Announcement
Mangofriends Puppet Society Ambalangoda, March 2017
How it all started:
The great tsunami happened 4 weeks before when I left Iceand to go to Sri Lanka. Never played with puppets, never talked to puppets or thought about puppets before, I discovered puppetry in Ambalangoda on January 28th 2005.
In a mask shop, next to the traditional masks of „Kolam“, there were puppets-on-a-string hanging on the wall. King, Princess, Nobleman, Farmer, Beggar, Joker and Mahatma. The moment I saw the puppets, I knew it.
Making contact right away with Ambalangoda’s puppeteers, I asked if they could perform puppetshows in camps and ruins for the victims of the tsunami.
So I met Indika Gamini and we went on tour.
The experience showed that through puppetry people came back to life again. The people who had been hurt so badly because of the catastrophe where touched positively again by their own cultural root. For all ages an event was created that brought everybody together. Nobody got more or got less. Nobody had to stand in line or was in despair. Geniality, happiness and a good share of laughter united the people again. So puppetry became a „tool of healing“.
Puppetry led me two and half years over the island of Sri Lanka, led me to unimaginable places and beauty.
In October 2005 a new puppetgroup was founded, registered and established:
MANGOFRIENDS PUPPET SOCIETY AMBALANGODA, Sri Lanka
Reg. Nr. G / 10 / 1837 (Galle-District), Ministry of Culture
Register entry: October 1st, 2005
Address: No 26/1, Pokuna Road, Wathugedara/Ambalangoda
MANGOFRIENDS is related to the Ministry of Culture of Sri Lanka and UNIMA.
MANGOFRIENDS are:
Indika Gamini, director and co-founder of MANGOFRIENDS, puppeteer in 5th generation, President of UNIMA Sektion, Sri Lanka.
Stefan Birckmann, co-founder of MANGOFRIENDS and road manager.
Further MANGOFRIENDS members are:
Sunil Elvitigalla, Sri Lanka/Canada, Camera
Bruce French, USA, Tour-Photographer
MANGOFRIENDS varies in-between 15-20 crew members, puppeteers, musicians, stagehands and driver.
Volunteers are welcome!
An abstract
Traditional puppetry is an "Intangible Cultural Heritage" of the UNESCO .
Since around 400 years puppetry (puppet-on-a-string) is known in Sri Lanka. There are two theories about the origin:
Puppetry came from far away Rajastan, India, to Sri Lanka. Or imposters from Europe brought it to the island during the colonisation.
Both theories are quite possible but impossible to verify today.
Oral tradition says that shadowplay was known since 12th century at king's court but been lost at the end of 19th century. Today, in the course of revival, a new group close to Negombo is devoted to the ancient heritage of shadow play again.
Puppetry up to today, precise puppets-on-a-string, has the buddhistic "Nadagama" as its background, which contains around 550 chapter of moral, popular and philosophical wisdom. But very few chapters only are performed on puppet-stage. The tradition "en miniature" tells about the invisible strings men are being pulled by and from the errors, confusions and enlightenments of human beings.
The most popular plays are "Sangabodi", "Kalagole" and "Asoka Mala". The legendary figure of "Andare", a wise medieval advisor of the king, is performed masterfully by Nalin Gamvary and his "Sri Anura Puppet Society" from Ambalangoda.
The plays are normally performed for "Vesak"(birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha) or (rarely) to celebrate Poojah Day (Full Moon).
Puppetry is understood as a social service and the artists are unable to make their life out of puppetry so the very most have to work in "regular jobs".
For tourists so called "item-shows" had been established because normally foreigners are unable to speak or understand singhalese language. Colorful dances of the North and South can be seen as well, popular traditional songs can be heard. Most spectacular is the fire and devil dance.
There is a not known number of traditional puppet-groups all over the island, some say it is more than twenty, with its "puppet-center" in Ambalangoda at the South-West-Coast of Sri Lanka. Almost all puppet-groups have more or less the same repertoire, which is performed in variations. Depending on the group, which is led in family tradition, the plays varies in the length of the performance (up to several hours) and the feature of the puppets (which can measure up to 4 feet). The best known traditional groups are "Saranga Puppet Society", "Sri Anura Puppet Society", "Gamini Puppet Society" and "Laksary Puppet Society", all established in Ambalangoda.
Puppetry came to new significance after the great tsunami of Boxing Day 2004 when roadshows had been performed all along the devastated coastline in camps and ruins of the West, South and East of Sri Lanka.
MANGOFRIENDS
From the South to the North from the East to the West
Mangofriends
over
Sri Lanka 2017
The Puppet-Theatre-Festival Ambalangoda!
March 2017
Ambalangoda, "puppet-centre" of Sri Lanka is introducing six groups with six traditional plays over there days
plus
traditional Mask- and Dancetheatre
and
the art of carving of the island
MANGOFRIENDS PUPPET SOCIETY:
Register no.: Reg.No. G / 10 / 1837 (Galle District), Ministry of Culture
Register date: October 1st, 2005
Address: no. 26/1,Pokuna Road, Wathugedara/Ambalangoda
MANGOFRIENDS PUPPET SOCIETY is related to the Ministry of Culture of Sri Lanka and UNIMA (Union International de la Marionette)
Track record Sri Lanka:
2005 -07:
More than100 Shows and workshops held in camps and transitional shelters along the tsunami devastated West-, South- and East-Coast of Sri Lanka.
First „Clown-Doctor“ established at children's ward in Balapitiya Base Hospital
Further programs at orphanages in Ambalangoda, Hikkaduwa, Galle and Cancer Hospital Colombo (children's ward)
"Jailhouse Rock" - Galle prison - Gamini Puppets Ambalangoda
July - August 2009:
„MANGOFRIENDS at Menik Farm“ (Vavunia, North Sri Lanka) Sponsor: Muslim Aid.
October 2011:
MANGOFRIENDS in Telwatte
Thanks to the following organizations and companies for their support in the years 2005 - 2007:
(in alphabetical order)
AUSTRIA AID
DANISH PEOPLE AID
IOM (International Organization for Migration)
ISRAID
MUSLIM AID
OCHA (UN-Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
UNICEF
and
AMAN RESORTS
GOETHE INSTITUT (Colombo)
HOLCIM
JETWING GROUP
SRI LANKAN AIRLINES
With all my respect, cordially and sincere thanks:
PREDI GAMINI
SIR ARTHUR C. CLARKE
MIGUEL ARRECHE
Special thanks:
"CAPTAIN" RANJITH
VALERIE EKANAYAKE
LALITH KUMARA
DOTTIE WEERASOORIA
ROHAN DE SILVA
DADI PADUMJEE
BRUCHE
JAMES ELLIS
OLIVIA RICHLI
SANJIVA GAUTAMADASA
BARBARA SEGAL
THOMAS STEIN