A ‘cantastoria’ (storytelling scroll) performance inspired by the rural history and traditions of Formentera (Ibiza’s sister island).
Created in 2022.

Na Blanca d’en Mestre is a visual storytelling performance based on an ancient street theatre tradition of narrating with an illustrated scroll, one which has been traced back to 6th Century Asia. The piece, which is performed in English, is rooted in the local rural traditions of the Pitiusas Islands, and tells the story of Na Blanca d’en Mestre, a fig tree on Formentera which is said to be the largest in the whole of Spain.

Blending together local history, folklore, ecology and a touch of magical realism, the performance weaves together narration and song – accompanied by the images on a hand-illustrated, hand-embroidered storytelling scroll – to celebrate a tree which represents three generations of reciprocal love and care between man and the natural world. Through discovering the secret promise that guaranteed the prosperity of this special fig tree through the ages, we are able to contemplate the possibility of a truly regenerative culture for ourselves, and our local landscapes.

‘Na Blanca d’en Mestre’ has been performed at the Green Gathering festival (2024) and the Oxford Storytelling Festival (2024) in England, as well as at several English language regenerative culture events on Ibiza.

Images and film by Sohar Villegas, 2024.