MERUNDOI Inc, in collaboration with UNESCO, is conducting a series of workshops under the theme, “Puppetry: A Viable Industry for Social Change”.

The workshops are intended to build the capacity of specific vulnerable populations such as victims of Trafficking in Persons (TIP), the elderly, teachers, social workers, and youths in the field of puppet-making techniques.

Those techniques include the use of the marionette, rod, shadow and glove to do manipulation; script-writing; creating backdrops; scene-setting; props and producing live shows.

The master puppeteers that are facilitating the training are Michael ‘Ole-Man-Pappie’ Khan, and Natasha ‘Janie Gyal’ Azeez.
Azeez told the Guyana Chronicle that the workshops are targeting those who will use puppetry to enhance the methods at their disposal to effect social and other changes.

“The objectives of the puppetry workshops include training male and female teachers capable of using puppetry to enhance teaching methods, and to train students in the Art of Puppetry; training of male and female Social Workers in the use of puppetry as a tool for counselling victims of trafficking; training of victims of trafficking in using puppetry as Art Therapy to relieve trauma; training of female senior citizens in the Art of Puppetry to upgrade their skills and enhance the art of storytelling; and training male and female youths in the Art of Puppetry as a new skill in the creative industries that can be used for entrepreneurship and employment,” Azeez disclosed.

Thus far, two workshops have been held and concluded. The first was held on June 10 – 14, 2019, and targeted members of the 60-Plus Blazers Club at the Catholic Life Centre on Brickdam. The second was held on June 24 – 28, 2019 at the Palms Geriatric Home, also on Brickdam, which saw participants being drawn from the National Library, The Guyana Rainbow Foundation (GUYBOW), and Youth Challenge Guyana among other agencies.

The third workshop will commence today at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) on Homestretch Avenue, and end on Friday. Its target audience is teachers from all across Guyana, while a fourth workshop is scheduled to run from July 22 to 26, and cater for members of the theatre world.

Said Azeez, “Feedback thus far is one of joy, as participants welcome this initiative with high enthusiasm and an expectation of follow-up workshops of this nature.

“In addition, participants were elated to display their unique puppets, and present their stories on a professional puppet stage equipped with lights and sound. At the end of these workshops, Guyana will have four professional puppet stages.”

Both Khan and Azeez will be commencing follow-up puppet presentations shortly at the Botanical Gardens, The National Art Gallery (Castellani House) and other suitable open-air spaces, where members of the public can visit and learn how to make simple puppets.

For this aspect of the initiative, Azeez said, all materials will be provided, and participants of all four preceding workshops will be present and will do live performances for the audiences.