1982_African Puppetry - Center for Puppetry Arts

AFRICAN
PUPPETRY
an exhibitionfrom the
Centerfor PuppetryArts
Atlanta,Georgia
Sponsoredby the
SouthernArts Federation
An ExhibitionOf
AFRICAN PUPPETRY
ln the past severaldecadesAfncanart has enjoyedincreasingpopular
attention. Most Americanmuseumshave mounted exhibis of sculpture,
furniture,ceremonial
costumesand masks.Lesswell knownto museumgoers,
however,istheAfricanart of puppetry.In orderto acquaintthepublicwith this
important part of African culture, the Center for fuppetry Arts is proud to
presentthis exhibitionof rare puppets from Africa.
Africanart is often set into motion by musicand dance,and to a larger
degreeby investingmovementinto artistic imagesof all types.Theseimages,
when animated.are carried,dancedor manipulated
byhumanhandsorworn
as masksatop the heador on the face;thustheybecomeperformingobjectsor
"puppets."Theart of puppetryis used in Africanlife to enhancecivicand
religiousactivitiesrather than solelyas an entertainmentmedium.Puppet
theatrein someAfricangroupsusesthe dramaticperformances
for instruction,
in celebration
of harvests,
initiationsor funerals,andassatiriccommentaries
on
topics of concern in the community,individualmisbehaMor,
or personal
the figuresin this exhibitcomemainlyfrom two tribes- the
eccentricities.
fbibio,locatedin southeastern
Nigeria,and the BamanaandBozoof western
Mali.Thepuppetimagesfromtheseregionsareactivrated
in open-air,dramatic
productionswhich incorporateboth secularandsacredelementsof Africanlife
and are held for the benefitof all membersof the communigr.
" Amongthe Eamanaand Bozopeoplesof Mali and the lbibio peopleof
Nigeria,young men of the communitytake chargeof puppetperformances.
Ihe plalers presentperformances
which expresstheir generalvaluesand
suggestproper wa)6 to behavein socialsituations.u?iththe introductionof
new imagesdrawn from experienceswithin a changingworld, thesepuppet
presentations
alsodraw attentionto innowtionsin communitylife.Ihe castof
puppetsmayillustratemendressedas Europeansoldiersand bureaucrats.
or
show bikini<lad 'modern' women. Thesecharactersact alongsidefigures
representing'water spiris' and women adorned for traditionalinitiation
ceremonies."
" Amongtne Umana/Bozo/tvlaninke,puppes appearout of the backof
a movablestage wfiich housesthe puppeteer.Constructedas a wooden
framework coveredwith cloth, the stage may be decoratedwith a carved
animalhead at one end and an appropriateutilat the other. To insurethe
anonimityof the puppeteers,assitantsfollow the stageholdingmatswhich
hide the performer'sfeet.
"Anotherformof "puppet,"not associated
with a mobilestage,would be
carriedon the shouldersof a performer,raisinghis stature well above the
heightof membersof the audience.Femalefigurespoint to the idealBamana
beautyboth moraland physical.
"The Bozo,a fishingpeopleof the Niger River.livealongsidethe agriculturalBamana.In keepingwith theirwateractivities,the Bozostagepuppet
performances
on boatswhichglideto shoreto entertainthe waitingaudience.
"Puppetsof the lbibio peopleof Nigeriaare performedby membersof the
young men's society ("Ekon"l. A stationary stage, formed by a wooden
frameworkcoveredwith cloth, is set up in the centralsquareof the village.The
actorsstandbehindthe enclosure
, holdingpuppetfiguresabovetheir heads
Assistants
beattheclothsidesof thestagewith palmfiber
by meansof handles.
of the puppeteers.
brushesto createvibrationswhich concealthe movements
speakcarefullyprepared
UnlikeBamanaand Bozopuppets,lbibiocharacters
lines.Voicesof actors,however,are disguisedby speakingthrough reeds.
period.
seven-year
Theactorsrehearsetheir partsduringa strictlyprescribed,
the
rooster,
a
black
on
stage,
figures
appeared
the
carved
as
Traditionally,
appropriatesacrificeto the guardianspiritof the society,was liftedto touch
lt wasbelievedthat thisgestureconfirmedthe powerof speech
the sculptures.
to the images. Carefullyconstructed,brightly painted figures having
familiarto lbibio
articufatedarms,neck and jaw, representa setof characters
villagers.Skitsdealing with familyproblemsand communityissuesunfold
through monologuesand dialogues.Theseskits demonstratethe social
tensionsand moral dilemmaswhich are experiencedby people living in
polygynous,small-scale
villagesocieties.In most cases,the audienceis exDectedto draw its own conclusions.
"lyhile operatinga wooden image,puppeteerscan safelyriskopinions
In the Africansetting,
and displayconductnormallyforbiddento individuals.
puppetsoperatewith guidancefrom the spiritualrealmand thusact or speak
with extra-humanauthority.By dramaticportrayals,they set examplesfor
properbehavior,reinforceacceptedcustomsand tactfullyintroducechanging
values."*
The puppetsin the "African Puppetq/'exhibit are from the Center's
PermanentCollectionand from the privatecollectionof Williamand Robert
Arnett.
*Materials excerpted from "Puppets From Africa" by Marietta L Joseph. Museum Specialist,
Museum of African Art at the Smithsonianlnstitution, Folklife Program.Addit,onal information
provided by Mary Jo Arnoldi, Department of Fine Ar!s, lndiana University.
ON THE COVER:
"MammyWata" photographby DavidA. Carter.
a water spiritworshipped
Thisfigure,known as "MammyWata," represents
sinceancienttimesby the lbibioand other groupsin southeasternNigeria.
Dependingupon its mood,the spiritis capableof richlyblessingor causing
of Wlliam
anguish.Puppetis fromthe collection
seriousmentaland phy,sical
and RobertArnett.
tBtBto
Ekon SocietyMarionette
Lower CrossRiverRegion
SoutheasternNigeria
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
lBlBlO,Anang
Ekon SocietyMarionette
Lower CrossRiverRegion
SoutheasternNigeria
Wlliam & RobertArnett Collection
2. lBlBlO, Anang
Ekon SocietyMarionette
Lower CrossRiverRegion
SoutheasternNigeria
William& RobertArnett Collection
6. lElBlO,Anang
Ekon SocietyMarionette
Lower CrossRiverRegion
Nigeria
Southeastern
William& RobertArnett Collection
tBtBto
Ekon SocietyMarionette
Lower CrossRiverRegion
Nigeria
Southeastern
Wlliam & RobertArnett Collection
7. lElBlO,Anang
MasqueradeCrest(MammyWau)
(Probablycarvedby Chukuu Familyl
LowerCrossRiverRegion
Nigeria
Southeastern
William& RobertArnett Collection
4. lElBlO.Anang
EkonSocietyMarionette
Nigeria
Southeastern
Wlliam & RobertArnett Collection
Left to Right:No. ll, No. 10, No. 9, No. 8
No 15
8. BOZO
BirdPuppet
SegouRegion
Mali
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
t 2 BAMANA
lhree-headedFemaleMarionette
SegouRegion
Mali
William& RobertArnett Collection
9. OGONI
MasqueradePuppetHeaddress
CrossRiverSection
Nigeria
Southeastern
William& RobertArnett Collection
t 3 BAMANA
FemaleFrgure
SegouRegion
Mali
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
r0.ocoNl
Masquerade Puppet Figure
Cross River Region
SoutheasternNigeria
William & Robert Arnett Collection
II. BAMANA
FemaleFigure
SegouRegion
Mali
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
BAMANA
FemaleFigure
SegouRegion
Mali
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
t 5 . FetishFigure
SenufoRegion
William& RobertArnett Collection
16. BOZO
Animal Head with Female Figure
Segou Region
Mali
Wlliam & Robert Arnett Collection
t 7 BAMANA
Antelope Headdress
Segou Region
Mali
William & Robert Arnett Collection
l 8 BAMANA
Hyena
Segou Region
Mali
Center for Puppetry Arts Collection
t 9 BAMANA
Antelope with Puppets
Segou Region
Mali
Center for Puppetry Arts Collection
No. 16
20 YORUBA
Bodytuppet
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
2I, BAMANA
AnimalHead
BougoniRegion
Mali
William& RobertArnett Collection
22. YORUBA
with PuPPet
GeledeHeaddress
Nigeria
William& RobertArnett Collection
with SkinCovering
23. Headdress
UpperCrossRiverRegion
Cameroon
William& RobertArnett Collection
No. 20
24. BAMANA
Antelopewith Figures
EasternSegouRegion
Mali
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
28. BAMANA
DanceHeaddress
EasternSougouRegion
Mali
Wlliam & RobertArnett Collection
25. BAMANA
FulaHorseman
Mali
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
29. KUYU
PuppetHead
Zaire
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
26. BAMANA
FemaleFigure
Mali
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
30.rBo
27, YORUBA
Twin Figures
Nigeria
Southwestern
Centerfor PuppetryArts Collection
Male Figure
Nigeria
Center for PuppetqyArts Collection
TheCenterfor PuppetryArtswas foundedinl9TSto promotepuppetryas
a performancear|d visualart form. lt is the onlymajorartsinstitutionin the U.S.
de\oted entirely to puppetry. The Center has three areasof programming:
PerformanceProgramfor both children and adults, Museum Programard
khool for fuppetry. Eachseasonour MuseumProgramfeaturesthree largescateexhibitionsof puppetryfromallo\€rtheworld.Ourpermanentcollection
featuresover 175figures.Theprincipalbenefactorand founderof the Center
for fuppetry Arts Collectionis Mncy LohmanStaub.
Centcr lbr Puppetry Arts
1404$ring Street,NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
(4041873-3089
Mncent Anthony, ExecuUreDirector
DianeKempler,MuseumCurator
J,}
i.
dI
I
Programsof the Centerfor fuppetry Arts aresupportedin part bythe National
Endowmentfor the Afts, the GeorgiaCouncilfor the Afts and Humanities,the
the
FultonCountyArts Council.the Cityof AtlantaBureauof CulturalAffairs,
and
corporations
Atlanta Publickhools, and contributionsfrom indiMduals.
foundations.