Shadow Puppet

Item number 3084/2 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

Item Records

This page shows all the information we have about this item. Both the institution that physically holds this item, and RRN members have contributed the knowledge on this page. You’re looking at the item record provided by the holding institution. If you scroll further down the page, you’ll see the information from RRN members, and can share your own knowledge too.

The RRN processes the information it receives from each institution to make it more readable and easier to search. If you’re doing in-depth research on this item, be sure to take a look at the Data Source tab to see the information exactly as it was provided by the institution.

These records are easy to share because each has a unique web address. You can copy and paste the location from your browser’s address bar into an email, word document, or chat message to share this item with others.

Data
Data Source

This information was automatically generated from data provided by MOA: University of British Columbia. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.

Description

Shadow puppet of the character Tuzsuz Deli Bekir, made of semi-transparent animal skin and a watery paint. Puppet is a bearded man with a sword at his hip. He is clothed in loose garments, green and blue, with a small orange turban on his head. The skin is punctured to delineate lines in the clothing and divisions between limbs. The legs of the puppet are separate from the torso to create movement, with the pieces attached to each other by a thin string tie.

History Of Use

Shadow puppet character, from the Turkish shadow play known as "Karagöz & Hacivat". The play dates back to the Ottoman Empire (c. 1299-1923). It follows the escapades and fights of the two central characters from whom it takes its name. These friends are opposites in many ways: Karagöz (Black Eye) is illiterate and coarse, but well-intentioned, and very funny. Whereas Hacivat is pretentious and conceited, well-spoken and amusing. The plays are full of wit and satire and social and ethnic stereotypes as well as supernatural characters, such as monsters and magicians. Karagöz shadow puppetry was inscribed on UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.