Browsing by Author "Oosthuizen, Johandrie"

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    Die effektiwiteit van poppeteater in Kenia as sosiale ingrypingsmiddel ten opsigte van tradisie-verwante probleme
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2009-03) Oosthuizen, Johandrie; Kruger, M. S.; Du Preez, Petrus; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Drama.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Kenyan culture is deeply rooted in tradition. Many problems arise from the traditional role and conceptions of the Kenyan woman. These include female genital mutilation, polygamy and lack of scholastic education. A definite correlation can be found between the problem of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections and certain social traditions as well as the unscripted prohibition of open conversations about sex and death. Kenya does not have an indigenous tradition of puppetry, and Community Health and Awareness Puppeteers (CHAPS) have committed themselves to developing interactive puppetry to address these tradition- orientated social problems. Puppetry makes use of three sign systems, namely sound, design and movement. This sign systems, together with the imagination of the audience, brings life to a lifeless object and serves as a meaningful vehicle of communication. CHAPS use the inherent qualities of the puppet. The puppet’s symbolic and double nature demeanor gives this art form exceptional freedom of speech, which makes it possible discuss sensitive issues. The visual nature of puppetry and general principals such as exaggeration and simplification make it possible to convey a message to people irrespective of their literacy level. The absence of television in rural and impoverished areas in Kenya ensures that people from any age group relate to puppetry as a visual art form.