The incredible power of puppetry as a medium for storytelling and social commentary
Create to Liberate Idea No. 22
For centuries, giant puppets have helped tell stories, command attention and (literally) stand tall as part of social protests.
- Fill the streets with protesters and you might draw a crowd.
- Fill the streets with protesters and oversized caricatures of political figures and you not only will draw a crowd, you will also attract cameras, camera phones, and guaranteed coverage across social media and mainstream news.
Creatives of all skill levels and ages enjoy working with papier-mâché. Before you know it — with a little lightweight structural reinforcement, paper, adhesive, paint and fabric — you can have a dancing Statue of Liberty herself advocating for democracy during Create to Liberate on April 19.
A chronicle of giants
Giant puppets have a fascinating history, particularly in European cultural traditions. In Northern France, for example, giant puppets have been part of parades and festivals since the 16th century.
The mono de calenda is a giant puppet used in the fiestas or calendas of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Also called mojigangas, these puppets are controlled from the inside by a dancer, can come in unusual sizes, and are usually dressed in the traditional clothing of the region.
Mojigangas thread together history, art and a sense of community. The word comes from Spain, where it originally referred to a kind of street theater, often associated with religious processions, included to provide comic relief.
But the word mojiganga has mostly shifted meaning to refer to tall puppet figures made to sit on the shoulders of a person who dances along the street as public entertainment.
The skirt or robe of the figure hides the dancer/puppeteer and has a hole cut out to allow the dancer to peer through.
People love giant puppets. In fact, a Day of the Dead parade (complete with skeletal mojigangas) that opened the James Bond movie “Spectre” (as shown at top) was so popular the parade has since become an annual tradition Mexico City.
Hic sunt gigantes (Here be giants)
Each of these groups has mastered the use of giant puppets to leave an indelible mark on both the social and artistic landscapes. Together, they prove how creativity on such a grand scale can truly inspire change and connection.
Perhaps they will also inspire you:
Bread and Puppet Theater | Founded in the 1960s by Peter Schumann, this politically radical puppet theater is based in Glover, Vermont. Known for its giant puppets and community-driven performances, it combines art and activism, often addressing social and political issues through its shows.
Les Grandes Personnes | This French collective, established in 1998, specializes in creating giant puppets for street theater. Their work often involves participatory performances, blending art with storytelling to explore themes of identity, heritage, and social connection.
Royal de Luxe | A renowned French street theater company founded in 1979 by Jean-Luc Courcoult, Royal de Luxe is famous for its massive mechanical marionettes. Their awe-inspiring performances, such as “The Giants,” have captivated audiences worldwide, blending spectacle with poetic narratives.
Witches can be right. Giants can be good.
From “No One Is Alone,” a song in the 1991 Stephen Sondheim musical “Into the Woods”
You decide what’s right. You decide what’s good.
We invite individual visual and performing artists, writers, bookstores, book clubs, brave non-profit or government organizations and other individuals or groups across the USA to independently “flood the zone” with creativity, for Create to Liberate, Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Think of the idea above as a pilot light for the creative fire within you (if yours needs to be lit.)
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Papier-mâché and a weather balloon became the foundations of Larry McSpadden’s 2020 sculpture of Donald Trump’s head. However, this noggin offered meaning when you peered inside.
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