Thailands Shadow Play Puppets

Online, June 14, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Nang yai (Thai: หนังใหà¸à¹ˆ) is a form of shadow play found in Thailand. Puppets are made of buffalo hide, while the story is narrated by songs, chants and music.

The phrase "Nang Yai," or great shadow play, literally means "big hides." It involves manipulating puppets made of cow hide in front of a white backlit screen, with musical and narrative accompaniment.

Shadow play or also known as shadow puppetry is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment which uses flat articulated figures (shadow puppets) to create the impression of moving humans and other three-dimensional objects.

The shadow theater of Southern Thailand, known as the Nang, recites tales of the gods and contemporary people through stories of love, current events, and tradition. The shadow puppets used in the Nang represent the normalities of Thai society.

Themes commonly seen in Nang performances include family conflict, fantastic adventures of a wandering hero, star-crossed lovers and romantic tales, hermits teaching magic to their apprentices, and abandoned children seeking lost loved ones.

The Nang attempts to relay to the audience the importance of Thai values and ideologies in a changing world, however, the mystical and historical events remain fundamental in all performances. The association with karma (all actions have equal reactions) and the underlying message of rewards and punishments act as allegories for Buddhist morality and philosophy. The Nang remains one of Thailand's most essential traditions, particularly on the eastern coast, and is usually performed during the country's dry season (February to August).

The Nang's theater troupe usually consists of five to ten puppeteers and musicians. The teachers and presenters of the Nang Talung are called Nai Nang. Currently there are over 300 Nai Nang in the southern regions of Thailand. They perform using the puppets on a backlighted white screen, and hide themselves in small wood and bamboo shelters. The performances run from dusk to dawn and incorporate narration, songs, prose, and the performer's improvised dialogue.

The rhythm and fluidity of each performance is essential in maintaining audience interest, thus the Nai Nang must vary their techniques and story lines to incorporate characters such as gods and goddesses, kings and queens, magical figures, and comedians.

It is the Nai Nang's responsibility to act as an intermediary between the community and the gods, thus the Nang and its producers are highly respected and greatly entwined into Thailand's cultural fibers.

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Ken Coalman
Trade-Th.com
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