Thesis (MDram (Drama))--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Kenyan culture is deeply rooted in tradition. Many problems arise from the traditional role and conceptions of the Kenyan woman. These include female genital mutilation, polygamy and lack of scholastic education. A definite correlation can be found between the problem of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections and certain social traditions as well as the unscripted prohibition of open conversations about sex and death. Kenya does not have an indigenous tradition of puppetry, and Community Health and Awareness Puppeteers (CHAPS) have committed themselves to developing interactive puppetry to address these tradition- orientated social problems. Puppetry makes use of three sign systems, namely sound, design and movement. This sign systems, together with the imagination of the audience, brings life to a lifeless object and serves as a meaningful vehicle of communication. CHAPS use the inherent qualities of the puppet. The puppet’s symbolic and double nature demeanor gives this art form exceptional freedom of speech, which makes it possible discuss sensitive issues. The visual nature of puppetry and general principals such as exaggeration and simplification make it possible to convey a message to people irrespective of their literacy level. The absence of television in rural and impoverished areas in Kenya ensures that people from any age group relate to puppetry as a visual art form. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kenia is ‘n baie tradisievaste land. Uit veral die tradisionele posisie van die vrou spruit ‘n aantal sosiale probleme, onder andere vroulike geslagsskending, poligamie en gebrekkige skolastiese opvoeding. Die problematiek rondom MIV/VIGS en oordraaglke geslagssiektes hou verband met sekere tradisionele sosiale gebruike en die ongeskrewe verbod om oor seks en dood te praat. Kenia het nie ‘n inheemse poppeteatertradisie nie en Community Health and Awareness Puppeteers (CHAPS) beywer hulle daarvoor om poppeteater in Kenia te bevorder en bogenoemde tradisie-verwante sosiale probleme deur middel van interaktiewe poppeteater aan te spreek. Poppeteater maak van drie tekensisteme gebruik, naamlik klank, ontwerp en beweging. Hierdie tekens, tesame met die gehoor se verbeelding, gee ‘n verbeelde lewe aan die toneelpop as ‘n lewelose voorwerp en dien as betekenisdraende kommunikasiemiddele. CHAPS benut die inherente eienskappe van die toneelpop. Die toneelpop se simboliese en dubbele aard gee aan die kunsvorm ‘n uitsonderlike vryheid van spraak wat dit moontlik maak om oor sensitiewe kwessies te praat. Die visuele aard van die poppeteater en spelbeginsels soos oordrywing en vereenvoudiging maak die kunsvorm toeganklik vir mense van enige geletterdheidsvlak. In die afwesigheid van televisie in die landelike en armoedige stedelike gebiede in Kenia, vind poppeteater as nuwigheid en visueelgerigte kunsvorm aanklank by enige ouderdomsgroep.