Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 19:22:57 -0500
From: G P Spencer <rannygazoo-AT-compuserve.com>
Subject: PUPT: Primitive Rod Puppets


A few weeks ago someone (I'm afraid I forget who - sorry!) posted a query
about a fairly primitive type of puppet suspended from a stout hook on a
rod and capable of only the crudest of movements, and at least one
respondent quite correctly said that puppets of this type were used in
parts of Northern Europe; last year I attended a performance by a Belgian
company who used just this type of puppet - most effectively, too - to tell
various stories, notably one concerning Charlemagne and his wars with the
Saracens. They were about three feet high, very stylised and rather naively
made and dressed.  To cut to the chase, I've just returned from a holiday
in Tunisia, where I discovered exactly the same kind of puppet regarded as
a native North African Arab model; all the puppets I saw were slight
variations on the warrior with sword and shield, and were amazingly similar
in style, costume and face carving and painting to the Belgian ones. The
biggest ones I came across were again about three feet high, and there were
various smaller sizes on sale as souvenirs in a few shops. I bought one
about 2 feet high (I couldn't fit one any bigger into my luggage!) to add
to my collection.  I couldn't find anyone who could tell me the context in
which they were used, or if there were any other characters made - the only
information I could get was that they were a traditional Tunisian patternThe very biggest ones had their heads joined to the body by a wire staple
and had jointed knees; all the other sizes had head and body in a single
piece and one-piece legs. All had a conventional wire hip-joint. All the
arms were simply tubes of cloth with carved wooden hands fastened into
them. Just thought you might be interested, or someone else might have a
bit more info to add.

Cheers for now

Graham Spencer


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