Classical and Folk Dances
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Shadow Puppet Theatre
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Overview
Shadow Theater in Cambodia is one of the most traditional formats for storytelling. As with other kinds of Shadow Theater (Indonesia, China, India, Greece, Turkey etc.) the performance involves the projection of light or fire on a white screen, on which performers use puppets to produce shadows.
During Angkor times, carpets of the Royal household were made of large pieces of tanned buffalo skins. One day, a housekeeper, seeing that they were getting old, decided to replace them. As he pulled out one of them and haphazardly put it against light, he realized that having been trodden thousands of times here and there pierced by the stone floor, the holes were making some sort of a relief pattern looking like figures and relief. The housekeeper got the idea to use this discovery. He cut figures of the Reamker out of the skins. The shadow theatre was born.
The Cambodian art of Shadow Theater utilizes puppets made of leather, called Sbaek in Khmer language. The leather puppets are pieces of art in themselves. The design of the panel, made out of an entire cow’s tanned skin, refers to an ancient tradition, and requires drawing skills, chiseling ability, and the capacity to balance light and shadow within the panel, in order to let the figures emerge from the panel.
Each style is fashioned by craftsmen according to traditional methods. Made from specially treated cowhide, the leathers used for shadow puppetry have been treated, naturally dyed, designed and hand carved by Mann Kosal and three of this employees of the Sovanna Phum Association. Mr. Kosal has been working in this revived medium since 1994.
The panels include more than 20 puppets with totally a different way whether playing in a small theatre or a large theatre.
Puppetry and Cambodia
An inscription on the wall of Baksei Chamkrong one of the Temples of Angkor, can be translated thus; The wise, self-created Kambu (who represents the union of the lunar and solar lines) was given as if in marriage to the apsara Mera (one of the celestial dancers adored and honoured by the Cambodian people). These two became the mother and father of Cambodia. From the earliest of times culture and art have played a pivotal role in the lives of the Cambodian people.
Shadow puppetry, found throughout South-East Asia, is powerful and mysterious in its immateriality, capturing the imagination of people for thousands of years. Even within the structured storylines every performance leaves room for improvisation. This allows the art form to remain a relevant, living part of the culture of the time, able to respond to the contemporary needs of the population. The Puppet play performs a particularly important role in the cultural and religious identity of the Cambodian people. It is performed as both a homage to the gods that the play represents and a vehicle for communication with them. The performance acts to elevate both the performers and the spectators to a higher level. Performances begin with a ceremony dedicated to one or all of the principle divinities which include Buddha, Hindu gods and protective and ancestral spirits. This is a prime example of the fascinating cross-pollination of different belief systems in the culture of Cambodia. There are three known forms of shadow puppetry in Cambodia; Sbaek Thom, Sbaek Doit and Sbaek Por. There is also evidence of the existence of wooden and clay puppets but there is very little known about these styles. In Cambodia, unlike the famous wayang kulit style of Indonesia, the three types of shadow plays are performed by a group of manipulators, not a single master. Traditionally all-male, today more and more women are becoming involved in the art form. The performances are accompanied by the Pin Peat Orchestra.
Historic tales of Cambodian Puppetry
The history of puppetry in Cambodia is open to much interpretation. The relationship with Indian styles is undeniable, but the manner in which the art form was introduced and then absorbed into local traditions is not clear.
A pre-Angkorian stone inscription describes a Kutakkta, a female puppeteer, performing in a religious ceremony for Svarasvati, the god of art and eloquence. This suggests that puppeteers existed in Cambodia prior to the 9th century. There is another tale told which describes how, at the time of Angkor Wat, patterns for the bas relief sculptures were made using large pieces of leather with holes punched in them. One day, as an artisan held up one of these leather patterns, it was caught in the path of sunshine streaming onto the balcony and a mesmerising shadow was cast on the interior wall. Another tale tells of an Angkorian king who one day observed his servant shaking clean one of the leather mats used on the of the palace. As it was held up, light streamed through hundreds of tiny holes and created beautiful shadows on the floor. Whether either of these tales accurately describe the birth of Sbaek Thom is unknown, but there is a common belief that this form came into existence during the Angkorian period. Another interesting question is which came first – the performance of puppets or human dance/drama. This is a line of investigation which can be explored throughout Asia, and with many differing opinions. There are clear links between Sbaek Thom and Lakhon Khol, the male masked dance, in terms of both storyline and appearance. Whilst it is unknown exactly how one influenced the other, a stage actor performing in Siem Reap in 1997 commented, “the Sbaek Thom is the oldest, the most traditional kind of drama in Cambodia. In Ancient times people did not dare to show their bodies in public. First they used shadow puppets.”
The Ramayana
Originating in India the Ramayana is not only one of the greatest love stories ever told but also a book of dharma (duty). Since the 5th century the story of the Ramayana has been enacted using shadow puppets or simple glove puppets. In its local manifestations it has been the inspiration for some of the most outstanding masterpieces of art in the South-East Asian region, including painting, sculpture, dance, mask and of course puppetry.
From India the Ramayana spread by land and sea to China, Japan and South-East Asia. As it travelled the text and artistic representations blended with local customs, beliefs and aesthetics. In Java, with the introduction of Islam, Rama, became a more secular and romantic hero. In Buddhist Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, Rama who represented the ideal man became a Bodhisattva King (one on the path to enlightenment). In Myanamar, Rama came to be known as the preincarnation of Gautama Buddha himself. Wherever it travelled the Ramayana adapted to integrate local religious beliefs and practices, as well as local history. In the 7th century the victories of Jayarvarman VII against the Chams was depicted on the exterior gallery of the Bayon according to the plot of the Ramayana. The Cambodian version of the Ramayana is known as the Reamker. The earliest recorded version appeared in the 16th or 17th century. Many of the stories told through puppetry are from the Reamker.
Sbaek Thom
Sbaek Thom, (literally large leather) is the Royal form of Cambodian puppetry. Also known as Nang Sbaek each puppet is a work of art in its own right created from an entire cow hide. With only a few exceptions each puppet depicts one or more characters posed within an ornate frame. Unlike most other forms of puppetry Sbaek Thom puppets have no articulatied limbs. Along with its Thai cousin, Nang Yai, this puppetry form is unique in its aesthetic and performance style.
In Sbaek Thom performances the puppeteer and their puppet appears from behind the screen to become completely visible to the audience and perform in the space between the audience and the screen. Manipulating the large puppets above their heads, the dance of the puppeteer is like a shadow dancing with a shadow, acts as a further expression of the character of the puppet. There are approximately 160 puppets in a full Sbaek Thom set. Used only to represent the stroies of the Reamker, a complete performance of the would take 27 hours and has not been performed for many decades. The show is traditionally performed in the open air using a screen as large as 10m by 5m and lit by a pile of burning coconut husks placed on a table behind the screen. The audience is free to move between the front of the stage and the back. In the recent years of turmoil the Sbaek Thom style has been threatened by extinction. Following 1980, sets of sbaek thom have had to be remade based on scattered incomplete sets salvaged from different locations in cambodia. Through the efforts of individuals such as Kossal Mann, Sbaek Thom has managed to survive, and has recently been inscribed by UNESCO as a treasure of intangible and oral culture.
Sbaek Touch
Sbaek Touch (literally small leather) is also known as Ayang or Nang Thalong and compared to Sbaek Thom more closely resembles the other shadow puppet styles Asia. Much smaller than Sbaek Thom and without a frame, these popular puppets have articulated limbs and moving jaws. The characters are drawn from both the Ramayana and contemporary life. The plays are traditionally performed using a screen approx. 4m by 2m, with the puppeteers seated behind. As with Sbaek Thom, the Sbaek Doit performance is accompanied by a pin peat orchestra.
The stories of the Sbaek Doit are more secular than religious, often based on ancient or contemporary folktales of everyday life. Unlike many other traditional forms of entertainment, Sbaek Doit is highly accesible to the wider population blending imrovised humour and political comment with popular storylines. Historically played from village to village, Sbaek Doit is deeply loved by the people. It is unknown when the Sbaek Doit style first appeared in Cambodia, although records indicate it originated in the village of Kampong Tayong in the Siem Reap province.
Sbaek Por
Sbaek Por was created in the Chaktomuk period (1859-1904) with the support of Queen Sisowath Kosamak Neari Rath. These puppets are smaller than sbaek thom but larger than sbaek doit, and unique for the fact that they are colorfully painted and played during the daytime and in front of the screen. These puppets have no moving parts and unlike teh wayang kulit, have no internal cutouts, but only superficial carvings detailed by the colorful painting.
It is thought that these puppets were more commonly used to represent people rather than gods as their poses are more lifelike than those of the sbaek Thom. Although revived with the help of Unesco in 2001, there are currently no performances of Sbaek Por.
The Masks of Cambodia
The beautiful and ornate masks of Cambodia are used in both classical dance and lakhon khol (masked male dance drama). The court/classical dance styles of Cambodia are highly symbolic and play an important role in the cultural identity of the Cambodian people. Traditionally the dancers act as mediators between the Royal family and the heavans.
Historically, classical dance was an all-female form, whilst Lakhon Khol was male. During the previous century, changes have occured and there have been times when elements of the two styles have been combined to create new forms of expression (such as the fusion shows created by Sovanna Phum). The details of the masks with their distinct colorings, facial features and decoration indicate the disposition of each character (from evil giant to courageous monkey). These characteristics are then magnified by the movements of the performer.
Wayang Kulit
The Ramayana travelled to Indonesia following the path of the Hindu-Brahmanic religion. From East and Central Java Hinduism and most probably the related Indian puppet performances, spread to Bali. The earliest evidence of the existence of the Ramayana in the region is in Central Java in the 8th century.
Today, the Wayang Kulit (or Wayang Kulit Purwa) is the most elaborate and well known of shadow styles. Now only a Balinese form, it is performed for the mst important ceremonies such as marriage, birth, and village purification. THe puppets are cut from tanned leather and then painted in exquisite detail. Each character canbe distinguished by the precise shape and color of the eyes, lips, nechs, shoulders and ornaments. The puppet show is performed by a single dalang accompanied by the gamelan orchestra. The Dalang, traditionally a man, chants both the narration and dialogue of the show and articulates all the puppets. The gamelan orchestra consists of an ensemble of suspened gongs, bronze and wooden xylophones and the spiked fiddle. The audience sits half in front and half behind the screen. It is interesting to note that in Bali the Wayang Kulit preceded all other forms of entertainment associated with the Ramayana. This includes both three dimensional puppets and dance/drama. This process of development can also be found in other countries of the region. In Myanamar, it is still said today that the skill of the dancer is defined by their ability to mimic the movements of the puppets. The question of which came first, puppet or human dance/drama is an intriguing one throughout the history of perofrmance, especially the many styles associated with the Ramayana. |
Cambodian Riel Converter
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