AustLit

'"Talk about laugh!" Every time I hear this from an aunty or cousin, usually accompanied by a raucous laugh, I know that a hilarious yarn is to follow. My mob use this phrase to precede a funny story. It’s not just the content that makes my family's stories funny. It’s the way my mob tells them. The language my cousins use, the accompanying theatrical gestures of my aunties and uncles – the performances that have audiences hypnotised with enjoyment, titillation and laughter. Exuding a natural ability that can outshine the best comedians, they combine a set of perfectly timed ingredients that produce the best type of laughter. The kind that makes your belly ache and your eyes flood with happy tears. ...'