Water Puppet show, Hanoi

Water Puppet show, Hanoi (Vietnam)

Water puppetry is a tradition that dates back as far as the 11th century when it originated in the villages of the Red River Delta area of northern Vietnam. Todays Vietnamese water puppetry is a unique variation of the ancient Asian puppet tradition. The puppets are made out of wood and then lacquered. The shows are performed in a waist-deep pool. A large bamboo rod supports the puppet under the water and is used by the puppeteers who are normally hidden behind a screen to control them. Thus the puppets appear to be moving over the water. When the rice fields would flood the villagers would entertain each other using this form of puppet play.