Vietnam: Reviving the Water Puppets

Overview

Water puppet theater is a folk art unique to Vietnam. Puppeteers use poles to move their wooden dolls over a water "stage". This centuries-old tradition nearly died out during the Vietnam War, but the village of Dao Thuc, Hanoi, kept the skills alive. Despite losing half their puppeteers during the war, the village started a campaign in the mid-1980's to revive the troupe and restart performances. Villagers rediscovered old stories and added a new one, drawing on their war-time experiences. We follow their efforts to protect this important cultural heritage.