This video, filmed by Michel deCombes during fieldwork in Mali in 1990, shows the puppets being prepared and dressed before an all-night performance. The men of Segou make and perform inside the animal puppets and masks, with lively audience participation by everybody.

See the video: Part 1 and Part 2

Final preparations take place away from prying eyes and cameras, so that the animals can make an imposing entrance at the night performance.

The mosque seen at the beginning of the film shows how two religious systems exist side-by-side in the same village. The puppet performances are light-hearted, and not serious like the mask performances. There is fierce competition between neighbouring villages to produce the best puppets and the villages perform in nightly succession. In this area, puppet owners ask 200 francs (1990) for the animation of each puppet. The team leader decides whether new puppets are needed or not. He then calls his colleagues together and if everyone agrees they collect money to commission new ones.

For a male outsider, there is neither secrecy nor restriction of access for viewing the puppets at all stages, unlike the situation regarding masks. The puppets are sold without complications, as the funds are used to renew the puppets of the village. The villagers try to renew, enhance or replace the puppets often in order to maintain the best show.

	Wetting rice straw for the costume © M deCombes, 1990

On the day of performance, new frames are made for the puppets. At the well, the young girls and boys wet the straw in preparation for the dressing of the puppet figures. The rice straw, saved from the previous harvest, is used to cover the wooden frames. Women's printed skirt-cloths are borrowed to make vibrant 'skins' for the animal puppets. After this, the women have no more to do with the preparations, which are taken over by the boys and men.

	Detail, skirt-cloths used as animal 'skins'

The cleaning and preparation of the puppets, as shown in the video sequence, is done by men aged about 25 to 30. They work in a closed compound out of sight of women, and decide which puppets to replace, which to repaint.

The musicians performing are not necessarily from that particular village, but are musicians from the area who are considered good performers. However, they use the instruments belonging to the village.