COME JOIN US TO MAKE A GIANT PUPPET IN A DAY
INTENSE CREATIVE PROCESS TO BRING A DESIGN TO LIFE
COLLABORATIVE AND FUN!
YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF....

WHEN: THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST 10AM-4PM
FRIDAY OCTOBER 2ND 10AM – 4PM
WHERE: ISLAND BAY SCHOOL
 

What's Giant Puppet Making?
Participants learn 3D Structure building with sustainable resources,
creating a Sculpture that is wholly theirs.
They experience the joy of teamwork to produce communally
something larger than themselves as individuals.
They gain pride and pleasure in showing off their creation in a public place
and inspire others to get involved in community events.

We start the day with a brainstorming of ideas of what we'd like to make.
It can be absolutely anything but always comes from the participants themselves. We use a truly democratic voting system whereby participants can vote as many times as they like, for as many ideas that they like. This means we have the maximum number happy with the decision made.
We then create the structure with stripped willow and cover with tissue paper adding colour for decoration, or depending on design of puppet chosen by participants, may incorporate reuse brewery tubing, fabrics, and other assorted recycled items.
We will also have space to create individual pieces to work alongside the Giants.

Registration of interest appreciated but not necessary.
Contact us:
Email us at [email protected]
Phone us at REACT 05 3282823


Made possible with funding from the Fabulous Folks at:

Bio of Workshop leaders:

Rangiwahia Environmental Arts Centre is based in the Northern Manawatu where they grow their own resources such as willow and bamboo.
Jim and Bridgette are workshop leaders at REACT and have been making Giant Puppets with communities for over 15 years. 
Their puppet initiation was through street protest and theatre in the UK in the '90's. 
Working with Rise Phoenix UK and Emergency Exit Arts they learnt the technique of Giant Puppet making in a day, a UN recognised creative therapy in trauma recovery. 
With these skills they spent 2003-4 travelling overland from the UK to New Zealand as the Aoteraoa Bound project, creating large puppets  and more with communities along the way; in the Balkans, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan & Afghanistan, 
They were also fortunate enough to meet with local puppeteers in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and witness regional puppetering .
Now working with REACT they have established the Big Girls Project, working with local migrant communities to create an oversized representation of themselves to take their place on the streets, culminating in International Womens Day Parades, contributed large puppets and structures made with schools for the Palmerston North Emission Free Christmas parades, ,and annually create the centerpiece for the Palmerston North Lantern parade alongside running community lantern making workshops.  They continue to make community puppets as a sustainable practice.