Puppets in Fiji

An article by Gary Friedman

In October 2003, I was invited by the Australian Red Cross to travel to the South Pacific island of Fiji for ten days (13 - 23 November). The aim was to evaluate the work being done in the field of 'puppetry-in-education and development' in the region. This was to include attending a week-long puppetry workshop, to interview the trainee puppeteers and those involved in initiating and maintaining the programme and to observe a few of their community performances.

My objectives for the trip were to look at the current effectiveness and viability of the Fiji Red Cross Puppetry groups in operation in the region and decide what further training was necessary to enhance their long-term health and social educational puppet programme.

The Fiji Red Cross' puppetry-in-education programme began in 1997. To date the puppetry programmes have included a Marijuana campaign, Phil irises, Dengue Fever, HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Disaster Preparedness, blood donor campaigns, many environmental issues and Red Cross promotions in the community.

In the South Pacific region, many communities are illiterate. The medium of puppetry reaches out across these educational barriers and communicates to people using their own language and customs. Thus, it is much easier to pass important social messages across, without losing the audience in the process

The Workshop

Our workshop was held at the Fiji Red Cross Suva office from 13 - 23 November 2003. The aim was to expand the puppetry groups in Fiji, to include three rural groups from Labasa, Lautoka and Sigatoka, as well as for those puppeteers already operating at the National branch in Suva.

Although the participants were taught how to make and perform with simple mouth puppets, they were never previously given a grounding in puppetry or shown how to manipulate this specific style of puppet.

Temo, who is the only puppetry trainer in Fiji, has never undergone a basic training course in puppetry or theatre. Rather he has learnt everything he knows "just by doing it" . Although he doesn't know much about theatre, he certainly has the enthusiasm to learn from others' experiences and is devoted to puppetry as a powerful medium to convey messages across to the communities throughout the region. We now wait further funding to enable the continuation of follow-up training for the extremely valuable work being carried out by the Red Cross in the South Pacific.

For a full report on our work on the South Pacific islands of Fiji, please contact me directly.