Strings of Tradition: The Struggle to Preserve Egypt’s Puppetry Heritage
Josephine Ness
Home to the pyramids, Alexandria’s lighthouse, and the ancient Pharaohs’ tombs, Egypt is rich in cultural heritage and history. The ancient stories of Egypt are known to this day and have influenced cultures worldwide. However, what is less well-known—and arguably just as fundamental to Egyptian heritage and culture—is the tradition of Egyptian puppetry. The art of puppetry in Egypt has evolved since the times of the pharaohs, becoming a whimsical and important part of Egyptian culture. In ancient times, children used puppets as toys. The modern form of performance puppetry began in the 1950s with the Egyptian government’s establishment of the first puppet group. Highly popular and interactive, these performances feature puppeteers hidden inside a portable stage, creating lively shows with a mix of improvisation and music, telling the stories of Egypt’s past, present, and future.
Puppetry in Egypt is more than just a form of entertainment; it also plays a significant role in raising awareness about and shedding light on societal issues. Egyptian lawyer Rania Refaat, among other famous puppeteers, has garnered worldwide attention for her use of puppetry to raise awareness of citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms, blending law with art to make legal concepts more accessible to the public. She garnered international recognition, receiving awards and grants from various institutions, to help ensure the continuation and impact of her awareness-raising performances in educating low-income communities on crucial issues.
Despite support and recognition of dedicated puppeteers like Refaat, this art form is at risk of disappearing, with regular performances relying on less than ten active practicioners. The practice is jeopardized by restrictive laws on public gatherings, changing cultural values among the country’s youth, and a shifting cultural and political landscape, like the rise of religious radicalism. Additionally, the aging of active puppeteers and the decreased interest of younger generations threatens the survival of this ancient art form. Egyptian hand puppetry is in significant enough decline to be inscribed, in 2018, on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, a recognition of its importance to Egyptian culture.
Still, many dedicated puppeteers are fighting to keep the art form alive. The Wamda troupe, a puppetry theatre in Cairo, hosts weekly puppet shows for its loyal audience. The Wamda puppeteers also spread their love of puppetry to younger generations, hosting workshops to teach children how to make and perform with their own puppets. Additionally, Osama Mohamed Ali, an associate professor of arts and puppetry at Cairo University, teaches satirical puppetry to university students in hopes of changing the youth’s perceptions of the practice.
The decline of Egyptian hand puppetry is not merely the fading of an art form, but the erosion of a powerful educational and social tool. Puppetry bridges generations, conveying ancient wisdom, moral lessons, and traditional stories in a compelling and engaging manner. It is a communal activity that fosters social bonds, encourages community participation, and nurtures a shared cultural identity. Its disappearance would sever these communal threads, making society more susceptible to the loss of its unique historical narratives. Safeguarding puppetry is not just about preserving an artistic tradition, but maintaining a vibrant, interconnected community and the continued transmission of Egypt’s rich culture to future generations.
