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Published: June 23rd 2009
Tonight I went to see a performance of traditional Vietnamese water puppets.
These are not, unfortunately, puppets made out of water. That would be much too cool. They are in fact puuppets that play around in the water, and are manipulated from below with beams, by puppeteers hidden behind the stage (but still knee-deep in water).
It's easy to see how this form of entertainment evolved here. Looking out the airplane window last week as I flew into Hanoi, I saw that half of the country is underwater, due to the wild proliferation of rice paddies.
So some kid must have been out picking rice one day, and bored (because that just seems like it would be really boring), and decided to scare his buddy by rigging up a puppet to jump up out of the water at him. And thus it began....
The program listed a number of "acts" that were performed with the musicians sitting stage right:
• Dragon Dance
• On a buffalo with flute
• Rearing ducks
• Phoenix dance
• Boat racing
I could have added a few more, based on what I saw:
• Man spanking water buffalo
• Birds mating
• Kids beating each other
up
Also, if you care to know, fairies do not actually wear short green dresses like Tinkerbell. Oh no, they wear traditional Vietnamese dress, weird hats, and flap their arms about while standing in water.
It was a really cute show, and I was impressed at both the arm strength that must have been required, and some of the feats of the puppets, such as catching a frog with a fishing pole, doing backflips, and climbing up trees.
It's
definitely better than Cantonese opera. (
Cantonese Opera)
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Neomi
non-member comment
Still can't believe you are in Vietnam. So sorry to hear about your earlier health scare. I'm relieved you are feeling better. It could have been much, much worse (both the sickness and the cure). I look forward to your blog every day. My favorite line in this one is "On a buffalo with flute." Of course. What better place to hang out and play music?