Traditional Water Puppets
Water puppetry is a unique cultural creation that originated from the wet rice cultivation region in the Red River Delta.
Using water as a flat form for the performs to perform on is an original feature of water puppet art. The water is an excellent medium for the puppetry as it makes the performances seem more sparkling, graceful as well as magical. Water seems to contain all of the mystery of the performance and the puppet characters appear and disappear suddenly with their shadows flickering in the rippling water. In addition, the sound of the drum beats and firecrackers seem to be smoother and more pleasing to the era when reflecting off the water.
Water puppetry is an everyday village art, a mystical creation from each district, each house as well as each artisan. Water puppetry tells stories of social and cultural activities and also tells about famous people throughout the country's history. Water puppet performances describe day to day life in Vietnam simply but amazingly. There is a rural theme throughout the sketches and stories and they always have a strong reference to Vietnamese folklore. There are stories full of humor or stories about farming and fishing or of festival and buffalo fights. Some even tell of raising silk works and the silk industry. Popular Vietnamese opera, boat racing, performing lions and horse racing are also common. Besides village life, the stories also tell of legends and the history of the country through the lively water puppets [sic] performances.
For over a thousand years, farmers have been creating water puppetry and have carried the art on till this day. Familiar with water in their everyday lives, even before they were born, gives them enormous pleasure when they perform their puppetry. The top artists in water puppetry are the older people who used to farm or fish but who in their later years dedicate themselves to the art they love and are proud of. Since water puppets ...More...
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