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, also known as ( jv, ꦮꦪꦁ, translit=wayang), is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
n island of
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
. refers to the entire dramatic show. Sometimes the leather puppet itself is referred to as . Performances of wayang puppet theatre are accompanied by a '' gamelan'' orchestra in
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
, and by ''
gender wayang ''Gamelan gender wayang'' is a style of gamelan music played in Bali, Indonesia. It is required for '' wayang'' (shadow puppet theatre) and most sacred Balinese Hindu rituals. The smallest of gamelan ensembles, it requires only two players and i ...
'' in
Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and ...
. The dramatic stories depict mythologies, such as episodes from the
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
epics the ''
Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages ...
'' and the ''
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the K ...
'', as well as local adaptations of cultural legends. Traditionally, a is played out in a ritualized midnight-to-dawn show by a ''dalang'', an artist and spiritual leader; people watch the show from both sides of the screen. performances are still very popular among
Indonesians Indonesians ( Indonesian: ''orang Indonesia'') are citizens or people originally from Indonesia, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. There are more than 1,300 ethnicities in Indonesia, making it a multicultural archipelagic co ...
, especially in the islands of Java and Bali. performances are usually held at certain rituals, certain ceremonies, certain events, and even tourist attractions. In ritual contexts, puppet shows are used for prayer rituals (held in temples in Bali), ritual (cleansing children from bad luck), and ritual (thanksgiving to God for the abundant crops). In the context of ceremonies, usually it is used to celebrate (Javanese wedding ceremony) and (
circumcision Circumcision is a procedure that removes the foreskin from the human penis. In the most common form of the operation, the foreskin is extended with forceps, then a circumcision device may be placed, after which the foreskin is excised. Top ...
ceremony). In events, it is used to celebrate Independence Day, the anniversaries of municipalities and companies, birthdays, commemorating certain days, and many more. Even in the modern era with the development of tourism activities, puppet shows are used as cultural tourism attractions. is one of the peaks of Indonesian culture, which is the most prominent among many other cultures. traditions include
acting Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. Acting involves a broad r ...
,
singing Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music ( arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or ...
,
music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
,
drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
,
literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to ...
,
painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and a ...
,
sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...
,
carving Carving is the act of using tools to shape something from a material by scraping away portions of that material. The technique can be applied to any material that is solid enough to hold a form even when pieces have been removed from it, and ...
, and
symbolic Symbolic may refer to: * Symbol, something that represents an idea, a process, or a physical entity Mathematics, logic, and computing * Symbolic computation, a scientific area concerned with computing with mathematical formulas * Symbolic dynam ...
arts. The traditions, which have continued to develop over more than a thousand years, are also a medium for
information Information is an abstract concept that refers to that which has the power to inform. At the most fundamental level information pertains to the interpretation of that which may be sensed. Any natural process that is not completely random, ...
,
preaching A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. ...
,
education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
, philosophical understanding, and
entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousa ...
.
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
designated – the flat leather shadow puppet ('' wayang kulit''), the flat wooden puppet (), and the three-dimensional wooden puppet ('' wayang golek'') theatre, as a
Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity The Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity was made by the Director-General of UNESCO starting in 2001 to raise awareness of intangible cultural heritage and encourage local communities to protect them and th ...
on 7 November 2003. In return for the acknowledgment, UNESCO required Indonesians to preserve the tradition.


Etymology

The term is the Javanese word for '
shadow A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two- dimensional silhouett ...
' or 'imagination'. The word's equivalent in Indonesian is . In modern daily Javanese and Indonesian vocabulary, can refer to the puppet itself or the whole puppet theatre performance.


History

is the traditional puppet theatre in
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
. is an ancient form of storytelling that is renowned for its elaborate puppets and complex musical styles. The earliest evidence is from the late 1st millennium CE in medieval-era texts and archeological sites. There are four theories about the origins of (Indigenous of Java, Java-India, India, and China), but only two favourable theories: *Indigenous origin (
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
): The experts who say that is authentic Indonesian are Brandes, G. A.J. Hazeu, Rentse, Kats and Kruyt. According to Brandes, puppets are native to Java. He presents the results of ancient Indonesian culture, such as gamelan, the monetary system, metric forms, batik,
astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, g ...
, how to grow wet rice fields, and government administration. is closely related to Javanese social
culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups ...
and religious life. Indian puppets are different from Javanese . All technical terms in the are Javanese, not
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...
. was not derived from any of the other types of shadow puppet in mainland
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
, but was a creation of the Javanese themselves. This opinion is based on the use of terms related to the stage which are not borrowed from other languages; in other words, these terms are original Javanese terms. Similarly, some of the other technical terms used in the found in Java and Bali are based on local languages, even when the play overlaps with Buddhist or Hindu mythologies. Hazeu said that wayang came from Java. The structure of the puppet is composed according to a very old model (the way of telling the puppeteer, the height of the voice, the language, and the expressions). The technical design, the style, and the composition of the Javanese plays. It grows from the worship of the ancestors. Kats argues that the technical term clearly comes from Java and that was born without the help of India. Before the 9th century, it belonged to the native population. It was closely related to religious practices (incense and night/wandering spirits). Panakawan uses a Javanese name, different from the Indian heroes. Kruyt argues that originates from
shamanism Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiri ...
, comparing ancient archipelago ceremonial forms which aim to make contact with the spirit world by presenting religious poetry praising the greatness of the soul. *Indian origin:
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
and
Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
arrived on the Indonesian islands in the early centuries of the 1st millennium, and along with theology, the peoples of Indonesia and Indian subcontinent exchanged culture, architecture and traded goods. Puppet arts and dramatic plays have been documented in ancient Indian texts, dated to the last centuries of the 1st millennium BCE and the early centuries of the common era. Further, the coastal region of Southern India (
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
and
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...
) which most interacted with Indonesian islands has had an intricate, leather-based puppet art called '' tholu bommalata'', which shares many elements with . Some characters such as the ''Vidusaka'' in Sanskrit drama and '' Semar'' in are very similar. Indian mythologies and characters from the Hindu epics feature in many of the major plays performed, all of which suggest possible Indian origins, or at least an influence in the pre-Islamic period of Indonesian history. Jivan Pani states that developed from two art forms from
Odisha Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
in eastern India, the
Ravana Chhaya Rabana Chhaya is a form of shadow puppetry from the eastern Indian state of Odisha. History ''Rabana Chhaya'' literally means 'the shadow of Ravana' and is named after the eponymous evil king of the South Asian epic Ramayana. The lyrics for the ...
puppet theatre and the Chhau dance. Regardless of its origins, states Brandon, developed and matured into a Javanese phenomenon. There is no true contemporary puppet shadow artwork in either China or India that has the sophistication, depth, and creativity expressed in in Java, Indonesia. The oldest known record concerning is from the 9th century. Old Javanese (Kawi) inscriptions called Jaha Inscriptions from around 840 CE, issued by Maharaja Sri Lokapala from the Mataram Kingdom in
Central Java Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakart ...
, mention three sorts of performers: , , and . means ' puppet show', means 'mask dance show', and means 'joke art'. is described in an 11th-century Javanese poem as a leather shadow figure. In 903 CE, inscriptions called the Balitung ( Mantyasih) inscriptions were created by King
Balitung Sri Maharaja Rakai Watukura Dyah Balitung Sri Dharmodaya Mahasambu was the king of the Kingdom of Mataram. He reigned circa 899–911. His territories included Central Java, East Java, and Bali. In 907 he created the Mantyasih inscription (also ...
from the Sanjaya dynasty, of the Ancient Mataram Kingdom. They state , which means 'Galigi held a puppet show for gods by taking the story of Bima Kumara'. It seems certain features of traditional puppet theatre have survived from that time. Galigi was an itinerant performer who was requested to perform for a special royal occasion. At that event he performed a story about the hero
Bhima In Hindu epic Mahabharata, Bhima ( sa, भीम, ) is the second among the five Pandavas. The '' Mahabharata'' relates many events that portray the might of Bhima. Bhima was born when Vayu, the wind god, granted a son to Kunti and Pandu. ...
from the ''
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the K ...
''. Mpu Kanwa, the poet of Airlangga's court of the Kahuripan kingdom, writes in 1035 CE in his '' kakawin'' (narrative poem) '' Arjunawiwaha'': , which means, "He is steadfast and just a screen away from the 'Mover of the World'." is the Javanese word for the screen, the verse eloquently comparing actual life to a performance where the almighty (the mover of the world) as the ultimate (puppet master) is just a thin screen away from mortals. This reference to as shadow plays suggested that performance was already familiar in Airlangga's court and tradition had been established in Java, perhaps earlier. An inscription from this period also mentions some occupations as and . is a unique form of theatre employing light and shadow. The puppets are crafted from buffalo hide and mounted on bamboo sticks. When held up behind a piece of white cloth, with an electric bulb or an oil lamp as the light source, shadows are cast on the screen. The plays are typically based on romantic tales and religious legends, especially adaptations of the classic Indian epics, the ''Mahabharata'' and the ''
Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages ...
''. Some of the plays are also based on local stories like Panji tales. File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Yogyakarta Midden-Java. Opvoering van Wajang Kulit spel met Gamelanbegeleiding ter gelegenheid van de vijftienjarige troonsverheffing van HB VIII in zijn oude huis op Sompilan 12 Ngasem TMnr 60043327.jpg, ''Wayang kulit'' performance with gamelan accompaniment in the context of the appointment of the throne for Hamengkubuwono VIII's fifteen years in
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
, between 1900 and 1940 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een poppenspeler tijdens een wajang golek voorstelling TMnr 60031943.jpg, A ''dalang'' (puppeteer) in a (wooden puppet) performance, between 1880 and 1910 File:KITLV 3953 - Kassian Céphas - Wayang beber performance of the desa Gelaran at the home of Dr. Wahidin Soedirohoesoedo at Yogyakarta in the middle Dr. GAJ Hazeu - Around 1902.tif, Wayang Beber performance of the desa Gelaran at the home of Dr. Wahidin Soedirohoesodo at
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
; in the middle Dr. GAJ Hazeu,
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, whic ...
, in 1902


Art form


''Wayang kulit''

are without a doubt the best known of the Indonesian . means 'skin', and refers to the leather construction of the puppets that are carefully chiselled with fine tools, supported with carefully shaped buffalo horn handles and control rods, and painted in beautiful hues, including gold. The stories are usually drawn from the Hindu epics the ''Ramayana'' and the ''Mahabharata''. There is a family of characters in Javanese called '' punokawan''; 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 actually the god of love, who has consented to live on earth to help humans. He has three sons: Gareng (the eldest), Petruk (the middle), and Bagong (the youngest). These characters did not originate in the Hindu epics, but were added later. They provide something akin to a political
cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...
, dealing with gossip and contemporary affairs. The puppet figures themselves vary from place to place. In
Central Java Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakart ...
, the city of
Surakarta Surakarta ( jv, ꦯꦸꦫꦏꦂꦠ), known colloquially as Solo ( jv, ꦱꦭ; ), is a city in Central Java, Indonesia. The 44 km2 (16.2 sq mi) city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Su ...
(Solo) and city of
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
have the best-known traditions, and the most commonly imitated style of puppets. Regional styles of shadow puppets can also be found in Temanggung,
West Java West Java ( id, Jawa Barat, su, ᮏᮝ ᮊᮥᮜᮧᮔ᮪, romanized ''Jawa Kulon'') is a province of Indonesia on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten ...
, Banyumas, Cirebon,
Semarang Semarang ( jv, ꦏꦸꦛꦯꦼꦩꦫꦁ , Pegon: سماراڠ) is the capital and largest city of Central Java province in Indonesia. It was a major port during the Dutch colonial era, and is still an important regional center and port today ...
, and
East Java East Java ( id, Jawa Timur) is a province of Indonesia located in the easternmost hemisphere of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean border its northern and ...
. Bali's are more compact and naturalistic figures, and Lombok has figures representing real people. Often modern-world objects as bicycles, automobiles, airplanes and ships will be added for comic effect, but for the most part the traditional puppet designs have changed little in the last 300 years. Historically, the performance consisted of shadows cast by an oil lamp onto a cotton screen. Today, the source of light used in performance in Java is most often a halogen electric light, while Bali still uses the traditional firelight. Some modern forms of such as (from Bahasa Indonesia, since it uses the national language of Indonesian instead of Javanese) created in the Art Academy at Surakarta (STSI) employ theatrical spotlights, colored lights, contemporary music, and other innovations. Making a figure that is suitable for a performance involves hand work that takes several weeks, with the artists working together in groups. They start from master models (typically on paper) which are traced out onto skin or parchment, providing the figures with an outline and with indications of any holes that will need to be cut (such as for the mouth or eyes). The figures are then smoothed, usually with a glass bottle, and primed. The structure is inspected and eventually the details are worked through. A further smoothing follows before individual painting, which is undertaken by yet another craftsman. Finally, the movable parts (upper arms, lower arms with hands and the associated sticks for manipulation) mounted on the body, which has a central staff by which it is held. A crew makes up to ten figures at a time, typically completing that number over the course of a week. However, there is not strong continuing demand for the top skills of craftspersons and the relatively few experts still skilled at the art sometimes find it difficult to earn a satisfactory income. The painting of less expensive puppets is handled expediently with a spray technique, using templates, and with a different person handling each color. Less expensive puppets, often sold to children during performances, are sometimes made on cardboard instead of leather. wayang kulit'' figures (leather shadow puppet)"> File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajang kulit pop voorstellende Kumbakarna. TMnr 8-276.jpg, Kumbakarna, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1914 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangfiguur van perkament voorstellende Gatot Kaca TMnr 8-273.jpg,
Gatot Kaca Ghatotkacha ( sa, घटोत्कच, , literally: "Bald Pot") is a prominent character in the story of ''Mahabharata''. His name comes from the fact that his head was hairless (''utkacha'') and shaped like a ghatam, or a pot. Ghatotkacha ...
, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1914 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangpop van karbouwenhuid voorstellende Wibisana TMnr 809-29a.jpg,
Wibisana Vibhishana () is the younger brother of Ravana, the King of Lanka, in the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. Though a rakshasa himself, Vibhishana turned his back on Ravana, and defected to Rama's side, owing to his dharma. After Rama defeated Ra ...
, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1933 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangpop TMnr 4833-101.jpg, Princess Shinta, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1983 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajang kulit pop voorstellende Yudhistira TMnr 8-264.jpg,
Yudhishthira ''Yudhishthira'' ( Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर, IAST: ''Yudhiṣṭhira'') is the eldest among the five Pandava brothers. He is mentioned in the ancient epic Mahabharata. He was sired by King Pandu of the Kuru Dynasty and his fir ...
, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1914 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangfiguur voorstellende de hemelnymf Dewi Tari TMnr 883-13.jpg, Princess Tari, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1934


''Wayang golek''

( Sundanese: ) are three-dimensional wooden rod puppets that are operated from below by a wooden rod that runs through the body to the head, and by sticks connected to the hands. The construction of the puppets contributes to their versatility, expressiveness and aptitude for imitating human dance. is mainly associated with the Sundanese culture of
West Java West Java ( id, Jawa Barat, su, ᮏᮝ ᮊᮥᮜᮧᮔ᮪, romanized ''Jawa Kulon'') is a province of Indonesia on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten ...
. In Central Java, the wooden is also known as , which originated from Kudus, Central Java. Little is known for certain about the history of , but scholars have speculated that it most likely originated in China and arrived in Java sometime in the 17th century. Some of the oldest traditions of are from the north coast of Java in what is called the
Pasisir ''Pasisir'' is the name given to the northern coastal region of Java. Unlike the agricultural kingdoms of the hinterland, the ''pasisiran'' economy has been based on trade via the Java Sea and its cultural identity has been shaped by foreign cont ...
region. This is home to some of the oldest
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
kingdoms in Java and it is likely that the grew in popularity through telling the stories of Amir Hamza, the uncle of
Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mon ...
. These stories are still widely performed in Kabumen, Tegal, and Jepara as ''
wayang golek menak , also known as ( jv, ꦮꦪꦁ, translit=wayang), is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. refers to the entire dramatic show. Sometimes the leather puppet itself is referred to as . Perfor ...
'', and in Cirebon, ''
wayang golek cepak , also known as ( jv, ꦮꦪꦁ, translit=wayang), is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. refers to the entire dramatic show. Sometimes the leather puppet itself is referred to as . Perfor ...
''. Legends about the origins of the attribute their invention to the Muslim saint Wali Sunan Kudus, who used the medium to proselytize Muslim values. In the 18th century, the tradition moved into the mountainous region of Priangan,
West Java West Java ( id, Jawa Barat, su, ᮏᮝ ᮊᮥᮜᮧᮔ᮪, romanized ''Jawa Kulon'') is a province of Indonesia on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten ...
, where it eventually was used to tell stories of the ''Ramayana'' and the ''Mahabharata'' in a tradition now called , which can be found in
Bandung Bandung ( su, ᮘᮔ᮪ᮓᮥᮀ, Bandung, ; ) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of West Java. It has a population of 2,452,943 within its city limits according to the official estimates as at mid 2021, making it the fourth most ...
,
Bogor Bogor ( su, , nl, Buitenzorg) is a city in the West Java province, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.Mataram kejawen culture by Sundanese aristocrats was probably the remnant of Mataram influence over the Priangan region during the expansive reign of
Sultan Agung Sultan Anyakrakusuma is known as Sultan Agung ( jv, ꦱꦸꦭ꧀ꦠꦤ꧀ꦲꦒꦸꦁꦲꦢꦶꦥꦿꦧꦸꦲꦚꦏꦿꦏꦸꦱꦸꦩ, Sultan Agung Adi Prabu Anyakrakusuma) was the third Sultan of Mataram in Central Java ruling from 1613 to 1645 ...
. While the main characters from the ''Ramayana'' and ''Mahabharata'' are similar to versions from Central Java, some (servants or jesters) were rendered in Sundanese names and characteristics, such as Cepot or Astrajingga as Bagong, and Dawala or Udel as Petruk. '' Wayang golek purwa'' has become the most popular form of today. wayang golek'' figures (3D wooden puppet)"> File:Cepot in wayang golek form, 2015-05-14 03.jpg, Cepot, a Sundanese Punokawan,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
File:Puppet (AM 2004.89.151-1).jpg, Rahwana,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
in 2004 File:Puppet (AM 2004.89.149-1).jpg, Ramawijaya,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
in 2004 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Houten wajangpop voorstellende Gatot Kaca TMnr 4283-3.jpg,
Gatot kaca Ghatotkacha ( sa, घटोत्कच, , literally: "Bald Pot") is a prominent character in the story of ''Mahabharata''. His name comes from the fact that his head was hairless (''utkacha'') and shaped like a ghatam, or a pot. Ghatotkacha ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
in 2015 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Houten wajangpop voorstellende de reus Kumbakarna TMnr 4283-8.jpg, Kumbakarna,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
before 1976 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Houten wajangpop voorstellende Draupadi TMnr 4283-70.jpg, Dewi Drupadi,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
before 1976


''Wayang klitik''

or figures occupy a middle ground between the figures of and . They are constructed similarly to figures, but from thin pieces of wood instead of leather, and, like figures, are used as shadow puppets. A further similarity is that they are the same smaller size as figures. However, wood is more subject to breakage than leather. During battle scenes, figures often sustain considerable damage, much to the amusement of the public, but in a country in which before 1970 there were no adequate glues available, breakage generally meant an expensive, newly made figure. On this basis the figures, which are to appear in plays where they have to endure battle scenes, have leather arms. The name of these figures is onomotopaeic, from the sound that these figures make when worked by the . figures come originally from eastern Java, where one still finds workshops turning them out. They are less costly to produce than figures. The origin of the stories involved in these puppet plays comes from the kingdoms of eastern Java: Jenggala, Kediri and Majapahit. From Jenggala and Kediri come the stories of Raden Panji and
Cindelaras Cindelaras is a figure from East Java, East Javanese folklore.Dwianto Setyawan. 1992. Cerita Rakyat dari Jawa Timur: Volume 1. Jakarta:Grasindo. Hlm 1. He was the son of Raden Putra.Cervenia Susilo. 2010. Pustaka Dongeng Nusantara.Jakarta:Elex Med ...
, which tells of the adventures of a pair of village youngsters with their fighting cocks. The '' Damarwulan'' presents the stories of a hero from Majapahit. Damarwulan is a clever chap, who with courage, aptitude, intelligence and the assistance of his young lover Anjasmara makes a surprise attack on the neighboring kingdom and brings down Minakjinggo, an ''Adipati'' (viceroy) of Blambangan and mighty enemy of Majapahit's beautiful queen Sri Ratu Kencanawungu. As a reward, Damarwulan is married to Kencanawungu and becomes king of Majapahit; he also takes Lady Anjasmara as a second wife. This story is full of love affairs and battles and is very popular with the public. The is liable to incorporate the latest local gossip and quarrels and work them into the play as comedy. wayang klithik'' figures (flat wooden puppet)"> File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wayang Kelitik pop Menak Jingga voorstellende TMnr 2255-6.jpg, Menak Jingga, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1953 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Platte houten wajangpop mogelijk Damar Wulan TMnr 809-30.jpg,
Damar Wulan Damarwulan is a Javanese legendary hero who appears in a cycle of stories used in the performance of wayang klitik, as well as Langendriya (female dance-opera) and '' ketoprak'' (popular theater). These stories tell of the struggles between the ...
, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1933 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wayang Kelitik pop Menak Jingga voorstellende TMnr 1964-24.jpg,
Demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in Media (communication), media such as comics, video ...
, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1950 File:ZP 05 Batara Guru 02.jpg, Figure of Batara Guru File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Houten wajangpop TMnr 5078-1.jpg,
Duryudhana Duryodhana ( sa, दुर्योधन, ) also known as Suyodhana, is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata.'' He was the eldest of the Kauravas, the hundred sons of the blind king Dhritarashtra and his queen Gandhari. Being ...
, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1986 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangpop voorstellend Raden Bratasena TMnr 195-43.jpg, Brathasena, Tropenmuseum collection,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
, before 1986


''Wayang beber''

relies on scroll-painted presentations of the stories being told. has strong similarities to narratives in the form of illustrated ballads that were common at annual fairs in medieval and early modern
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
. They have also been subject to the same fate—they have nearly vanished, although there are still some groups of artists who support in places such as
Surakarta Surakarta ( jv, ꦯꦸꦫꦏꦂꦠ), known colloquially as Solo ( jv, ꦱꦭ; ), is a city in Central Java, Indonesia. The 44 km2 (16.2 sq mi) city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Su ...
(Solo) in Central Java. Chinese visitors to Java during the 15th century described a storyteller who unrolled scrolls and told stories that made the audience laugh or cry. A few scrolls of images remain from those times, found today in museums. There are two sets, hand-painted on hand-made bark cloth, that are still owned by families who have inherited them from many generations ago, in Pacitan and Wonogiri, both villages in Central Java. Performances, mostly in small open-sided pavilions or auditoriums, take place according to the following pattern: The gives a sign, the small gamelan orchestra with drummer and a few knobbed gongs and a musician with a (a violin-like instrument held vertically) begins to play, and the 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 the 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 beber'' scenes"> File:Abb32,Gedompol.jpg, Final fight in alun-alun in Kediri,
East Java East Java ( id, Jawa Timur) is a province of Indonesia located in the easternmost hemisphere of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean border its northern and ...
. Tawang Alun kills
Klana Klana ( it, Clana) is a municipality in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in northwestern Croatia. Geography The municipal area is situated in the densely forested Gorski kotar mountains, about north of Rijeka and the Kvarner Gulf, close to the bord ...
.
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
17th century File:Abb36,Gedompol.jpg, Princess Sekar Taji, mbok Kili (left), and Ganda Ripa or Panji (right) in the palace in Kediri, 17th century File:Abb43,Geleran.jpg, Radèn Gunung Sari on horse says goodbye to his advisers Tratag and Gimeng before travelling to princess Kumuda Ningrat, 18th century File:Abb17,Gedompol.jpg, Princess Sekar Taji and Panji meet in Paluhamba market, 17th century File:Abb31,Gedompol.jpg, Princess Sekar Taji in palace garden approached by
Klana Klana ( it, Clana) is a municipality in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in northwestern Croatia. Geography The municipal area is situated in the densely forested Gorski kotar mountains, about north of Rijeka and the Kvarner Gulf, close to the bord ...
, 17th century File:Abb68;Gelaran.jpg, Competition between Panji Sepuh (left) and Jaya Puspita (right), 18th century


''Wayang wong''

, also known as (literally 'human '), is a type of Javanese theatrical performance wherein human characters imitate the movements of a puppet show. The show also integrates dance by the human characters into the dramatic performance. It typically shows episodes of the ''Ramayana'' or the ''Mahabharata''. File:Wayang Wong Bharata Pandawa.jpg,
Pandava The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, IAST: Pāṇḍava) refers to the five legendary brothers— Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who are the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledge ...
and
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is on ...
in a performance File:Duryodana dalam pertunjukan wayang wong di Semarang, Jawa Tengah.jpg, King
Duryodana Duryodhana ( sa, दुर्योधन, ) also known as Suyodhana, is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata.'' He was the eldest of the Kauravas, the hundred sons of the blind king Dhritarashtra and his queen Gandhari. Being ...
in a performance in Taman Budaya Rahmat Saleh,
Semarang Semarang ( jv, ꦏꦸꦛꦯꦼꦩꦫꦁ , Pegon: سماراڠ) is the capital and largest city of Central Java province in Indonesia. It was a major port during the Dutch colonial era, and is still an important regional center and port today ...
,
Jawa Tengah Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakarta in t ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
File:Pementasan Wayang Orang.jpg, Giants in a performance File:Punakawan di Taman Budaya Rahmat Saleh, Semarang, Jawa Tengah.jpg, '' Punokawan'' in a performance File:Rama dan Sinta.jpg,
Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bei ...
and Shinta in a Ramayana Ballet performance File:Wayang Orang Taman Sriwedari.jpg, Opening of performance, usually showing traditional Javanese dance


''Wayang topeng''

or theatrical performances take themes from the Panji cycle of stories from the kingdom of Janggala. The players wear masks known as or . The word comes from which, like ''
topeng ''Topeng'' (from ban, ᬢᭀᬧᬾᬂ, su, ᮒᮧᮕᮨᮔᮌ, and jv, ꦠꦺꦴꦥꦺꦁ, topeng, mask) is a dramatic form of Indonesian dance in which one or more mask-wearing, ornately costumed performers interpret traditional narratives c ...
'', means 'mask'. centers on a love story about Princess Candra Kirana of Kediri and Raden Panji Asmarabangun, the legendary crown prince of Janggala. Candra Kirana was the incarnation of
Dewi Ratih Dewi Ratih, also known as ''Sang Hyang Ratih'' or ''Sang Hyang Semara Ratih'', is a Hindu lunar goddess worshipped in Java and Bali. She is well known for her beauty and grace, thus she was also known as the Goddess of Beauty. Her myth is linked ...
(the Hindu goddess of love) and Panji was an incarnation of Kamajaya (the Hindu god of love). Kirana's story has been given the title ''
Smaradahana ''Smaradahana'', also known as ''Smaradhana'', ''Asmaradhana'', ''Asmaradahana'', ''Asmaradana'', ''Asmarandhana'' or ''Asmarandana'' is an old Javanese poem (''kakawin'') written by Mpu Dharmaja as the eulogy for King Kameçvara of Kediri in ea ...
'' ("The fire of love"). At the end of the complicated story they finally marry and bring forth a son named Raja Putra. Originally, was performed only as an aristocratic entertainment in the palaces of
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
and
Surakarta Surakarta ( jv, ꦯꦸꦫꦏꦂꦠ), known colloquially as Solo ( jv, ꦱꦭ; ), is a city in Central Java, Indonesia. The 44 km2 (16.2 sq mi) city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Su ...
. In the course of time, it spread to become a popular and folk form as well. File:Menari Topeng Malang.jpg, Dancing in
Malang Malang (; ) is a landlocked city in the Indonesian province of East Java. It has a history dating back to the age of Singhasari Kingdom. It is the second most populous city in the province, with a population of 820,043 at the 2010 Census and ...
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Studioportret van een groep wajang topeng spelers TMnr 60027221.jpg, Studio portrait of actors File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een wajang wong voorstelling bij de regent van Malang TMnr 10017908.jpg,
Malang Malang (; ) is a landlocked city in the Indonesian province of East Java. It has a history dating back to the age of Singhasari Kingdom. It is the second most populous city in the province, with a population of 820,043 at the 2010 Census and ...
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een wajang wong voorstelling TMnr 60018012.jpg, in
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Portret van een groep wajang wong spelers in de buitenlucht TMnr 60043366.jpg, in
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een wajang wong voorstelling aan het hof van de Sultan van Jogjakarta TMnr 60046822.jpg, in
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...


Stories

characters are derived from several groups of stories and settings. The most popular and the most ancient is , whose story and characters were derived from the Indian Hindu epics the ''Ramayana'' and ''Mahabharata'', set in the ancient kingdoms of Hastinapura, Ayodhya, and Alengkapura (Lanka). Another group of characters is derived from the Panji cycle, natively developed in Java during the Kediri Kingdom; these stories are set in the twin Javanese kingdoms of Janggala and Panjalu (Kediri).


''Wayang purwa''

( Javanese for 'ancient' or 'original ') refer to that are based on the Hindu epics the ''Ramayana'' and ''Mahabharata''. They are usually performed as , , and dance dramas. In
Central Java Central Java ( id, Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogyakart ...
, popular characters include the following (Notopertomo & Jatirahayu 2001): ; Satriya * Bima *
Arjuna Arjuna (Sanskrit: अर्जुन, ), also known as Partha and Dhananjaya, is a character in several ancient Hindu texts, and specifically one of the major characters of the Indian epic Mahabharata. In the epic, he is the third among Panda ...
* Dursasana *
Nakula In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, ''Nakula'' (Sanskrit: नकुल) was fourth of the five Pandava brothers. Nakula and Sahadeva were twins blessed to Madri, by Ashwini Kumaras, the divine physicians. Their parents Pandu and Madri - died e ...
* Sadewa * Antareja * Ghatotkaca * Antasena *
Abimanyu Abhimanyu is a legendary warrior from the ancient Hindu history ''Mahabharata''. He was born to the third Pandava prince Arjuna and the Yadu princess Subhadra, who was Krishna's younger sister. The ''Sambhava Parva'' of the Adi Parva states ...
* Wisanggeni *
Irawan Iravan also known as Iravat and Iravant, is a minor character from the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The son of Pandava prince Arjuna (one of the main heroes of the Mahabharata) and the Naga princess Ulupi, Iravan is the central deity of the cu ...
*
Sumantri Sumantri Peak (also spelled ''Soemantri'' or ''Soemantri Brodjonegoro''SummitPost.orgSumantri - Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering/ref>) is a sharp mountain in the western Sudirman Range ( Papua). It rises . The peak is approximately 2 km nor ...
*
Wibisana Vibhishana () is the younger brother of Ravana, the King of Lanka, in the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. Though a rakshasa himself, Vibhishana turned his back on Ravana, and defected to Rama's side, owing to his dharma. After Rama defeated Ra ...
;
Raja ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested ...
* Arjuna Sasrabahu * Rama Wijaya * Dasamuka * Destarata * Pandu Dewanata * Subali and Sugriwa * Barata *
Baladewa Balarama (Sanskrit: बलराम, IAST: ''Balarāma'') is a Hindu god and the elder brother of Krishna. He is particularly significant in the Jagannath tradition, as one of the triad deities. He is also known as Haladhara, Halayudha, Balade ...
* Duryudana * Kresna *
Karna Karna (Sanskrit: कर्ण, IAST: ''Karṇa''), also known as Vasusena, Anga-raja, and Radheya, is one of the main protagonists of the Hindu epic '' Mahābhārata''. He is the son of the sun god Surya and princess Kunti (mother of the ...
* Yudhistira ; Dewa * Sang Hyang Tunggal *Sang Hyang Wenang * Batara Narada * Batara Guru * Dewa Ruci *Batara
Indra Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war.  volumes/ref> I ...
*Batara
Surya Surya (; sa, सूर्य, ) is the sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a ...
*Batara
Wisnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...
*Sang Hyang Nagaraja * Lembu Andini * Batara Ganesha ; Resi * Anoman * Bhisma * Durna * Rama Bargawa ; Putri *
Sinta Sinta is a town and sub-prefecture in the Télimélé Prefecture in the Kindia Region Kindia Region ( Pular: 𞤁𞤭𞥅𞤱𞤢𞤤 𞤑𞤭𞤲𞤣𞤭𞤴𞤢𞥄) is located in western Guinea. It is bordered by the country of Sier ...
*
Kunti Kunti ( sa, कुन्ती, ), named at birth as Pritha ( sa, पृथा, ), is one of the prominent characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. She is best known as the mother of the Pandavas and Karna, the main protagonists of the epi ...
* Drupadi * Sumbadra *
Srikandi Srikandi (foaled 10 October 2010) is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse trained in Australia. She won the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap and Tattersall's Tiara. She won over two million dollars. Career Ridden by Craig Williams, Srikandi had her f ...
;
Abdi Abdi is a male name. It is a given name used in several countries with different origins. The Oromo version of the name, used within Ethiopia, translates to ‘Hope’. Among others, one version has Arabic has meaning which is loosely translated a ...
* Semar * Gareng * Petruk * Bagong ; Raksasa * Kumbakarna * Sarpakanaka * Indrajit Megananda * Sukrasana * Kalabendana * Cakil File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangfiguur voorstellende Anggada TMnr 15-954-31.jpg, ''Wayang kulit'' (shadow puppet) Anggada, Tropenmuseum collection, Indonesia, before 1900 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangfiguur voorstellende Jayadrata TMnr 15-954-23.jpg, ''Wayang kulit'' (shadow puppet)
Jayadrata Jayadratha () is the king of the Sindhu kingdom featured in the Mahabharata. He was married to Dushala, the only sister of the hundred Kaurava brothers. The son of the king Vriddhakshatra, he is killed by Arjuna. He has a son named Suratha. Et ...
, Tropenmuseum collection, Indonesia, before 1900 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangfiguur voorstellende Kendran TMnr 15-954-13.jpg, ''Wayang kulit'' (shadow puppet) Kendran, Tropenmuseum collection, Indonesia, before 1900 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangfiguur voorstellende Sangruda TMnr 15-954-40.jpg, ''Wayang kulit'' (shadow puppet)
Sangruda Garuda (Sanskrit: ; Pāli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरुळ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garuda is a ...
, Tropenmuseum collection, Indonesia, before 1900 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangfiguur voorstellende Duryadana TMnr 15-954-91.jpg, ''Wayang kulit'' (shadow puppet) Duryadana, Tropenmuseum collection, Indonesia, before 1900 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajangfiguur voorstellende Gatakaca TMnr 15-954-93.jpg, ''Wayang kulit'' (shadow puppet) Gatakaca, Tropenmuseum collection, Indonesia, before 1900


''Wayang panji''

Derived from the Panji cycles, natively developed in Java during the Kediri Kingdom, the story set in the twin Javanese kingdoms of Janggala and Panjalu (Kediri). Its form of expressions are usually performed as (masked ) and dance dramas of Java and Bali. * Raden Panji, alias Panji Asmoro Bangun, alias Panji Kuda Wanengpati, alias Inu Kertapati *Galuh Chandra Kirana, alias Sekartaji *Panji Semirang, alias Kuda Narawangsa, the male disguise of Princess Kirana *Anggraeni


''Wayang Menak''

is a cycle of puppet plays that feature the heroic exploits of Wong Agung Jayengrana, who is based on the 12th-century Muslim literary hero Amir Hamzah. stories have been performed in the islands of Java and Lombok in the Indonesian archipelago for several hundred years. They are predominantly performed in Java as , or wooden rod-puppets, but also can be found on Lombok as the shadow puppet tradition, . The tradition most likely originated along the north coast of Java under Chinese Muslim influences and spread East and South and is now most commonly found in the South Coastal region of Kabumen and Yogyakarta. The word is a Javanese honorific title that is given to people who are recognized at court for their exemplary character even though they are not nobly born. Jayengrana is just such a character who inspires allegiance and devotion through his selfless modesty and his devotion to a monotheistic faith called the "Religion of Abraham." Jayengrana and his numerous followers do battle with the pagan faiths that threaten their peaceable realm of Koparman. The chief instigator of trouble is Pati Bestak, counselor to King Nuresewan, who goads pagan kings to capture Jayengrana's wife Dewi Munninggar. The pagan Kings eventually fail to capture her and either submit to Jayengrana and renounce their pagan faith or die swiftly in combat. The literary figure of Amir Hamzah is loosely based on the historic person of Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib who was the paternal uncle of
Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mon ...
. Hamzah was a fierce warrior who fought alongside Muhammad and died in the battle of Uhud in 624 CE. the literary tradition traveled from Persia to India and from then on to Southeast Asia where the court poet Yasadipura I (1729-1802) set down the epic in the
Javanese language Javanese (, , ; , Aksara Jawa: , Pegon: , IPA: ) is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken by the Javanese people from the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, Indonesia. There are also pockets of Javanese speakers on the nort ...
in the ''Serat Menak''. The wooden is similar in shape to ; it is most prevalent on the northern coast of Central Java, especially the Kudus area. * Wong Agung Jayengrana/Amir Ambyah/ Amir Hamzah * Prabu Nursewan * Umar Maya * Umar Madi * Dewi Retna Muninggar File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Houten wajangpop Amir Hamza alias Menak alias Jayengrana voorstellend TMnr 6148-5-4a.jpg, ''Wayang golek'' , Jayengrana, a collection from Tropenmuseum, the Netherlands, before 2003 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Houten wajangpop Umarmaya voorstellende TMnr 6148-5-1a.jpg, ''Wayang golek'' , Umarmaya, a collection at Tropenmuseum, the Netherlands, before 2003 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Houten wajangpop TMnr 6148-5-7.jpg, ''Wayang golek'' , Umarmadi, a collection at Tropenmuseum, the Netherlands, before 2003 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Houten wajangpop TMnr 6148-5-5.jpg, ''Wayang golek'' , Jiweng, a collection at Tropenmuseum, the Netherlands, before 2003 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Houten wajangpop TMnr 6148-5-6a.jpg, ''Wayang golek'' , Putri Murtinjung, a collection at Tropenmuseum, the Netherlands, before 2003 File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Houten wajangpop TMnr 6148-5-8a.jpg, Wayang Golek , King Maktal (Albania), a collection at Tropenmuseum, the Netherlands, before 2003


''Wayang Kancil''

is a type of shadow puppet with the main character of and other animal stories taken from '' Hitopadeça'' and ''Tantri Kamandaka''. was created by Sunan Giri at the end of the 15th century and is used as a medium for preaching Islam in
Gresik Gresik Regency ( older spelling: Grissee, ) is a regency within East Java Province of Indonesia. As well as a large part of the Surabaya northern and western suburbs, it includes the offshore Bawean Island, some 125 km to the north of Java ...
. The story of is very popular with the children, has a humorous element, and can be used as a medium of education because the message conveyed through the media is very good for children. is not different from ; is also made from buffalo skin. Even the playing is not much different, accompanied by a gamelan. The language used by the puppeteer depends on the location of the performance and the type of audience. If the audience is a child, generally the puppeteer uses Javanese Ngoko in its entirety, but sometimes Krama Madya and Krama Inggil are inserted in human scenes. The puppets are carved, painted, drawn realistically, and adapted to the puppet performance. The colors in the detail of the are very interesting and varied. Figures depicted in the form of prey animals such as tigers, elephants, buffaloes, cows, reptiles, and fowl such as crocodiles, lizards, snakes, various types of birds, and other animals related to the tale. There are also human figures, including Pak Tani and Bu Tani, but there are not many human figures narrated. The total number of puppets is only about 100 pieces per set. File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajang Kantjil pop dwerghert TMnr 6189-5.jpg, File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajang Kantjil pop hond TMnr 6189-4.jpg, File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajang Kantjil pop tijger TMnr 6189-6.jpg, File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajang Kantjil pop krokodil TMnr 6189-7.jpg, File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajang Kantjil pop slak TMnr 6189-9.jpg, File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wajang Kantjil pop dochter van de boer TMnr 6189-3.jpg,


Other stories

The historically popular typically is based on the Hindu epics the ''Mahabharata'' and the ''Ramayana''. In the 1960s, the Christian missionary effort adopted the art form to create . The Javanese
Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...
Brother Timotheus L. Wignyosubroto used the show to communicate to the Javanese and other Indonesians the teachings of the
Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus ...
and of the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
in a manner accessible to the audience. Similarly, has deployed for the religious teachings of Islam, while has used it as a medium for national politics. There have also been attempts to retell modern fiction with the art of , most famously ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has been expanded into various film ...
'' as done by Malaysians Tintuoy Chuo and Dalang Pak Dain.


Cultural context

Its initial function, is a ritual intended for ancestral spirits of the ''
hyang ''Hyang'' ( Kawi, Sundanese, Javanese, and Balinese) is a representation of the Supreme Being, in ancient Java and Bali mythology. This spiritual entity can be either divine or ancestral. The reverence for this spiritual entity can be foun ...
'' belief. Furthermore, undergoes a shift in role, namely as a medium for social communication. The plays that are performed in the , usually hold several values, such as
education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
,
culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups ...
, and teachings of
philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...
. functions as an effective medium in conveying messages, information, and lessons. was used as an effective medium in spreading
religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...
s ranging from
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
to
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...
. Because of the flexibility of puppets, they still exist today and are used for various purposes. functions can be grouped into three, namely:


''Tatanan'' (norms and values)

is a performance medium that can contain all aspects of human life. Human thoughts, whether related to
ideology An ideology is a set of beliefs or philosophies attributed to a person or group of persons, especially those held for reasons that are not purely epistemic, in which "practical elements are as prominent as theoretical ones." Formerly applied pri ...
,
politics Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
,
economy An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with th ...
,
social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives from ...
,
culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups ...
, law,
defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indus ...
, and
security" \n\n\nsecurity.txt is a proposed standard for websites' security information that is meant to allow security researchers to easily report security vulnerabilities. The standard prescribes a text file called \"security.txt\" in the well known locat ...
, can be contained in . In the puppets contain order, namely a norm or convention that contains
ethics Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concer ...
(
moral A moral (from Latin ''morālis'') is a message that is conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader, or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim. ...
philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...
). These norms or conventions are agreed upon and used as guidelines for the mastermind artists. In the puppet show, there are rules of the game along with the procedures for puppetry and how to play the puppet, from generation to generation and tradition, over time it becomes something that is agreed upon as a guideline (convention). is an educational medium that focuses on moral and character education. Character education is something that is urgent and fundamental; character education can form a person who has good behavior.


''Tuntunan'' (guidelines)

is a communicative medium in society. is used as a means of understanding a tradition, an approach to society, lighting, and disseminating values. as a medium for character education lies not only in the elements of the story, the stage, the instruments, and the art of puppetry, but also the embodiment of values in each character. The embodiment of characters can describe a person's character. From the puppet one can learn about
leadership Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets v ...
,
courage Courage (also called bravery or valor) is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. Valor is courage or bravery, especially in battle. Physical courage is bravery in the face of physical pain, ...
, determination,
honesty Honesty or truthfulness is a facet of moral character that connotes positive and virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, straightforwardness, including straightforwardness of conduct, along with the absence of lying, cheating, th ...
, and sincerity. Apart from that, the puppets can reflect the nature of
anger Anger, also known as wrath or rage, is an intense emotional state involving a strong uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat. A person experiencing anger will often experience physical effects, su ...
, namely greed, jealousy, envy, cruelty, and ambition.


''Tontonan'' (entertainment)

puppet performances are a form of entertainment () for the community. performances in the form of theatre performances are still very popular especially in the islands of Java and Bali. Puppet shows are still the favorite of the community and are often included in TV,
radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30  hertz (Hz) and 300  gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a tr ...
,
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
, and other
social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social me ...
. performances present a variety of arts such as drama, music, dance, literary arts, and fine arts. Dialogue between characters, narrative expressions (, , ), , , , and are important elements in performances.


Artist


Dalang

The '' dalang'', sometimes referred to as or , is the puppeteer behind the performance. It is he who sits behind the screen, sings and narrates the dialogues of different characters of the story. With a traditional orchestra in the background to provide a resonant melody and its conventional rhythm, the ''dalang'' modulates his voice to create suspense, thus heightening the drama. Invariably, the play climaxes with the triumph of good over evil. The is highly respected in Indonesian culture for his knowledge, art and as a spiritual person capable of bringing to life the spiritual stories in the religious epics. The figures of the are also present in the paintings of that time, for example, the roof murals of the courtroom in
Klungkung Klungkung Regency is the smallest regency (''kabupaten'') on Bali, Indonesia. It has an area of 315 km2 and had a population at the 2010 Census of 170,543 which increased to 206,925 at the Census of 2020. The administrative centre for the reg ...
, Bali. They are still present in traditional Balinese painting today. The figures are painted, flat (5 to at most 15 mm — about half an inch — thick) woodcarvings with movable arms. The head is solidly attached to the body. can be used to perform puppet plays either during the day or at night. This type of is relatively rare. today is both the most ancient and the most popular form of puppet theatre in the world. Hundreds of people will stay up all night long to watch the superstar performers, , who command extravagant fees and are international celebrities. Some of the most famous in recent history are Ki Nartosabdho, Ki Anom Suroto, Ki Asep Sunandar Sunarya, Ki Sugino, and Ki Manteb Sudarsono.


''Sindhen''

Pasindhèn or (from Javanese) is the term for a woman who sings to accompany a gamelan orchestra, generally as the sole singer. A good singer must have extensive communication skills and good vocal skills as well as the ability to sing many songs. The title ''Sinden'' comes from the word which means 'rich in songs' or 'who sing the song'. can be interpreted as someone singing a song. In addition, is also commonly referred to as which is taken from a combination of the words and . The word itself means 'someone who is female' and which means 'itself'; in ancient times, the was the only woman in the or performance.


''Wiyaga''

is a term in the musical arts which means a group of people who have special skills playing the gamelan, especially in accompanying traditional ceremonies and performing arts. is also called or which means 'gamelan musician'.


Wayang Museum

The Wayang Museum is located in the tourist area of the
Kota Tua Jakarta Kota Tua Jakarta ( Indonesian for "Jakarta Old Town"), officially known as Kota Tua, is a neighborhood comprising the original downtown area of Jakarta, Indonesia. It is also known as (Dutch for "Old Batavia"), ("Lower City", contrasting it wi ...
(old city) in Jalan Pintu Besar Utara No.27, Jakarta 11110, Indonesia. The Wayang Museum is adjacent to the Jakarta Historical Museum. This museum has various types of Indonesian collections such as , , , , , and another Indonesian . There is also a collection of masks (''
topeng ''Topeng'' (from ban, ᬢᭀᬧᬾᬂ, su, ᮒᮧᮕᮨᮔᮌ, and jv, ꦠꦺꦴꦥꦺꦁ, topeng, mask) is a dramatic form of Indonesian dance in which one or more mask-wearing, ornately costumed performers interpret traditional narratives c ...
''), gamelan, and paintings. The collections are not only from Indonesia, but there are many collections of puppets from various countries such as
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
,
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
,
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...
,
Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the nor ...
,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
,
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...
,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
,
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...
, and many other countries.


Gallery

File:Wayang Painting of Bharatayudha Battle.jpg, ''Wayang'' glass painting depiction of Bharatayudha battle. File:Gong Chimes and percussion, Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, Arizona.jpg, A ''wayang kulit'' set and a gamelan ensemble collection, Indonesia section at the Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix,
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
,
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
.
File:SANG DALANG.jpg, A show in
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
, Indonesia, presenting a puppet.
File:Dalang.jpg, ''Wayang golek'' (3D wooden puppet),
Gatot Kaca Ghatotkacha ( sa, घटोत्कच, , literally: "Bald Pot") is a prominent character in the story of ''Mahabharata''. His name comes from the fact that his head was hairless (''utkacha'') and shaped like a ghatam, or a pot. Ghatotkacha ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
in 2017.
File:Wayang Golek Sunda PRJ 1.jpg, Sundanese ''wayang golek'' (3D wooden puppet),
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
.
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een wajang kelitik voorstelling met gamelanorkest in Ngandong TMnr 60023519.jpg, A (flat wooden puppet) performance with a gamelan orchestra in
Ngandong Solo Man (''Homo erectus soloensis'') is a subspecies of ''H. erectus'' that lived along the Solo River in Java, Indonesia, about 117,000 to 108,000 years ago in the Late Pleistocene. This population is the last known record of the species. It ...
,
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
, in 1918.
File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een gamelanorkest begeleidt het schaduwpoppenspel Wajang koelit. TMnr 60003354.jpg, ''Wayang kulit'' (shadow puppet show) accompanied by a gamelan ensemble in
Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
, circa 1870.
File:Wayang (shadow puppets) from central Java, a scene from 'Irawan's Wedding'.jpg, (shadow puppets) from central Java, a scene from ''
Irawan Iravan also known as Iravat and Iravant, is a minor character from the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The son of Pandava prince Arjuna (one of the main heroes of the Mahabharata) and the Naga princess Ulupi, Iravan is the central deity of the cu ...
's Wedding'', mid-20th century, University of Hawaii Dept. of Theater and Dance.
File:Wayang Beber Opened.jpg, depiction of a battle. File:Wayangan (259).jpg, and (puppeteer), Ki Entus Susmono. File:Sisi Lain Seorang Dalang.jpg, performance in
Yogyakarta Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
.
File:Wayang show.jpg, ''Wayang kulit'' (leather shadow puppet) performance. File:Wayang Kulit; Kayonan (tree of life), Arjuna and Sumbadra from Java.JPG, Kayon ( Gunungan). File:Costume dolls of Makassar couple.jpg,


See also

* Wayang kulit * Wayang golek * Wayang beber * Culture of Indonesia *
Javanese culture Javanese culture is the culture of the Javanese people. Javanese culture is centered in the provinces of Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java in Indonesia. Due to various migrations, it can also be found in other parts of the world, such as ...
* Gamelan * Wayang Museum


References

* Signell, Karl. ''Shadow Music of Java''. 1996 Rounder Records CD #5060, Cambridge MA. * This article was initially translated from the German-language Wikipedia article. * Poplawska, Marzanna. ''Asian Theatre Journal''. Fall 2004, Vol. 21, p. 194–202.


Further reading

* * Brandon, James (1970). ''On Thrones of Gold — Three Javanese Shadow Plays''. Harvard. * Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof (1994). ''Dictionary of Traditional South-East Asian Theatre''. Oxford University Press. * Clara van Groenendael, Victoria (1985). ''The Dalang Behind the Wayang''. Dordrecht, Foris. * Keeler, Ward (1987). ''Javanese Shadow Plays, Javanese Selves''. Princeton University Press. * Keeler, Ward (1992). ''Javanese Shadow Puppets''. OUP. * Long, Roger (1982). ''Javanese shadow theatre: Movement and characterization in Ngayogyakarta wayang kulit''. Umi Research Press. * Mellema, R.L. (1988). ''Wayang Puppets: Carving, Colouring, Symbolism''. Amsterdam, Royal Tropical Institute, Bulletin 315. * Mudjanattistomo (1976). ''Pedhalangan Ngayogyakarta''. Yogyakarta (in Javanese). * Signell, Karl (1996). ''Shadow Music of Java''. CD booklet. Rounder Records CD 5060. * Soedarsono (1984). ''Wayang Wong''. Yogyakarta, Gadjah Mada University Press.


External links


Historical Development of Puppetry: Scenic Shades (includes information about wayang beber, kulit, klitik and golek)


* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20041104025934/http://www.indonesiatourism.go.id/gallery/traddance.htm Wayang Orang (wayang wong) traditional dance, from Indonesia Tourism
Wayang Klitik: a permanent exhibit of Puppetry Arts Museum

Wayang Golek Photo Gallery, includes description, history and photographs of individual puppets by Walter O. Koenig

Wayang Kulit: The Art form of the Balinese Shadow Play
by Lisa Gold
Wayang Puppet Theatre
on the Indonesian site of
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

The Wayang Golek Wooden Stick Puppets of Java, Indonesia
(commercial site)

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20090429070314/http://www.internationalfolkart.org/exhibitions/dancingshadows.html Wayang Kulit exhibition at the Museum of International Folk Art
Wayang Kulit Collection of Shadow Puppets, Simon Fraser University Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology digitized on Multicultural Canada website

Contemporary Wayang Archive, by the National University of Singapore

Wayang Kontemporer, an interactive PhD dissertation on Contemporary Wayang Archive
{{Indonesian drama and theatre Indonesian culture Puppetry Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity Traditional drama and theatre of Indonesia Indonesian words and phrases Theatre in Indonesia