richly ornamented Thai dance costumes, some clothed

in gilt 'chadas' or traditional pointed head-dresses, wear

amiable expressions. But in stark contrast to the exquisite

colors and designs of their costumes, most of their smiling

faces are as white as a sheet. They have long, sloping

shoulders from the ends of which protrude their little

hands, moving and twisting this way and that to express

their changing moods.

These Thai classical dancers are really very small

indeed — no more than a foot high. They are 'boon

grabork' or traditional Thai rod-puppets. And today they

have all but disappeared from Thailand.

Their history goes back to the Sukhothai Period

copied the Chinese 'hai lam' puppets and performed with

them at temple fairs. In those far-off days, it seems, rod

puppetry began as an art of the ordinary people. Perhaps

it remained so during the Ayudhaya Period, which is

also said to have had these puppets.But the art reached its

peak, like other classical Thai

The 'hoon grabork' puppets, like their real-life counter-

parts the 'khan' and 'lakom' court dancers, played

episodes from King Rama IPs immortal rendering of the

'Ramakien' story.

At that time the puppets were as big as people and

more than three feet high. But later, in the reign of King

was reduced to one or two feet high. 

The earliest known details of 'hoon grabork 'puppet

number of troupes playing. But by the turn of the cen-

tury only one troupe was performing, and today the

daughter of that troupe's owner, now in her seventies, is

considered the only person left in Thailand who can

teach the traditional method of 'hoon grabork' puppetry.

At the time of writing, this lady is teaching the art at

Bangkok's Thammasat University and at the Fine Arts

Department. Hopefully some equally gifted pupils will

learn it and carry it on.

But if the art is to continue, new puppets must be

made to replace the old ones as these wear out or dis-

appear. Here too there are only three people in the coun-

try, as far as is known, who are actively making 'hoon

grabork' puppets in all their traditional richness of design,

garb and facial features; two of these makers are also in

the Fine Arts Department.

In olden times the puppets' heads were carved out of

'mai tang long' (coral-tree wood) or 'mat kanoan' (jackfruit-

tree wood), as these types of wood are very light in

weight. The heads could also be made of papier mache,

like khon masks, the method used today. Real hair is

glued on to create a natural look — even on one or two

puppets as a mustache. The pointed 'chada' head-dresses

are made of carved wood with wires attached to hold the

glittering white stones, and the sides of the 'chadas' are

made of 'rak' or lacquer. The shoulder proper is a thin

four to five-inch-diameter disc of the same lightweight

'mai kanoan' wood, with the head attached on top and

the base or body fixed on the bottom; this is a thick

hollow section of bamboo about eight-and-half inches

uses in upcountry Thailand, see the chapter on making

palm-sugar). The shoulder is covered with a square bag of

cloth — cotton, velvet or silk with holes for the head and

hands; sequins and other ornaments are sewn on. The

hands may also be carved out of wood, or made of papier

mache or wax. Long bamboo or metal rods are attached

to each hand to manipulate them inside the bag. Each

puppet takes at least a month to make, and sells for

A square backdrop roughly fifteen by twelve feet

shows a palace setting with "doors" at bottom left and

right for the puppets to enter and leave. But if the play is

other than a 'Ramakien' episode, such as the famous Thai

poet Sunthorn Phu's 'Phra Aphai Manee, the backdrop

shows waves.

Before the play begins, a 'wai km' ceremony of

paying homage to the teachers is held. The puppeteers

kneel before a puppet of the 'reusi' or hermit, the

archetypical teacher who is worshipped for having

handed down all the arts to mankind. The 'reusi' puppet

is raised high on a pedestal, has a venerable-looking gray

beard, and wears a crown and a magnificent leopardskin

robe symbolic of the forest. The 'wai km is accompanied

by music and singing and lasts for seven minutes, during

which the traditional joss-sticks and candle are lit and

presented together with flowers. The musical accom-

paniment, as in every kind of Thai classical performance,

is provided by a 'pinphat' orchestra.

The control and movement of the puppets demands

the greatest skill. The puppeteer's left hand holds the

'grabork' or bamboo body, the wrist twisting the puppet

to left and right, while the thumb and forefinger of the

other hand manipulate the puppet's right hand via the

rod, and the remaining three fingers take care of the

puppet's left hand. There's certainly a lot to learn in 'hoon

grabork' puppetry.

And yet it's said that this art-form is not popular

because it's too stiff and formal, played as a classical

drama with set roles. Puppets should be more im-

promptu, people say, with local jokes and more "ad-

libbing". Perhaps that's why 'hoon grabork' shows are

rarely seen today. A pity, because these little white-faced