis," brought together a beautiful group of people from all walks of life to share a delicious meal and tell stories of change and transformation.
As guests arrived, they were greeted with a selection of thought-provoking questions designed to spark conversations around the theme of metamorphosis, all while enjoying drinks and nibbles. Anna then guided participants through a series of warm-up exercises, helping them connect with one another and unearth personal stories of challenge, change, and transformation.
Creative-in-residence Raymond Braun opened the storytelling part of the evening with a powerful narrative of his own personal metamorphosis. This was followed by a series of moving stories shared by our guests, facilitated by Marko.
We then took a break to enjoy a delicious meal prepared by our holistic chef, Vale Sumar, who treated us to a homemade fusion of palestinian, Jewish, and Mediterranean cuisine and shared her own personal story. As we savored the meal, we continued to connect and share with one another.
The evening culminated with more heartfelt stories, and by the end of the night, most participants had stood up to share, encouraged by the bravery of those who had spoken earlier. We lingered into the evening, reflecting on the power of storytelling and community.
The night exceeded even our highest expectations. It was inspiring to witness Parihoa’s unique magic work on everyone present, as people opened up and shared stories they might not have told even to close friends — with strangers. Such vulnerability and courage are rare, and it was deeply meaningful to see everyone experience the healing power of being heard, seen, and felt. By the end, everyone left with full hearts and new personal and creative connections.