Shadow Puppets, Songs, and Sacred Feasts

"In Shadow Puppets, Songs, and Sacred Feasts, Daniel Michon and D. A. Smith present a bilingual edition and translation of two unique works, a puppet show and a choral program, composed and performed in the eighteenth century by the nuns of the Indo-Portuguese Convent of Santa Mónica in Goa, India. Michon and Smith have deftly interwoven the rich traditions of puppets in both early modern Portuguese and South Asian societies. Given the diverse nature of the body of nuns in Santa Mónica, a mix of these two parallel traditions is inevitable, and is discussed amply in the scholarly introduction. This is an important work: It is a delightful example of two cultures entwined, never intended for our eyes and ears but rather for internal consumption within the Convent. Here we are offered a revealing glimpse into the dynamics of daily life in the convent. And who doesn’t love puppets?" ~Timothy Coates, Professor Emeritus of History, College of Charleston