Myanmar Marionettes is a Mandalay-based string puppetry company founded by Ma Ma Naing and Naing Yee Mar in 1986. To the present day, the Myanmar Marionettes and their programming still strive not only to entertain through their performances but also to educate the world audience on the rich history and cultural values of Myanmar’s theatrical arts.
The character depicted by this puppet figure is The Golden Deer, Gambi. In the Ramayana tale, known as Yama Zatdaw in Burma, the golden deer is appointed by King Demon Ravana to assist him in tricking Sita into captivity. The figure is dressed in golden-hued silk clothing, and a bright orange weaved pasoe around his waist. His chest, wrist, and ankles are adorned with sequin-lined gold detailing. An identifiable trait is a towering headdress on his head, topped with the head of a deer carved in gold. Gambi’s face is also painted in gold.