A lot has changed in the past 100 years, including family entertainment. Today, entertainment and technology go hand in hand and it is difficult to imagine walking into today's households and not finding iPads, TVs or smartphones. While we still enjoy board games, outdoor play and fireside storytelling, the way that we experience these wireless activities has changed.
Looking back in Coquitlam's distant past, although children spent many hours doing chores, there was time for play. When Coquitlam was still young, fun was often homemade, with repurposed items like milk bottles, thread spools and buttons, or with bits and bobs found in nature's toy box, like rocks and twigs.
Regardless of what children collected as toys, two main ingredients were needed: imagination and no dependency on electricity.
Pioneer children brought life to a sock by sewing on button eyes and using rags for clothes. Kids would then depend on hand gestures to convey emotion and they would make up their own dialogue.
Where did children play? The outdoors was the largest playground and children played in their bedrooms when it was too cold or rainy to go outside. What we would call a living room was known as a parlour, and a home's parlour was the special space for family fun. This room was exclusive to adults but children were allowed on special occasions like Christmas.
The parlour exemplified the family's social status and showcased particularly important possessions. The most welcoming parlours created a warm atmosphere with the help of a glowing fireplace, a tea cart full of treats and furniture set up in a way conducive to well-mannered conversation. On other occasions, the parlour was a room where the whole family could come together to enjoy music played on the gramophone or piano. Parents could read a good book out loud or invite children to broaden their knowledge with stereoscope educational slides - an early, early precursor to YouTube and tablet computers. Parents would also have indulged the children by joining in interactive games, such as Simon Says and I Spy.
Some lucky families would have had a marionette collection. Mackin House has a collection of these unique puppets, which are thought to have been made in the former Czechoslovakia during the 1800s, where they became a popular expression of the country's culture. Popularity grew when marionette shows began touring the countryside and recognition of the art spread across Europe.
Traditional marionette plays would retell folk tales, biblical stories and legends of Roman mythology, intended for adult audiences. They were often performed in pubs, with popular characters such as Hercules, Don Giovanni and the Headless Knight. Many good and evil battles must have taken place.
Marionette performances were very much male-dominated - women and children did not appear behind the marionette screens until the late 19th century, when storylines evolved and became more directed towards a younger audience.
The puppets found at Mackin House are made of wood - with carefully painted facial details and elaborate, hand-sewn clothing - and these marionettes are in remarkable condition. Listing the sets' characters is like listing a medieval play: There is a baker, knight, king and queen, even a peasant family.
To experience entertainment the way it used to be, families are invited to drop by Mackin House tomorrow (Saturday) for a live marionette show in the comfort of the 1909 parlour. The first show is: 1:30 to 2 p.m. and the second show is 2:30 to 3 p.m. Marionette artist Beth Agosti will bring life to the puppets, with special pre-Halloween appearances from Swamp Monster and Diablo Junior. Visit www.coquitlamheritage.ca for more information.
Your History is a column in which representatives of the Tri-Cities' heritage groups write about local history. This article was written by Desireé Gallant and Alexandra Calbery of the Coquitlam Heritage Society (www.coquitlamheritage.ca).
