One of Myanmar royalty’s favorite activities was to watch a puppet show (called yoke they in Burmese).  But, these weren’t any ordinary theater performances.  These marionettes were skillfully carved and crafted to look like human substitutes.  The puppets moved and danced gracefully on-stage, which took a lot of skill and precision from the individuals manipulating the figures.

Burmese puppetry is a centuries old tradition.  It was well established during the Bagan Era (11th century) and known to have flourished until the 15th century.  Since then the demand for puppetry rose and sunk repeatedly until the early 19th century.  During this time, Burmese kings prohibited human dancers to perform on stage, which obviously gave a boost to the country’s puppet theater industry.

Today, the puppet carvers still adhere to a strict set of centuries old rules regarding the types of wood used for each particular figure.  In addition, the same patterns, designs, colorings and strings are kept intact and must be followed to create the perfect marionette.

There will usually be 28 marionettes on stage.  The number depicts the 28 physical forms (called rupa) present in traditional Buddhist text.  These include the four primary elements (fire, water, earth and air) as well as 24 derived matters ranging from the human eye to physical aging.  These elements are represented in the show by various characters such as a dragon, a garuda (mythical bird deity), a prince and an astrologer, just to name a few.  These characters are regular cast members in the Jakata tales (stories of Buddha’s previous births).  Burmese fables, sagas and historical events are also played out as well.

The stage is also built strictly to traditional conventions, using only a select type of bamboo and thatch.  It also features a bamboo bar for the marionette masters to stand on and manipulate their figures.  It is then overhung with a white cloth which hides the puppet masters and provides the backdrop for the play.  Curtains are not used in a Burmese marionette show.  Instead, a shift in music (provided by a troupe of percussionists and wind instrumentalists on the ground in front of the stage) and change of stage props depict the scene change.

A Burmese marionette show today still retains the country’s unique national characteristics such as dance, music, wood crafting and painting.  You can watch one of these shows when you are in Bagan in Exotissimo’s Family Holiday in Myanmar tour.   You will also explore a country steeped in history, incredible sites, natural beauty and meet friendly locals on this fun-filled family tour of Myanmar.  You can also see our suggested Myanmar tours for other memorable journeys into this charming country.  You may also contact us if you have any questions or would like us to tweak any of our tours to fit your needs.