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1−The
Shadow Theatre
The
shadow theatre is a specific art in Asia.The puppet Emanated ancient India where
it would have been radiated at the same time as the Indian civilization had spread,especially
in the South−East Asia,the shadow theatre played an important role in entertainment.
Cambodian,which had received Hindu influence during the first centuries
of the Christian era,rapidly adopted the Indian culture in its techniques
as well as in its thought;the Khmer civilization was born from the mixture
of this foreign culture and the local culture to end up with an original
entity.Therefore,the sacred dance,if the principle came from India,took a pure local meaning and style across
centuries.
From the on,this extremely powerful culture was transmitted,to Thailand
and Laos at the apogee of the Khmer Empire.
The birth of the Cambodian Shadow Theatre,its maturity then its expansion
would have followed such a route.There are in fact two kinds of shadow
theatre in Cambodia.On one hand,the Nang Sbek(or big leather)and on
the other hand,the Ayang(small leather).
The latter,on which our organization FCC is working on,is the little
shadow theatre made of articulated leather puppets,which are manipulated
by artists behind a screen.
The Ayang(or Sbek Touch)is accompanied by dialogues and the stories which
are improved into line with current tastes.
As its name mentions,it probably had a Malaysian origin.The artists are
seated in a shelter mounted on pile-works and animated the leather figurines
across a small screen lit by projectors(formerly by torches or lamp).
The show can be completely improvised in which one can tell an old Cambodian
legend.But the show always displays a sense of humor a queer deformed
popular character with a big belly would unexpectedly enter the stage to
help out the Prince of the story from trouble:He can defeat an entire
army which his Prince was failing.He can also be brave,sensible peasant,and
with a good sense of humor,who does not hesitate To put the hero-with
whom he’s talking-to his place,by using colorfulvocabulary.
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The play of traditional legend
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The play of educational story |
All
the big Khmer legends (Ream Ker, Tataka, popular tales...etc) are in turn
played in the Sbek Touch shows, which are the only kind of spoken traditional
theatre in Cambodia.
At
present, CEDA-FCC uses this theatre to educate the population about society
problems such as: domestic violence, human rights, weapon reduction, commune
council, HIV/AIDS education and prevention and public health.
A small orchestra intervenes from time to time by playing musical Interludes
during the leather figurines dance.
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| Musical instruments for traditional legends |
Musical instruments for popular tales and educational stories |
These shows are very popular in both rural and urban area it always
attracts a huge audience.
An art in entertaining, the Sbek Touch is a popular parody and a satirical
extension of the Nang Sbek Thorn. One is telling the story of Humanity
and the other the story of Gods. As a result, these two kinds of expressionare
so different in their intention. However, complimentary to each other and
become as a whole. In our school, this course also attracts the children.
There are 2 to 4% of them attend this subject.
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| The audience who see the show |
The children who learn the stories. |
2-
Music
There are two kinds of traditional music: one is the Pin Peath with stringed
and percussion instruments and the other the Mohory with only stringed
instruments.
The different instruments are: Pin Peath is a group of instruments which
have Roneath (xylophone in metal or bamboo), Kong (percussion instrument
surrounding the player), a pear of Skor Thorn (a very big drum, which has
two faces, for making the rhythm), Sampho (a big drum,which has two faces,
for making the rhythm), Sro Lai (a big recorder),Chhoeng (percussion instrument
hitting each other for making rhythm).
This kind of music is used to accompany dances, praying to God or spirit
and other ceremonies.
Mohory is a group of instruments, which have Khoem (with 35 horizontal
strings instrument), Ta Khe (with 3 horizontal strings instrument), Tro(with
vertical strings instrument), Skor Dai (a small drum for making rhythm),
Khloy (recorder) and Chhoeng. |
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| The children who learn the Mohory instruments. |
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This kind of music is used to accompany dance, theatre, wedding and other ceremonies. There are 4 to 6 % of children attend these courses and they start learning all the traditional Khmer instruments, and choose one they prefer to form the group.
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3- Drawing
The drawing course is the most popular among the children and there are
40 to 50 % of children attend this course.
Firstly, the students learn the bases of drawing, then how to use water
color and oil color by copying still lives: things, fruits, flowers and
after the human bodies. The most chosen subjects are Cambodian field, Apsara
and human with traditional dresses. |
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| Children learn to drow human body and Cambodian field |
4- Sculpture
This course is also very popular among the children but they should come
through the drawing courses at first. After that they can start learning
on the cardboard and then on the cow leathe |
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Children learn to carve on the cow leathe |
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