WAYANG WORLD

Wayang is a Javanese word for particular kinds of puppet theatre, sometimes the puppets itself is referred to as wayang. Performance of Wayang is accompanied by Gamelan orchestra in Java and by Gender Wayang in Bali. The term of Wayang is Javanese word for shadow, or bayang in standard Indonesian. In modern daily Javanese in Indonesian vocabulary, wayang is most often associated with the puppet itself or the whole puppet theatre performance. 

Wayang is generic term denoting traditional theatre in Indonesia. There is no evidence that Wayang existed before Hinduism was brought to Southeast Asia from India around the first century CE. However, there very well may have been indigenous storytelling traditions that had a profound impact on the development of the traditional puppet theatre. 

The first record of a Wayang performance is from an inscription dated 930 CE which says si Galigi mawayang means Sir Galigi played Wayang. From that time till today it seems certain features of tradition puppet theatre have remained. Galigi was an itinerant performer who was requested to perform for special royal occasion. At that event he performed story about the hero Bima from Mahabarata. The kakawin Arjunawiwaha composed by Mpu Kanwa, the poet of Airlangga's court of Kahuripan Kingdom, in 1035 CE describes santosaheletan kelir sira sakeng sang hyang Jagatkarana which means He is steadfast and just a wayang screen away from the Mover of the World. Kelir is Javanese word for Wayang screen, the verse eloquently analogue actual live with Wayang performance where the almighty Jagatkarana as the ultimate Dalang (puppet master) is just a thin screen away from us mortals. 

Wayang today is both the most ancient and most popular form of puppet theatre in the world. Hundreds of people will stay up all night long to watch the superstar performers, Dalang, who command extravagant fees and are international celebrities. Some of the most famous Dalang in recent history are Ki Nartosabdho, Ki Anom Suroto, Ki Asep Sunandar Sunarya, Ki Sugino and Ki Manteb Sudarsono. UNESCO designated Wayang Kulit as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003.

WAYANG KULIT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wayang Kulit or shadow puppets, are without a doubt the best known of Indonesian wayang. Kulit means skin and refers to the leather construction of the puppets that are carefully chiselled with very fine tools and supported with carefully shaped buffalo horn handles and control rods. The stories are usually drawn from Hindu epics Ramayana, Mahabarata or from Serat Menak (a story about the heroism of Amir Hamza). Historically, the performance consisted of shadows cast on a cotton screen and an oil lamp. Today, the source of light used in Wayang performance in Java most often a halogen electric light. The handwork involved in making a Wayang Kulit figure that is suitable for a performance takes several weeks, with the artists working together in groups. 

There is a family of characters in Javanese wayang called Punakawan, they are sometimes referred to as clown-servants because they normally are associated with the story's hero, and provide humorous and philosophical interludes. Semar is the father of Gareng (oldest son), Petruk and Bagong (youngest son). These characters did not originate in Hindu epics, but were added later, possibly to introduce mystical aspects of Islam into Hindu-Javanese stories. They provide something akin to a political cabaret, dealing with gossip and contemporary affairs. 

   

WAYANG GOLEK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wayang Golek are wooden doll puppets, that are operated from below by rods connected to the hands and a central control rod that runs through the body to the head. The simple construction of the puppets belies their versatility, expressiveness and aptitude for imitating human dance. Today, Wayang Golek is mainly associated with Sundanese culture of West Java. However the wooden wayang also known in Central Java as Wayang Menak.

The main characters from Ramayana and Mahabarata are similar with Wayang Kulit Purwa version of Central Java, some of Punakawan (servant also jester) were rendered in Sundanese names and characteristics, such as Cepot or Astrajingga as Bagong, Dawala or Udel as Petruk. Wayang Golek Purwa has become the most popular form of Wayang Golek today and the most famous puppeteer family is the Sunarya family which has produced several genarations of stellar performers. 

WAYANG WONG & WAYANG GEDOG

Wayang Wong also known as Wayang Orang (literally 'human wayang') is a type of Javanese theatrical performance with themes taken from episode of Ramayana or Mahabarata. While Wayang Gedog usually the theatrical performance that took the themes from Panji cycles stories from the Kingdom of Jenggala, in which the players wear masks known as Wayang Topeng or Wayang Gedog. The word gedog comes from kedok, which, like topeng means mask. 

The main theme is the story of Raden Panji and Candra. This is love story about princess Candra Kirana of Kediri and Raden Panji Asmarabangun the crown prince of Jenggala. Candra Kirana was the incarnation of Dewi Ratih (goddess of love) and Panji was the incarnation of Kamajaya (god of love). Kirana's story was given the title Smaradahana (the fire of love). Originally, Wayang Wong was performed only as an aristocratic entertainment in four palaces of Yogyakarta and Surakarta. 

WAYANG KLITIK

Wayang Klitik or Wayang Krucil with story of Damar Wulan and Minak Jinggo created by Raden Pekik in Surabaya, East Java in 1648. Wayang Klitik figures occupy a middle ground between the figures of Wayang Golek and Wayang Kulit. They are constructed similarly to Wayang Kulit figures but from thin pieces of wood instead of leather, and like Wayang Kulit figures, are used as shadow puppets. A further similarity is that they are the same smaller size as Wayang Kulit figures. However, wood is more subject to breakage than leather. The name of these figures is onomotopaeic, from the sound klitik-klitik, that these figures make when worked by Dalang. Wayang Klitik figures come originally from East Java, where one still finds workshops turning them out. They are less costly to produce than Wayang Kulit figures.

WAYANG BEBER

Wayang Beber relies on scroll-painted presentations of the stories being told. Wayang Beber has strong similarities to narratives in the form of illustrated ballads that were common at annual fairs in medieval and early modern Europe. They have also been subject to the same fate, they have nearly vanished although there are still some groups of artists who support Wayang Beber in places such as Solo in Central Java.

Dalang gives a sign, the small Gamelan orchestra with drummer and a few knobbed gongs and a musician with a rebab (violin-like instrument held vertically) begins to play and Dalang unrolls the first scroll of the story. Then, speaking and singing, he narrates the episode in more detail. In this manner, in the course of the evening he unrolls several scrolls one at a time. Each scene in the scrolls represents a story or part of a story. The content of the story typically stems from Panji romances which are semi-historical legends set in the 12th-13th century East Javanese kingdoms of Jenggala, Daha and Kediri and also in Bali.

WAYANG SADAT

This newly developed form is used by teacher of Islam to show the principles of Muslim ethics and religion to the natives of Java and Bali. The term sadat derived from Arabic shahada.

WAYANG WAHYU

Wayang Wahyu or revelation wayang, is a modern form created in 1960s by Javanese Jesuit Brother Timotheus L. Wignyosubroto who sought to show Javanese and other Indonesians the teachings of Catholic Church in a manner accessible to the audience. In the beginning, the puppets were often made of paper because it was less expensive than the traditional water buffalo hide. It became popular as an alternative method of telling Bible stories. 

WAYANG SUKET & WAYANG KARTON

 

Wayang Suket and Wayang Karton are type of Wayang Mainan (toys puppet). Children in the village usually use wild grass called Domdoman for this Wayang Suket and used cardboard for Wayang Karton. In 1980s, this kind of wayang in its development are sold in traditional markets, typically used for kids to play.