Everyone can be a storyteller. Miss-Lou residents learned this and other truths Saturday at the 15th annual Eleventh Moon Storytelling at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians.

&uot;What you got to do is make each story you tell your own,&uot; said Gray Hawk, a Houma/ Choctaw Indian.

If you don’t make stories your own, you are just a parrot, he said.

The program is titled Eleventh Moon Storytelling because January or &uot;cold meal&uot;&160;was the 11th moon or month on the Natchez Indian calendar.

Featured storytellers for this year’s event included Gray Hawk, Sarah Meyer-Mutziger and Donna Bowman.

Gray Hawk, who is descended from a group of Indians who were acquainted with the Natchez Indians, included morals with some of his stories.

His stories encouraged listeners to make use of their talents and to have a positive attitude on life

&uot;Go through life looking at the negative in life and that’s all&uot; you are going to get, he said.

Gray Hawk told a story of a negative-spirited man who lost everything to illustrate this point.

Afterwards, he also taught the crowd a song in his native language. The song gave thanks to the creator for his blessings.

&uot;Just acknowledged the things that are good in your life,&uot; Grey Hawk said.

Sarah Meyer-Mutziger told a story about a group of four men each granted a wish.

One of these four men was granted his wish to become a great hunter.

He gained a new understanding and respect for animals and was able to pass this knowledge down to younger hunters, Mutziger said.

The storytelling was sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.