A Puppet’s Tale in Osaka
Have you ever heard of Bunraku before? Maybe you’ve heard of Kabuki or Noh Theater then? Well, Bunraku is a traditional Japanese theatre form that has its roots in Osaka. However, the actors aren’t people; they are puppets! These puppets are not hand puppets, ventriloquist dummies, or even marionettes. One person alone cannot control a Bunraku puppet; rather three people have to work together to control a single puppet. This didn’t surprise me so much because I had already seen a short Burnaku piece at Kyoto’s Gion Corner in early September. However, I did not expect to view an official performance at the National Bunraku Theater. I certainly could not let this opportunity go to waste. After all, how many times would I be able to watch a form of traditional Japanese theater again?
It all began when our Japanese Theater Class decided to watch an official Bunraku performance at National Bunraku Theater in Osaka, about 30 minutes from Osaka Gakuin University! While the course normally taught back at my host university also includes a brief section on Bunraku, watching the performance live certainly adds a more personal dimension to the lesson, making it much more of a wonderful experience. Luckily for us, we bought tickets for a show depicting the legendary story of Yoshitsune and the warrior-priest Benkei (who later become Yoshitsune’s retainer) during the time of war between the Taira and Genji Clans.
In addition to the performance, we also had the opportunity to go backstage and meet a professional puppeteer, who showed us a brief demonstration. In Bunraku, there is a certain ranking system for puppeteers. You begin by working the feet, a step that requires about 10 years. Afterwards, you move up to controlling the left arm until you eventually become the lead puppeteer and control the head and the right arm.
Let me tell you, these puppets are not as simple as they seem. For one, they are extremely heavy. Two, the mechanisms for controlling these puppets include a series of strings and levers in the arms and the head. Although it is complicated, the result is outstanding. These puppets seriously move like humans! Their movements are fluid and smooth.
Since three puppeteers control one puppet, one will be surprised to see various puppets onstage accompanied by the puppeteers dressed completely in black. At first, I could not focus on the puppets themselves because all I saw were the puppeteers in the background. 
However, I soon focused on the story itself and began tuning out the puppeteers. Eventually, you begin to focus solely on the puppet as the actor. I couldn’t believe it.
In the end, I found my time at the National Bunraku Theatre worthwhile. Going backstage did not take away from the magic. Rather, I gained an understanding for the puppeteers who spend many hours perfecting their craft. I imagine being an artist can be a wonderful thing. Sharing a traditional art with the public can open their eyes in ways they didn’t think was possible.
Summer 2011 CET Sicily Students featured in La Sicilia newspaper
Posted by Randall Salisbury, CET Italy Programs Manager
Summer 2011 CET Sicily students were featured in La Sicilia, a daily Italian newspaper based in Catania, Sicily. The photo was taken when the Documentary and Journalism students visited the La Sicilia printing press earlier this summer.
Translation: “American students visit the ETIS 2000 plant”
The CET Catania program, under the tutelage of the University of Catania, hosts a group of American university students who take courses in journalism, history, language, and literature. A group of these students visited the ETIS 2000 printing plant where “La Sicilia” (among other national newspapers) are printed. In the picture are…
Full page PDF of CET Sicily Summer ’11 group in La Sicilia newspaper
FAMU Photo Department Trip
Comfortable campsite cabins
A couple of weeks ago, I left behind the historical buildings and cobblestones of Prague and traveled with the FAMU photo department to a town called Poněšice located in Southern Bohemia. The trip is conducted annually by the FAMU photo department and consisted of myself, my two roommates and approximately 34 other international and Czech photo students. For those studying abroad in the photo program at FAMU, I’d strongly recommend the trip, as it was a great opportunity to get to know the other students as well as the professors. Of course, as with any culture, getting to know the students took a little effort, but it was definitely worth the time spent chatting about their home countries, work and life.
As for the trip itself, the location was beautiful. From the bus station it was about a 5 km walk (3 miles) to the campsite. Or, for those who over-packed such as myself, there was the option to hitch a ride from a kind Poněšice staff member. Upon arrival at the campsite, we were provided with a very nice cabin, complete with heater, fluffy blankets, table and chairs. Most people were assigned doubles, but there was the option to request a quad if you were in a group of three such as we were. The cabins were warm, heated, and had ample space and the bathrooms were clean and provided heated showers. So, for any who claim not to be the “camping type,” I’d worry not about Poněšice. The facilities were some of the nicest I’ve ever seen on campsites, and my stay was definitely relaxing.
Our meals were provided in a cozy main room with large tables, a fully stocked bar, and a room in the back with ping pong, or table tennis. Some students opted to stop by a grocery store before traveling to the campsite, which I would recommend if not traveling with someone who has a car. Although I did not stock up on any food or drink myself, I regretted not doing so, as the nights were often spent snacking and toasting things around the fire.
I myself received my first lesson on how to toast a traditional Czech sausage while sitting around the campfire with students and a professor or two. I must say, I felt quite American, when instructed multiple times by students and even the head of the FAMU photo department to “slow down,” and not turn the sausage “so quickly.” “It’s a process,” they told me. “Respect the animal,” they said. I’m not sure if this was simple drunken speak or if there really was such a tradition to roasting Czech sausages, but I didn’t question it. Instead, I slowed down, roasted the sausage just far enough, but not too far from the fire, and after a close inspection by one of the Czech students, finally got to eat my delicious, traditional, and properly prepared sausage.
The first day we arrived in Poněšice was unfortunately very cold, but we spent it productively by presenting our photos in a warm projection building. I found it a bit intimidating presenting my work in front of so many people, but I enjoyed seeing everyone else’s work and the distinctly different style that went along with each. From my experience here so far, Czech student’s work is far different than anything I’ve ever seen in America, but I look forward to learning more about the process and thoughts behind each person’s work, since many of the students were not completely fluent in English and did not go into great depth about what their work was about.
On the second day of our trip, we were blessed with sunshine and temperatures in the mid 50s. This weather was much appreciated, as the second day was when we had one of our lessons with the FAMU architecture teacher. This was probably one of my favorite parts of the trip, because we got to leave the campsite and travel to at least three of four of the area villages. Here, our teacher, Mr. Stecker, taught us how to use a shift camera lens to capture the parallel lines in the gorgeous village architecture. We were then let loose to explore the villages, shooting as we pleased, before heading back to camp for lunch and some more photo presentations.
After lunch, a small group of students and myself decided to explore the lake by kayak. My kayaking partner was Dan, who is a masters student at FAMU and helps out with a lot of things around the school. He was a great sport in dealing with my amateur kayaking skills and was very supportive when I finally got the hang of steering.
Rowing across the lake, looking up at the sky and the mountains was so incredibly peaceful. The whole experience was relaxing, eye opening and fun. Part of me misses the peacefulness of the woods. But, I’ll never forget my time on the lake, my lessons on proper Czech roasting, the beautiful village houses, and falling asleep at night to the soft sounds of the woods and distant echo of Czech folksongs being sung long into the night.
La Sicilia Press
Written by Janet Lawrence, CET Sicily Resident Director
This week famed TV and print journalist Maria Torrisi led our Journalism and Documentary students on a guided tour of the printing facility for the regional daily newspaper La Sicilia. In addition to the 700,000 copies of La Sicilia produced here daily, the facility also prints national papers like Il sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica, and Tutto Sport.
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