Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Xiao Chou (clown). Head and hands are carved from wood. Components painted pink beige. The puppet’s body is formed by a reed cage. Character has a wide nose, large ears and moveable eyes and mouth. The mouth is painted bright red, eyebrows are painted black and curved. Eyes are black-rimmed and area around ears and back of head is painted black, imitating hair. Red line painted across face, from left cheek to above right eye. He has short, spiked black hair on top of his head. The character is wearing a plain dark blue robe, with two small side slits. The robe has a small back opening, stitched closed, below the neck. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to reed cage, and two more attached to each hand. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out and re-attached.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Mei Po (matchmaker). Head and hands are carved from wood. Components painted pink beige. Character has a very small nose and large ears. The mouth is painted red, in a frown, eyebrows are feathery and painted black. Eyes are black-rimmed, cheeks are rosy and there are black and red dots across her face. She has black hair along the sides of her head, with a bald patch in the back. There is a wire curving over her head, attached behind the ears. The character is wearing a plain green robe, with extended sleeves that drape down. The robe has a left side opening, secured with metal buttons, and a small right side slit. Opening is bordered with a wide white band. Cuffs have red ribbon trim with gold and green floral motifs embroidered on them. The robe is lined with white material, with black square motifs throughout. She is wearing a short black undergarment. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to her head, and two more attached to each hand. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Xiao Dan (young girl), with separate headdress. Head and hands of puppet (part a) are carved from wood. Components painted pink beige. The puppet’s body is formed by a reed cage. Character has a small nose and large ears. The mouth is painted red, eyes are black-rimmed. Eyebrows are thin and black, and there is black paint along the back of the head and sides of the face, imitating hair. She has thick black hair in a low ponytail, secured with a pink tie. The character is wearing a green robe, with extended sleeves that drape down. The robe has three panels on the front, one panel on the back and a pink undergarment. Overtop, the character is wearing a matching green collar. The robe has a front opening, the collar has a back opening, the undergarment is open at the back. The collar has gold fringe along its bottom edge and is trimmed with wavy pink and gold borders. There are curvilinear motifs, done in pink and red sequins, across its surface. The robe is belted at the waist. The belt is made of paper and covered in ribbons, done in silver, white and red scallops and a pink floral. Belt ties at the back. The same scalloped ribbon borders the panel edges on the front of the robe, the same pink floral ribbon borders the cuffs. There are curvilinear motifs, done in pink, red and large silver sequins, across the entire front surface. Diamond-shaped pink rhinestones on left and right panels of robe. The back panel is undecorated. It has a pink and yellow border, and the edges have pink and dark green fringe. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to reed cage, and two more attached to each hand. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out. Headdress (part b) consists of a metal frame with rubber(?), covered in black fabric. A peacock is at the top centre. Its head is made of metal and covered in thick white string, the feathers are made of cardboard covered in red fabric. Peacock is decorated with silver and blue sequins with purple pompons along the top of the feathers. Main band of headdress has a green wavy border and floral motifs done in embroidery, beads and metal, tulle-like material and sequins. Flowers are coloured orange, white, yellow-green, pink, purple, green, gold and blue. There are two ties on either end of the headdress.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Lao Sheng (old male), with a separate beard and headdress. Head and hands of puppet (part a) are carved from wood. Head and torso painted pink beige. Character has a long nose and ears. The mouth is painted dark red, eyes are black-rimmed. Eyebrows are black, streaked with silver, and there is black paint around the head, imitating hair. The character is wearing a green robe, with extended sleeves that drape down. The robe has a left side opening, secured with ties, and a small right side slit. The sides of the robe have pink panels. Curvilinear and geometric motifs across robe, done in silver, dark pink-purple, red and yellow sequins. Dragon(?) design in dark pink-purple and silver sequins on both front and back centre of robe. Plaid undergarment beneath robe. Character has a matching collar, that secures at the front, with white animal hair(?) along bottom edge. Collar has wavy ribbon borders done in white and light pink. There are curvilinear motifs in silver and dark pink-purple throughout. The puppet's head is hollow. Rim of hollow opening is unpainted. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to his head, and two more are attached to each hand. Beard (part b) consists of long white fibre attached to a wire covered with string. Shaped to fit over ears and below mouth of puppet. Headdress (part c) is made of cardboard, with a metal frame, and is covered in light blue fabric. Headdress consists of a cap and backboard. The backboard is semi-circular, has green and yellow wavy ribbon borders and floral motifs done in silver and dark pink-purple sequins. The reverse of the backboard curves outwards, shaped by metal mesh, and has a floral motif done in silver and light blue sequins. Below is a solid band of light blue fabric with a curvilinear motif done in silver sequins. The cap component of the headdress, at the front, is shaped with metal mesh and has a large floral motif overtop of it. Motif done in gold glitter paint and silver and light blue sequins, with a green rhinestone at the centre. The bottom edge of the cap has a wavy green ribbon border and a band of silver sequins with yellow beads. There are two wing-like attachments at the back of the headdress. They are light blue, have no centre and the edges are lined with metal beads. Interior of headdress is painted silver. There are two red ties on either side of the headdress.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Lao Sheng (older male), with a separate beard. Head and hands of puppet (part a) are carved from wood. Hands painted pink beige. Character has wide nose, moveable eye, large ears and a white painted face. Mouth is bright red, and there is a comma shaped marking underneath it. Eyes are black-rimmed, have black and pink lashes. Puppet has large, diagonal shaped bushy eyebrows done in black. Back of head and area around ears are painted black, imitating hair. He is wearing a dark blue cap with metal buttons along the bottom edge. The character is wearing a pink robe, with extended sleeves that drape down. The robe has a left side opening, secured with ties and metal buttons, and a small right side slit. Opening and neckline bordered with a white band, with wavy green ribbons trimming it. The band has floral motifs done in silver, gold and pink sequins, with white and silver beads. There is a large silver sequin where the opening meets the left side of the robe. Robe has a dragon, phoenix, clouds, flowers and curvilinear designs embroidered throughout. Plaid undergarment beneath robe. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to his head, and two more are attached to each hand. Back of puppet's head was cut out and re-attached. Beard (part b) consists of long black and grey fibre attached to a wire covered with string. Shaped to fit over ears and below mouth of puppet.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Dan (lady). Head and hands are carved from wood. Head and left hand are painted pink beige. Character has a wide nose, moveable eyes and large ears. The mouth is painted dark red, eyebrows are painted black and have sharp spikes in the middle. Eyes are black-rimmed and area around ears and back of head is painted black, imitating hair. She has black hair in a long braid, secured with a pink tie. The character is wearing a light brown-yellow plaid robe. It has a small opening at the neck, secured with a tie, and two small side slits. The robe is secured at the wrists with wire and secured at the neck with a metal button. Her right hand has a large hole through its centre, the left hand has a small one. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to her head, and two more attached to each hand. Back of puppet’s head has been cut out.

Rod puppet (zhàng tóu mù ǒu), representing the character Xiao Sheng (young male). Head, hands and torso are carved from wood. Components painted beige. Character has a small nose, large ears and moveable eyes. His mouth is painted dark red and his cheeks are rosy. Eyes are black-rimmed, eyebrows are painted black and have spikes in the middle. Area around ears and back of head are painted black, imitating hair. He is wearing a dark grey-brown cap, nailed into place. Long, black strands of hair are attached to the top of the cap. The character is wearing a green robe, with extended sleeves that drape down. The robe has a left side opening, secured with metal buttons and ties, and a small right side slit. Opening is bordered with a wide white band. Cuffs have red ribbon trim with gold and green floral motifs embroidered on them. Robe decorated with curvilinear motifs along the arms and a large linear design on the front centre. All motifs done in silver, pink, purple, blue and red sequins. Character is wearing a plaid undergarment beneath the robe. Puppet is operated by three bamboo rods- one large rod attached to his torso, and two more are attached to each hand. Eyes are operated by a wooden rod, with a metal attachment, inside of the central bamboo rod. The back of the puppet’s head has been cut out and re-attached.

Horse-shaped dance girdle. Depicts front half of a horse, with both legs bent in front of the body. Horse is made of wood and painted black, with white spots throughout. Deeply incised lines, painted white, across its body, highlighting the muscles and facial structure. White vertical lines painted down the centre of the horse’s back, trimmed on either side with horizontal lines. Matching vertical lines painted above the brown hooves. Horse has brown eyes, carved in relief. Surrounding area painted white and red. Brows are pronounced. Horse has white eyelashes and an oval-shaped spot between its eyes. White diagonal lines painted down the bridge of the nose. Nostrils done in brown, lips are dark red, and open mouth is painted off-white. Brown curly mane runs down the back of the horse’s neck, with a long strand, carved in relief, on its forehead. Short ears, on either side of strand, have a red interior and white trim. Body is hollow and has two rectangular cut-outs on either side of the back opening.

Maha Kola Sanni Yakka healing mask (part a) with removable side panels (parts b-c), figure (part d), earpieces (parts e-f), and fangs (parts g-h). Mask depicts a large figure wearing a headdress made of snakes, a silver-coloured shirt, and knee-length skirt with curvilinear and geometric motifs across it. The earpieces (parts e-f) protrude from either side of the head, below the headdress. They have a central flower design, with two snakes wrapped around the outer edge. The figure has a human in between its fang-like teeth, and a human tucked under each arm. Its hands are bent in front of its body, and the female figure (part d) lies across them. Blood is dripping from its teeth, down its chest, and onto its protruding belly. The figure is standing on top of a large smiling head, painted black. The face has bulging eyes, a large nose with prominent nostrils, and two fangs (parts g and h). It is wearing a headdress composed of human figures. Extending up from the face, and surrounding the large figure, is a blue wooden frame. Attached to either side of the frame are the panels (parts b and c). Painted blue, they are each composed of two columns of four multi-coloured heads, with barred teeth. At the top of each set of columns is a pink head, with large ears, wearing a triangular headdress. At the bottom of each set of columns is a large yellow flower. The panels have snakes along the outer edges. The heads rest at the top, and the tails curves around the bottom. (Hanging hardware on back of mask).

Paper mache Day of the Dead mask. Humanoid male with sunken eyes, a wide nose, and rounded face. Black curl painted along top edge of mask, in centre of forehead and in between thin eyebrows. Curl imitates hair. Black fuzzy fabric glued to sides of face and above mouth, imitating sideburns and chevron moustache. Face is painted pink beige, and nostrils and lips are red-pink. Eyes are blue, with black trim around them and their irises. Four gold-coloured teeth glued to top lip. Holes in mask for eyes, nose and mouth. Eye holes are oval-like and in between the painted eyes and eyebrows. Holes drilled into either side of mask, with an elastic cord knotted through. Inscription written inside mask.