Coastin Carl
World PUPPETRY Day ORIGIN & HISTORY
World PUPPETRY Day was established in 2003 by Union Internationale de la Marionnette (UNIMA) and is celebrated on the 21st Day in March. UNIMA uses this day through its National Centers and its worldwide members to promote puppetry arts with UNESCO by bringing puppeteers together. A puppet theater artist named Javad Zolfaghari from Iran proposed the idea for World PUPPETRY Day during the UNIMA World Congress in 2000. Three years later he realized his dream.
The International Puppetry Association (UNIMA) was formed in Prague in 1929. Most puppet performers in the United States didn’t make this sort of splash until Tony Sarg, a famous puppet pioneer, started holding public puppet shows. This ultimately led to the founding of the Puppeteers of America in 1937. Jim Henson founded UNIMA-USA in 1966, then came UNIMA Australia, UMIMA Pakistan, British UNIMA, and UNIMA-France among others.
Can you think of any famous puppets you can remember growing up with? What about Howdy Doody, Pinocchio, or the adorable Lamp Chop? Perhaps Kermit the Frog, Cookie Monster, Elmo, Bert and Ernie, or Daniel Striped Tiger?
HISTORY of the Puppetry Arts
Historians claim that puppets were born before theatre actors. Even before putting actual people on stage, these inanimate actors were doing a great job of entertaining a wide range of audiences from different parts of the world.
In India, the origin of puppetry was traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization in 2500 B.C. Archaeologists had found a terracotta doll with a detachable head capable of being manipulated by a string. Many Indian Classical texts like the “Ramayana” and “Mahabharata” also mention puppets. China, Japan, and Taiwan also had their versions of puppetry.
In ancient Greece, old written records found in the works of Herodotus and Xenophon state that puppetry was in practice since the 5th century B.C. These Greek plays had puppetry shows performed in front of the common people and European puppetry was inspired by this. There is also archaeological evidence of puppets in Egypt in 2000 B.C. During this period, figures of wood operated by string by humans to demonstrate the actions such as kneading bread.
In the 16th century, the traditional British “Punch and Judy” puppetry originated from the Italian commedia dell’arte (an earlier theatre form). This show became very popular among the masses and was performed with various alterations till the 19th century.
In 1929, the Union Internationale de la Marionnette (UNIMA), or International Puppetry Association, was established in Prague. This organization was made to spark a resurgence of puppetry and help puppeteers show off their art form and connect with other like-minded artists. UNIMA centers have since been created in several parts of the world.
HOW to Celebrate & Observe World PUPPETRY Day?
Not sure how to LOVE the day? We’ve got a few interesting ideas to consider that may help get you started.
Here are some activities that you can do on World PUPPETRY Day!
💙 WATCH
Puppet shows are unique art forms and can be quite enjoyable. Go see a local puppetry production. View some hand puppet videos online. Watch some puppet-based television programs such as The Muppets, Sesame Street, Mr Rogers Neighborhood, Alf, Thunderbirds, or Fraggle Rock.
💙 READ
Many books and online educational resources exist about puppetry dating back thousands of years. Learn about famous puppet performers like Fred Rogers, Jim Henson, Bil Baird, Shari Lewis, Señor Wences, and Frank Oz. Who knows, you might become enthralled at the prospect of giving your own performance.
💙 PERFORM
After watching and reading, you’re now ready to take the finger puppet show you did behind your dad’s favorite chair to the next level!
💙 RAISE Social Awareness
Use social media posts with the hashtags #WorldPuppetryDay, #PuppetryDay, #Puppets, #Muppets, #EntertainmentHolidays, #MarchHolidays, #Holiday, #FindADayToLOVE, #iHEARTdays to support the importance of celebrating, promoting, and sharing with the world why you ❤️ World PUPPETRY Day.
LEARN more about Shadow Play with HAND PUPPETS
What a Wonderful World – Hand Puppets
Remarkable Shadow Puppets by Hans Davis
NINE Fun Facts you never knew about World PUPPETRY Day
- The first puppet animation film in history was made by a Russian ballet choreographer named Aleksandr Shiryaev in 1906 and took several months to complete. He changed the poses of his papier-mâché figures more than 7500 times. It was never for public consumption and was simply a way for him to perfect his own choreography.
- Ellen Van Volkenburg coined the term puppeteer somewhere around 1912-1915 when she and her husband established the Chicago Little Theatre.
- Aleksandr Ptushko experimentally filmed the largest puppet animation movie with 1500 handmade puppets during the 1930s. Its theme was that of “Gulliver’s Travels”.
- Kermit is by far the most popular puppet of all time and star and leader of “The Muppet Show” troupe.
- Vietnam’s traditional water puppetry, “mua roi nuoc“, originated in the Red River Delta during the 10th century when farmers wanted to perform and relax after the harvest. Large wooden water puppets on rods rise as much as four feet above the water to share indigenous cultural stories.
- Jim Henson coined the term “muppet” as a combination of marionette & puppet.
- Kermit the Frog first appeared on a local NBC affiliate show called “Sam and Friends” whereby Henson cut up a tennis ball and used part of his mother’s old clothes to make our amphibious friend.
- Tholpaavakoothu is a form of shadow puppetry from Kerala, India. Tholpaavakoothu is derived from three words – thol means leather, paava means doll, and koothu translates into dance. This art is a ritual in the temples of goddesses dedicated to Bhadrakaliin and is performed in a specially designed theater called koothumadam. The lead puppeteer is called a pulavar.
- Long before the Neighborhood, Mr Rogers was a songwriter whose hobby was puppetry. Since his first TV show had no budget, he wrote the scripts, built and operated the puppets himself.
Famous PEOPLE also born on March 21st
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Taizu, the First Song Emperor
Distinguished military general of the Later Zhou dynasty who founded the Song dynasty by staging a coup d’état and forcing Emperor Gong to step down and advocate him instead. Born 927.
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Matthew Broderick
American actor & singer best known for his roles in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Biloxi Blues, WarGames, and voicing Simba in The Lion King movies. Born 1962.
MATTHEW BRODERICK Quote
“I slip from workaholic to bum real easy”
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Albert Kahn
Prussian industrial designer best known as the “Architect of Detroit” who developed numerous skyscrapers, office complexes, and mansions. Born 1869.
ALFRED KAHN Quote
“If you can’t explain what you’re doing in simple English, you are probably doing something wrong.”
Future DATES for World PUPPETRY Day
| Year | Date | Day of the Week |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | March 21 | Tuesday |
| 2024 | March 21 | Thursday |
| 2025 | March 21 | Friday |
| 2026 | March 21 | Saturday |
| 2027 | March 21 | Sunday |
Puppetry FAQ
Are there competitive puppetry CONTESTS?
- Many countries hold different competitions around the world. Check out the Silhouettes from AGT Champions 2020 below.
What are the DIFFERENT types of puppets?
- MARIONETTES: Originated in the 1800s, these full-length figures are controlled with strings attached to their limbs from up above. They are more doll-like looking; the feet are often weighted down and normally need two hands to operate because of their difficult complexity.
- HAND: or glove puppets are worn over the hand and made from cloth allowing the wearer to use two fingers inside the neck and a finger inside each arm. Think King Friday or Lady Elaine Fairchilde from the Neighborhood of Make-Believe.
- SHADOW: Flat figure puppet placed between strong lighting and a screen creating the illusion of moving animals or people.
- ROD: Developed in the 1930s, these are marionettes supported by rods or sticks commonly attached to the legs or hands but usually controlled from below.
What are the different types of puppet MANIPULATION?
- There are three positions you can manipulate puppets.
- ABOVE: Controlling puppets from up above such as the case with marionettes.
- BELOW: Puppeteers handle the puppet up above their own head like rod puppets in this manner.
- SIDE or BEHIND: The puppeteer is at the same height as the puppet which is common with Bunraku-style puppets.
Why we L💜VE World PUPPETRY Day
Let’s face it, puppetry makes us all happy. It’s been a common form of entertainment for centuries now but its time is fading. With the new advent of CGI, animation technologies, and the like, we’re seeing less and less puppetry. People talk about breaking the fourth wall – the art of puppetry can break down lingual barriers by providing deep heartfelt stories that transcend verbal plays. I can remember going to see a production at the Atlanta Center for Puppetry Arts and being blown away at the mastery and artistry that goes on behind the scenes.
