| A Short History of Puppetry | |
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A puppet is defined as "a small figure of a person or animal
moved by hand, strings or wires".1
It is probable that puppets or puppet-like figures have been used for various
purposes for as long has there has been human civiliation.
Many of the earliest puppets were used in religious ceremonies. The use of puppets enabled the priest or shaman to show the people his power. Through the use of puppets, the holy man could control the elements, direct the destiny of the characters and make religious and historical events come to life. Though puppets are seldom used for ritual purposes these days, they still play an important part in our culture. Puppets can make us laugh at ourselves, can teach principles that might otherwise be difficult to grasp and help us empathize with others, all while providing us with entertainment. This workshop will provide a variety of different puppet forms. The ideas presented here should be used as a first step in developing your own ideas for puppets. Virtually anything that can be manipulated can be made into a puppet--socks, gloves, stuffed animals, paper sacks, etc. The only limit is your own imagination!
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