Carrillo (puppetry)

Carrillo is a form of shadow puppetry in the Philippines during the time of Spanish colonization.

Etymology
The term carrillo refers to the small traveling carts used to transport the puppets. Onwards, the term was used to refer to the whole shadow puppetry performance.

History
Carrillo is a shadow puppetry that uses puppets made of cardboard. The first recorded carrillo was in 1879 in Quiapo, Manila. The performance often presented moro-moro, a tale where Christian heroes usually defeat Muslim opponents.

Jose Rizal, the national hero of the country, had staged a carillo. He used a carton and a stick for the puppet. Then, he placed this at the back of a white cloth and used a candle light at its back.

Today, carrillo is no longer performed. In 2019, an exhibit was organized for carrillo at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex.