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INUVIK - Northern storytellers taught their craft at a workshop held last week in Inuvik.

People from all over the territories took the stage to talk about their experiences and share their stories during the BeauDel Stories to Tell Festival.

Pat Braden of Yellowknife and Jim Green of Fort Smith held a workshop as part of the event sponsored by Northern Arts and Cultural Centre.

"We're here having a good time sharing our stories and hearing from people in the region," said Green.

Green said he was happy to be in the region to meet with the people and that the organizers offered some open mic time on stage as well.

"We've got an open invitation to anyone in the community to come forward and share a story," he said.

"We want to encourage beginners to take the plunge."

The first night of the festival was flooded with stories.

"Whoever was on stage, whether it be the chief, the mayor or the MC, everyone had a story to tell, it was great," said Green.

"I get the feeling that everyone in the delta is a storyteller."

Green said he enjoyed hearing of the histories of the people of the area and what they had to share.

"There are many kinds of storytellers, but these in the delta just knock me out," he said.

"This area is just a hotbed of storytellers."

Green said he hopes the tradition of the event will remain and that more people will stand up to share the next time the stage is lit and the mic is hot.

"Storytelling has changed venues. It used to be around the campfire with grandpa. Now people are coming out in public with their stories to tell," said Green.

Green said he shares experiences from his life and the people he's met over the years.

"Like most storytellers, I just tell my story," he said. "All my stories are about my life, except for the ones that are exaggerated just a teeny bit."

"Everyone is a storyteller and everyone has a story," he said.

Braden said he thinks the people of the region are in touch with traditional storytelling.

"The people here are more in tune with their traditions than in the southern part of the territory and even more so than the rest of southern Canada," he said.

Braden said it's important for people of the region to continue sharing their stories.

"That is how you pass on your family history and stories that happened a long time ago," he said.

"The desire to pass on their traditions is still very strong in the people in this region."

Braden said the importance of the event is to recognize the similarities of the people who live in the North.

"We're just folks living the same experiences," said Braden.