Vietnamese Water Puppetry
Water puppetry is a puppet show in which puppets dance and move on water. This art form is unique and integral to the people of Vietnam. They are performed in indoor pools, where the pool of water acts as the stage of puppets. Puppeteers perform from behind a screen in a waist-deep pool by controlling the puppet with strings and underwater rods. The puppets are often crafted in the form of human as well as animal characters. They are usually accompanied by singers and musicians performing on instruments. Musicians can see the puppets and their movements unlike the puppeteers behind the screen.
Water puppetry originated in the 11th century in northern Vietnam. It began as a way to entertain the villagers when rice paddy fields flooded with water. They stood in the waist- deep waters, controlling puppets with their fingers along the strings on the stage built around the fields. The stories are depicted deeply rooted in rural Vietnamese traditions such as fishing, rice harvesting as well as folk tales and mythological stories. Today, the tradition has found fame on stages all over the world.
Did you know about water puppets? The puppets are handmade using fig wood and are finely polished. It is said that in the past, the shows also kept the evil spirits entertained so that they would not cause any harm to rice farmers. The way the puppeteers control the puppets from beneath the water is kept a secret. Performers use code words to keep others from discovering their tricks. Though the shows are typically performed in Vietnamese, the message conveyed on the stage is easily understood.
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By
JOSHITHA REDDY B M
Grade 6C
Orchids International School Vivekananda.
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