2023 NEWSLETTER GREETINGS SUPPORTERS AND FRIENDS
In this NEWSLETTER, we want to inform you about some of our activities during the year. In 2005, a Hindu movie, PAHELI , was released, featuring traditional Kathputli puppets of the Rajasthan area of India. Our director, Gayle Castañeda, recently became aware of Kathputli puppet history through this movie and purchased a pair of these puppet dolls online. These two puppets are approximately 17” long. The Bhat people, creators of these puppet dolls and Kathputli puppet theatre, have a large colony in the capital city of Delhi, where jugglers, acrobats, puppeteers, and magicians live and learn their traditional trades. Unfortunately, their land is coveted by developers, who wish to have these people evicted from the area. Kathputli puppet theatre is an important part of India’s cultural heritage. Some destruction of the district has already taken place, and there are several sites on the Internet discussing this dilemma.
Another photo shows a Kathputli puppet stage where a play is taking place. The bottom right photo reveals a street scene in the Bhat colony of Delhi.
(click bottom right photo to enlarge)
click photo to enlarge
This summer Gayle met with staff and a guest intern from the Ethnology Department of the Arizona State Museum. Techniques for doll restoration were exchanged, and Gayle was excited to learn about X-raying dolls to aid in appropriate repair work. An X-ray of a doll is included here.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
We are grateful for all donations received, which allow us to continue our work of educating the public about the world’s peoples and cultures. Our special donors are listed here:
We received a remarkable set of commemorative dolls of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation ceremony, made by Richard and Ilse Ottenberg in 1953. We thank the Ethnology Department of the Arizona State Museum for their donation of these unique dolls and will add them to our Museum’s doll collection of British royalty.
Ila Abernathy, Robert & Ysabel Brown, Charles & Thali Castañeda, Pam Conboy, Katherine Firestone, Adrian & Candee Gaxiola, Greg & Helen Greene, Edward & Barbara Haugland, David & Carol Hoffman, Joan Russell, & the Marjorie R. Van Steen Memorial Fund
The Castañeda Museum of Ethnic Costume is a 501(c)(3) entity, and all monetary and ethnic item donations are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law.
Again, a sincere thank you to all our donors.