Sbek Thom
| Sbek Thom | |
|---|---|
| Khmer name | ល្ខោនណាំងស្បែក |
| Also known as | Sbek Thom; Nang Sbek Thom; Lakhaon Nang Sbek; Khmer shadow theatre; Big Skin |
| Practice type | Performing art |
| Usual occasion | Khmer New Year |
| Subjects | Dance & Theatre |
Sbek Thom is a performing-art tradition practised in Cambodia and Khmer communities. (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage)
Practice
Sbek Thom is a Khmer shadow theatre using large, non-articulated leather puppets, often depicting gods, deities and scenes from the Reamker, the Khmer version of the Ramayana. Each figure is cut from a single piece of leather, dyed, painted and attached to bamboo sticks. At night, puppeteers dance with the figures before a white screen, with narration and a pinpeat orchestra accompanying the performance. (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage; Wikipedia)
History
The tradition dates from before the Angkorian period and was once dedicated to divinities as a sacred performance. After the fall of Angkor in the fifteenth century, it developed beyond ritual activity while retaining a ceremonial dimension. Many puppets and practitioners were lost during the Khmer Rouge regime, and the art was gradually revitalized after 1979 by surviving artists. (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage; Wikipedia)
Variations
Sbek Thom uses large, heavy puppets without movable parts, unlike Sbek Toch, which uses smaller articulated puppets. Sbek Por is another Khmer shadow-theatre genre using coloured leather puppets. Traditional firelight has also been supplemented or replaced by light bulbs and projectors. (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage; Wikipedia)
Communities and practitioners
The practice is maintained by Cambodian leather-puppet artisans, puppeteers, narrators and musicians, including surviving artists who transmit puppet-making and performance skills. Performances are associated with temples, villages and other Cambodian public or private settings. (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage; Wikipedia)