- Karagöz
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Karagöz
Karagöz is a form of shadow theater in Turkey that dates back to the Ottoman era. The figures are made of camel or ox hides and are shaped like people.
They are held on rods and then moved on rods in front of the light source to cast their shadows on a cotton screen. The play begins with the appearance of an introductory figure to set the scene and suggest themes for the drama, before it vanishes and giving way to the main performance which may include singing, music, poetry, myth, and riddles.
The comic stories usually feature the two main characters, Karagöz and Hacivat, and a host of others. The puppets are controlled and manipulated by a lead artist who may have one or more apprentice assistants, and performances are widely performed in cafés, parks, and public squares, especially during the holy month of Ramadan as well as during circumcision feasts, and performances also exist in performance halls, schools, and shopping centers in the large cities where it still draws audiences.
Traditional theater enhances a sense of cultural identity and brings people closer together through entertainment.
Karagöz was inscribed in 2009 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Turkey.
by Kıvanç, Turkey, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
by Nevit Dilmen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
by Nevit Dilmen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Karagöz
Date of Inscription
2009
- See also
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Spring Celebration, Hıdrellez Nawrouz Mevlevi Sema Ceremony Arts of the Meddah, Public Storytellers Âşıklık (Minstrelsy) Tradition Traditional Sohbet Meetings Semah, Alevi-Bektaşi Ritual Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling Festival Ceremonial Keşkek Tradition Mesir Macunu Festival Traditional Craftsmanship of Çini-Making Turkish Coffee Culture and Tradition Ebru, Turkish Art of Marbling Whistled Language Traditional Turkish Archery Hüsn-i Hat, Traditional Calligraphy in Islamic Art in Turkey Heritage of Dede Qorqud/Korkyt Ata/Dede Korkut, Epic Culture, Folk Tales and Music Traditional Intelligence and Strategy Game: Togyzqumalaq, Toguz Korgool, Mangala/Göçürme Art of Miniature Flatbread Making and Sharing Culture: Lavash, Katyrma, Jupka, Yufka Traditional Ahlat Stonework Sericulture and Traditional Production of Silk for Weaving Telling Tradition of Nasreddin Hodja/ Molla Nesreddin/ Molla Ependi/ Apendi/ Afendi Kozhanasyr Anecdotes Culture of Çay (tea), a Symbol of Identity, Hospitality and Social Interaction Traditional Knowledge, Methods and Practices Concerning Olive Cultivation Art of illumination: Təzhib/Tazhib/Zarhalkori/Tezhip/Naqqoshlik Craftsmanship and Performing Art of Balaban/Mey Craftsmanship of Mother of Pearl Inlay Iftar/Eftari/Iftar/Iftor and its Socio-Cultural Traditions
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