International holidays - International Day of Puppetry (International Day of Puppetry)

Historians claim that puppetry appeared in ancient Rome, Japan and Egypt In ancient times, primitive people worshiped a totem animal, believing that it protected the entire clan and brought good luck In Africa, sorcerers used Voodoo dolls for their rituals In Egypt they made clay dolls representing the gods In Japan, dolls were made from cloth and papyrus, and their faces and hands were made of porcelain In Rus', figurines were used as a means of protection against evil spirits Then various scenes began to be played out with the participation of the figures People came up with ways to control artificial limbs and sewed clothes Puppet theaters began to emerge Puppets named after the Virgin Mary (Mary doll) appeared The skits were aimed at themes of morality and ridiculed human shortcomings Therefore, such fun was prohibited in the temple Such entertainment came to Russia at the beginning of the 17th century Theater groups began to travel all over the country with their performances Every country has its own favorite puppet character In Russia it is parsley, in Italy it is Pulcinella, in France it is Polichinelle But they look the same: large nose, bulging eyes, wide smile, red cape and cap, loud, squeaky voice Dolls began to be made from wood, fabrics, and paper The principle of showing mini-performances remains the same as it was back in those days They stretch the canvas, show a performance over it, putting puppets on the hand, or move the limbs with the help of canes, twigs, belts and threads Now there are performances in which puppets and actors interact on stage without hiding from the audience behind a screen There are robot dolls that move around the stage using electronics The popularity of such characters also remains the same, arousing interest and viewing pleasure among both children and adults Everyone gets only positive emotions, joy, and laughter from the performances Only professionals can control such dolls, because this is a real art Puppeteers are talented people, they bring dolls to life The skill of the actors leaves no one indifferent Puppet theater is a fascinating spectacle, a fairy tale, magic, mystery, enigma Since 2003, they began to celebrate International Puppet Theater Day (Puppeteer's Day) on March 21 This is the initiative of Iran Jihad Zolfaghariho, an Iranian puppet theater figure He proposed making an official holiday for puppeteers around the world On this day, unusual puppet performances are shown, various puppet-themed celebrations are held, vibrant performances are held in theaters, meetings and discussions are held Puppeteers all over the world are trying to make this not only their professional holiday, but also a bright, unforgettable holiday for all people On Puppeteer's Day, people who make and display dolls are also congratulated on the holiday On this day, many people give dolls as gifts The Obraztsov Puppet Theater is the most popular puppet theater in Russia Every day there is a free puppet show - a huge puppet clock comes to life People come from all over the country and from other countries to see it