Wood, thread tell story of Baraghan’s puppet acrobat
In Baraghan, a village in Iran’s Alborz Province where thousand-year-old walnut trees cast long shadows over homes and memories, it is more than just a picturesque landscape of orchards. Behind its stone walls and along its quiet alleys flows a story that few may have considered — a story of wood, thread, calloused hands, and the ambitious dreams of humans. This is the story of the Barghan puppet acrobat (Arusak-e Bandbaz), a wooden figure that comes to life with the movement of a small ladder.
In Baraghan, simply asking about the puppet acrobat brings smiles to the faces of many elders. Tahmasb Mansourian, nearly 75 years old, recalls: “In our time, toys were scarce. This puppet was enough to make the world beautiful for us. With a piece of wood and a thread, we were entertained and our imaginations soared.”
The puppet acrobat is a wooden figure that begins its acrobatic movement along a small ladder once its strings are pulled. Its body is limp yet astonishingly agile, leaping up and down a wooden rope between two tiny columns, as if it has no weight. But this puppet represents more than a child’s toy; it embodies the skills, courage, and lives of people raised among walnut and mulberry trees, chtn.ir wrote.
Baraghan, according to the elders, is a village where trees have long outgrown the people. Towering walnut trees with massive trunks have provided shade and sustenance for generations. These ancient trees offer more than fruit and cover; they quietly shape the skills and memories of the village’s inhabitants, each branch telling a story of local life.
During walnut harvest season, village men climbed the tall, straight trees with confident steps. Scaling these trees required not only strength, but also agility, balance, focus, and courage. When children play with the puppet acrobat, they follow in the footsteps of past generations, practicing these very skills, keeping alive the story of human effort and daring.
Elders say the puppet acrobat is a miniature reflection of the men who once climbed the trees. As a child pulls the puppet’s strings, it’s as if they are experiencing the skill and courage of these men firsthand. This puppet is a miniature narrative of human perseverance and a living expression of the abilities and intelligence of generations who lived in Baraghan.
Crafting a puppet acrobat is far from simple. Though the tools seem modest, breathing life into the wood requires patience and knowledge passed down through generations.
Upon entering a small workshop, one immediately notices small and large pieces of wood. The scent of freshly cut timber carries the weight of history, as if each piece holds its own story.
The craftsman, first draws the puppet’s pattern on a thin board, two to three millimeters thick. With a fine saw, like a skilled surgeon, he carefully frees each body part from the wood.
In the past, this work was done with a chisel, meaning each piece was carved rather than cut — a process that could take hours. The pieces are then sanded to ensure no sharp edges harm a child’s hand. Tiny holes are drilled with a hand tool, forming the joints that allow the puppet to move.
Next comes the ladder: two narrow sticks, about 25 centimeters long, connected by a small crosspiece resembling a rung. The puppet’s miniature stage is ready. Finally, silk threads, like invisible veins, connect all the components. When the ladder is moved, the puppet begins its acrobatics. The first time it leaps with agility, one cannot help but smile. The wood has truly come to life.
Today, the puppet acrobat is no longer a common companion in Barghan children’s hands. While some may grow up with smartphones and online games, others remain committed to preserving this silent heritage.
Iranian culture is multi-ethnic and multi-narrative; every village, every family, completes the national puzzle. Traditional puppets are more than toys — they are storytellers, narrating art, aesthetics, lifestyle, and worldviews.
In Baraghan, the puppet acrobat has long served as an informal teacher of balance, courage, and capability. Every pull of its string trains a child to overcome heights and trust in their own abilities.
Local residents and experts suggest simple yet effective ways to preserve this intangible heritage: teaching adolescents how to make the puppets, producing them in small batches for eco-tourism centers and local markets, holding small festivals, making documentaries, promoting them online and through local media, and establishing permanent exhibits in museums and tourism centers.
Preserving intangible heritage is not about keeping an object — it is about maintaining the mindset, perspective, and skills shaped by generations. The Barghan puppet acrobat offers a miniature view of the village’s worldview, demonstrating how life, skill, and creativity flow through the simplest of games.