Kenyans using puppets to tell the African story abroad

Krystal Puppeteers and Fedelis Kyalo and Chrispine Mwakideu during one of their performances. PHOTO/MERCY GAKII

What you need to know:

  • The two, Fedelis Kyalo and Chrispine Mwakideu have been touring Europe for three years now, on thematic seasonal shows.
  • Kyalo works in Kenya as a puppeteer with the popular XYZ group, while Chrispine works in a German media house.
  • At the moment, they are working on a project where the client needs a Polish speaking puppetry performance.
  • Kyalo says that puppetry is now gaining acceptance locally.

Puppetry is slowly gaining acceptance in Kenya as a method of entertainment, and as a tool for behaviour change communication.

A two man group, called Krystal Puppeteers, has been telling Kenyan and also African stories in Europe.

The two, Fedelis Kyalo and Chrispine Mwakideu have been touring Europe for three years now, on thematic seasonal shows.

Using drums, songs and handmade puppets, the two use ideas that they get from various themes to formulate stories for various audiences in Europe.

“We involve puppets in coming up with ideas for stories on various workplace issues and how these ideas can be used for behavioural change communication among peers at the workplace,” says Mwakideu.

TELLING STORIES

He has been in the business of telling stories for a long time, and joined puppetry back in 1995, right after finishing high school education.

“It is almost 20 years since I started doing puppet shows, a journey that has been very interesting,” he observes.

According to him, puppetry is a unique form of art.

“Puppetry has been with us Africans for ages, but was mostly limited to rituals and traditional rites or ceremonies,” he says.

He adds that puppets can be used to communicate almost any message and still get away with it.

This is a unique aspect as compared to real acting in that where one feels more responsible for the role he or she is playing.

The two are based in both Kenya and Germany, with Kyalo working as a puppeteer with the popular XYZ group, while Chrispine works in a German media house.

USE INTERNET

Despite their wide distance apart, the two exchange ideas over the Internet, discussing what they would want to work on, and timelines for achieving this.

They then start work on various scripts in preparation for seasonal events.

They work on all aspects of an idea, such as costuming, songs, scripting of the story, and then meet for practice for some days before a major event.

Their practice involves piecing together the story line and fusing in songs, costuming and percussions to come up with a convincing puppetry performance.

Their messages range from social, to health, environmental and political themes.

“We work as a team to address these issues through adapting either oral narratives or traditional tales and mixing them with these contemporary topics.

Of course we also combine them with elements of music, dance and percussion,” comments Mwakideu.

Most of these performances are done for audiences within communities and also in other public events, mostly in Spain.

VARIOUS LANGUAGES

The group’s works are done in various languages, depending on where they are invited.

They can perform in Spanish, English, and German.

However, there are performances that become impossible due to language barriers.

Kyalo remembers of an event they had to perform in a nation that only speaks Portuguese.

“We had to lose the show, because they do not understand even Spanish, which would have been fair to us,” he says.

They also encounter numerous challenges in diction and pronunciation when using foreign languages, though Kyalo feels that it can be a lot of fun as well.

At the moment, they are working on a project where the client needs a Polish speaking puppetry performance.

Despite the tension that accompanies such foreign language shows, the duo has taken the challenge in their stride.

“We push ourselves to learn these languages through online courses, CDs and other ways that helps us learn at our pace,” he adds.

They have received invitations and have performed in several nations, including South America, Europe, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, and South Africa.

HOW THEY MET

Kyalo remembers how they met, back then in the 1990s in a training workshop organised by donors.

“We were being empowered with skills on how to communicate to audiences in the health sector on various issues. That was in Mombasa. We then thought of developing our skills further in order to reach out to the wider society,” remembers Kyalo.

They would then get an opportunity to visit and perform in Belgium, though they had to meet their own travel costs.

“But this opportunity opened the world to us. We started receiving invitations form many interested companies and theatre groups in Europe, and they would pay well,” adds Kyalo.

For Mwakideu, working with his long-time friend is one of the most fulfilling experiences in this journey of art.

“I have worked with Kyalo for many years, since our days at the Coast when we had virtually no financial support, and audiences were more reluctant to watch our performances.

We have built a solid working relationship since then,” Mwakideu says.

He also explains the details that go into producing a new story.

“Whenever we need to create a new show, we talk about it, share ideas and then rehearsals can be done anywhere. Several times I have come back to Nairobi to make a new production with him,” says Mwakideu.

They have tours scheduled at least twice a year, depending on invitations.

FESTIVAL NETWORKS

“We establish a network of festival directors and organisers wherever we go. That way we have been able to represent Kenya and Africa in various international festivals in Belgium, Germany, Austria, Poland, Spain, Ecuador, Brazil, and Argentina and hope to go to many others,” he says.

Kyalo says that puppetry is now gaining acceptance locally.

“The culture here has become friendlier and we are using puppetry more to address social issues,” he says.

Attitude is changing, and puppeteers are gaining more recognition with even corporates seeking their services.

Kyalo also uses his weekends to train children on the skills that he has gained along the way.

“I prefer to work with children because they are more open to new ideas, and they are easier to train,” he says.

Their international trips come with interesting experiences, both good and bad. Mwakideu remembers of a recent incident when they were locked out of their hotel.

LOCKED OUT

“We had returned from a performance in the freezing winter, only for the hotel manager to lock us out. No reason was offered for that action, but after a long conversation, he let us in.”

He also remembers many other good responses that they have received, especially when marketing Africa to the world.

“One very common comment we hear is that we brought Africa to them," says Mwakideu.

He says that puppetry does pay well but it is hard work just like any other form of entertainment.

One needs to be very patient, persistent, creative, and consistent and to continually find places where they can market their shows if they want to succeed.

He concludes by saying: “We believe we still need to stay true to our African heritage because that is what makes us unique and it is actually our main selling point.”

To watch a video of Krystal Puppeteers' performance go tohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIvyaLdE7IY