People of all ages have entertained each other using hand shadow puppetry for hundreds of years. Complex shadow puppetry is a true art form, but there are many simple characters that kids can perform easily after just a few tries—all you need is a flashlight, a tent wall or smooth rock face and a little imagination.
With creativity and patience, you may even dream up a new shadow creature.
But as Henry Bursill, creator of many of the figures illustrated here, wrote in 1858, “By what pains they were invented…is known to my tortured digits alone.”
Tip: Sit just a couple feet away from the tent wall and raise your hand between the wall and the light. Check to make sure the shadow is dark and crisp. The closer the light source to the backdrop, the more accurate the shadow puppet’s shape will appear.
Name that Shadow
Can you match animals listed below to their shadows pictured?
- Deer [ ]
- Coyote [ ]
- Kangaroo [ ]
- Pitbull [ ]
- Robin [ ]
- Cougar [ ]
- Billy Goat [ ]
- Elephant [ ]
Answers: 1) Coyote, 2) Deer, 3) Cougar, 4) elephant, 5) Billy Goat, 6) kangaroo, 7) Robin, 8) Pitbull
This article first appeared in the Fall 2011 issue of Canoeroots Magazine.
