Yoke thé

Like most of Burmese refined art, yoke thé performances originated from royal patronage and were gradually adapted for the wider populace.

The probable date of the origin of Burmese marionettes is given as around 1780, during the reign of Singu Min, and their introduction is credited to the Minister of Royal Entertainment, U Thaw.

Until the conquest of Upper Burma by the British in late 1885 during the Third Anglo-Burmese War, yoke thé troupes thrived under royal patronage.

In the late 1990s, General Khin Nyunt of the ruling junta lent official support to marionette actors and troupes,[2] thus reviving a rapidly dying tradition.

[3] Nowadays, marionettes are very common as tourist attractions and also amongst the populace, and they have resumed their role of relatively safe political satire reflecting popular discontent.