Kranshoek was a hive of activity on 17 May as storytellers from the area came together to share their stories at the Oral History Festival.

The festival, organised by Bitou's library services team, was launched by Western Cape MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sports (DCAS) Anroux Marais. 

The aim of the festival is to honour stories from the communities told by people from the communities.

Marais was joined by Bitou Mayor Dave Swart who emphasised the importance of such local oral traditions. "These stories tell us a lot about how people live and their experiences within these communities," Swart said.

Marais expressed her appreciation for the storytellers and said through these stories one can learn a lot about the history of Plettenberg Bay. 

She promised to explore hosting "storytelling around the fire evenings" in the communities, with the first one to take place in Kranshoek.

All the storytellers received goody bags in appreciation for sharing their interesting stories.

Local councillor Annelize Olivier in her closing remarks expressed her gratitude to the Bitou library staff under the leadership of Thandi Twani for organising the successful event. 

She also thanked the young artists who provided entertainment and encouraged them to continue sharing their own stories through their music, dance, poems, and other forms of arts and crafts.

Videos of the Bitou Oral History will be played at the area's libraries.