Shadow play (Syrian Arab Republic)
Nomination: Urgent Safeguarding List 2018
EN: Picture showing the puppets of naive Karakoz and his clever friend Eiwaz, made by the Mukhayels themselves from individual parts attached together with buttons (to allow movements), like the head, torso, and limbs. The puppet is controlled by one or more hemp sticks attached from the back.
EN: Puppeteer, Shadi Hallaq, structuring the theater (play) which consists of the 'tent' - a white silk canvas tightly fastened to a rectangular wooden frame to form a screen. The upper arm of the frame has several wholes.
EN: Puppeteer, Shadi Hallaq, performing. He uses his skills of puppet control and storytelling, imitating various voices and sounds and speaking different accents and vernaculars.
EN: Image showing how the knowledge and skills associated with making the instruments of shadow play are transmitted from the puppeteer to children by using basic materials, such as cardboard, so that the children can perform their own show by using their puppets.
EN: Children paint, colour and cut their characters using cardboard, then attached to a stick. They write a story to perform a show too.
EN: A group of children use cardboard, glue and a light canvas to perform shadow theater behind the curtain.
EN: A group of children before their show, after drawing and cutting characters and writing stories.
EN: A group of children perform their show entitled 'sheep and shepherd' using their voices, their characters and their theater which is totally made by the children themselves.
EN: Children interact with the shadow play by asking questions to the puppeteer, stimulating their imagination and feeding their information.
EN: Tools used in shadow play performances, now available in the Azem Palace, Damascus
