STORY: Turkish traditional shadow play has bonds with Silk Road
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 28, 2024
DATELINE: March 2, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:07
LOCATION: Ankara
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of shadow play
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): BERKANT DEMIR, Puppeteer
3. various of shadow play
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): BERKANT DEMIR, Puppeteer
5.various of shadow play
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): BERKANT DEMIR, Puppeteer
7. various of audience
8. SOUNDBITE 4 (Turkish): BERKANT DEMIR, Puppeteer

STORYLINE:

"When we think of the Silk Road, the first thing that pops into people's minds is trade. However, trade isn't limited to goods; it encompasses culture," said Berkant Demir, a young puppeteer at the Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Demir, a puppeteer of Türkiye's traditional shadow play Karagoz, highlighted how the cultural exchange along the Silk Road over the centuries had forged strong connections between peoples and nations, notably between the Chinese and the Turks.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Turkish): BERKANT DEMIR, Puppeteer
"When we think of the 'Silk Road,' the first thing that pops into people's minds is trade. However, trade is not just the trade of goods, it also includes culture.
We can see today that there was a cultural exchange along this 'road' between the countries through this traditional puppetry play, between Turks and Chinese."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Turkish): BERKANT DEMIR, Puppeteer
"Shadow play exists in most of the countries located on the ancient Silk Road. In Türkiye, it is called Karagoz and Hacivat." 

Karagoz is one of the two leading characters featuring in the performance, who is from the lower class and has coarse manners. The other protagonist is Hacivat, a refined and educated person who is engaged in lively debates with Karagoz. According to legend, the characters were believed to have been real individuals, but there is no historical record to prove it.

Featuring performances inspired by social events, daily life, political affairs, and romantic tales, the Karagoz play not only sheds light on the political and social events of the time but also reflects people's criticism, said Demir, adding its primary objective was to educate people through entertainment.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Turkish): BERKANT DEMIR, Puppeteer
"It was mostly staged during the month of Ramadan, but nowadays it has been spread throughout the year. But its main purpose was to educate people." 

SOUNDBITE 4 (Turkish): BERKANT DEMIR, Puppeteer
"Therefore, the Karagoz play is still very much alive today and offers a link to their heritage. This is why it is still popular in modern times." 

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ankara.
(XHTV)