Folk media : Puppets, Games & Street theaters

NAME - SHAHEEN FATIMA

CLASS - B.SC H.SC 4TH SEM.

ROLL NO.- 20HMB414

ENROLLMENT NO.- GK5974

FOLK MEDIA : PUPPETS, GAMES AND STREET THEATERS : 

Introduction :

Folk Media is the creative dissemination of information through cultural and performance arts. In traditional societies, folk media: drama, skits, poems, stories, riddles, songs and dance have been popularly and successfully used to disseminate messages and even to pass on wisdom of older gnerationse to the youth.    

Meaning of Folk Media :

The word ‘FOLK’ has been derived from a German word ‘YOLKS’ which means the people. Folk Media is media of the people.  

Folk media is the different means of communications available to rural and tribal people. Folk media is also known by various names like traditional media, indigenous communication system, alternative media, group media and low cost media etc. 

Traditional folk media cultivate the rural lifestyle and culture specifically,as to match their needs and demand,who are illiterate and backwarfed as well.Traditional folk media go with rural masses side by side, bringing slower change in their development.

Folk Media are the traditional based on sound, image and sign language.based on sound, image and sign language. These exist in the form of traditional music, These exist in the form of traditional music,drama, dance and puppetry, with uniquedrama, dance and puppetry, with uniquefeatures in every society, race and region.features in every society, race and region. 

Folk media are the traditional media  of a particular community or nation used from particular community or nation used fromthe times immemorial for communication, the times immemorial for communication,and sharing joys and worries. Variousand sharing joys and worries. Various religious, cast and linguistic groups havereligious, cast and linguistic groups havedifferent folk media.different folk media. 

Acc. to veteran folk media scholar  Balwant Garhgi "Folk media represents the people in their natural habitat, with all their contradictions ( different from the normal life) and multifarious (various) activities.  

1- PUPPETS :

The word puppet comes from the French ‘Poupee’ or the Latin ‘Pupa’ , both meaning ‘dolls’. 

In Sanskrit, puppets are termed ‘Putraka’ , ‘Putrika’ or ‘Puttalika’ , all of which are derived from the root Putta equivalent to Putra (son) . It is derived from ancient Indian thoughts that puppets have life.

There are four basic kinds of puppets:

1- glove puppets

2 – string puppets

3 – rod puppets

4- shadow puppets.    

1- Glove puppets :

Glove Puppets are mostly found in Orissa, Kerala & TN. Puppeteers wear them on the hand and manipulate their heads and arms with their fingers. They are also known as sleeve puppets, hand puppets or palm puppets. The glove puppet in Orissa is called Kundahei Nach. In/Kerala, it is known as Paavakkoothu. 

2- String Puppets :

The string puppet (or marionetter) is a figure with multiple joints and suspended by a string which is controlled. String puppets are found in Rajasthan, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In this, the stress is more on the manipulative skills of the puppeteer. They are known as katputhlis in Rajasthan, Sakhi Kundhei of Orissa, Putla Nach of Assam, Malasutri Bhaulya of Maharashtra, Bommalattam of Tamilnadu and Gombey Atta of Karnataka.

3- Rod Puppets : 

Rod puppets are an extension of glove puttets but often much larger. They are fixed to heavy bamboo sticks which are tied to the puppeteer՚s waist. These are three-dimensional moving figures that are manipulated with the help of rods. This is known as Putual Nauch in West Bengal, Yampuri of Bihar and Kathi Kundhei of Orissa. 

4- Shadow puppets :

Shadows of puppets are used in black and white or in colour. The flat figures, usually made of leather, are lightly pressed on a transparent screen with a strong source of light behind. The screen thus forms the barrier between the audience and the puppet, creating the projection of image. The impact on the audience, surrounded by darkness all around, is quite dramatic. The screen in India is a simple sheet stretched on an adjustable frame . Found in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra and Orissa. 

   

2- GAMES : 

Folk games, also known as classic or traditional games, are traditionally played for amusement and entertainment.

Traditional games reflect aspects of our cultural values and behavioural norms and were used to reinforce them. 

From very early times various games for the purpose of recreation and amusement were prevalent in different countries. Most of the games were indigenous and their modes of conducting were specific. 

Hunting was a favorable past time. The commonest children’s game according to Kalika Purana, was playing with dolls. 

In the Indian context a particular game Kabadi or Hai Gudu was popular in Bengal and Punjab. The nature of game for boys and girls were different. Boys prefer to play outside whereas the girls prefer to remain within their campus preferably behind the house.  

There are many traditional game like :-  Kabbadi, Kho-Kho, Kanche, Pallankuzhi (The game includes a rectangular board, divided into two horizontal rows and seven vertical columns. Thus, there are 14 cups on the board and 146 counters. Usually, cowry shells or tamarind seeds function as counters. Two people can play this game at a time.) 

- Gutte(It generally requires five pebbles or small stones)

- Hopscotch 

- Gilli danda 

- Bull fighting (Spain), Sumo Wrestling (Japan), Chilean Rodes (Chile,), almost look like cowboy horse-racing etc.     

4- STREET THEATERS : 

Street theatre, is a drama or performance on public places like streets, alleys and markets etc, performed by few group of people, acting out a short skit or a play, for any one who might wish to stop and see. 

During the decade between seventy and eighty,the street theatre appeared vigorously in Indian mass communication. Street theaters, that can be seen in different types and styles, involve the activities of differebt groups or organization who accomplish such dramatic play or show openly to render their messages to the public widely.Specially,political parties,student unions,religious groups. Women welfare organization and NGOs,are involved in presenting such attractive show or play,with a view to draw thepublic attention as well as generating the awareness whin them through the delivered messages.

Such street thetre can be seen in different states like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh,Kerala and Tamilnadu in India. About six to seven thousand groups have been engaged in playing on such street thetre in India.

In the year 1944,Bijan bhattacharya did set up Indian people’s Theatre Association (IPTA),apioneer theatre group,that conducted first play on the street.Its objective was to highlight the exploitation were taking places within the innocent and ignorant peasants of Bengal.

The street theatres generally,carry the social culture and education as well for the audiences a lot.it cludes local folk forms and styles to remain as one of the streangthful medium of mass communication.

So, street theatre is a good form of communication used to highlight social and political messages & to write create awareness amongst the people regarding critical issues like rape, dowry and female foeticide etc. 

REFERENCES :

1 - https://www.owlgen.in/what-is-folk-media-mention-some-of-the-folk-media-characteristics/  

2- http://medicom-communication.blogspot.com/2010/02/traditional-folk-media-of-india.html?m=1 

3- http://www.indiaprofile.com/religion-culture/streettheatre.htm