Wayang Kulit(shadow puppets)

By: Febrianti-INA

Wayang is an Indonesian word for theatre (literally "shadow").[1] When the term is used to refer to kinds of puppet

theater, sometimes the puppet itself is referred to as wayang. Performances of shadow puppet theater are

accompanied by gamelan in Java, and by "gender wayang" in Bali.

UNESCO designated Wayang Kulit, a shadow puppet theater and the best known of the Indonesian wayang, as a

Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003. In return of the acknowledgment,

UNESCO demanded Indonesia to preserve their heritage

Wayang Kulit 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.

Wayang Kulit plays are invariably based on romantic tales, especially adaptations of the classic Indian epics, "The Mahabarata" and "The Ramayana". Some of the

plays are also based on local happenings (current issues) or other local secular stories. It is up to the conductor or "Tok Dalang" to decide his direction.

A Dalang performing Wayang Kulit in Java, circa 1890.The Dalang is the genius behind the entire performance. It is he who

sits behind the screen and narrates 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.

Hinduism arrived in Indonesia from India even before the Christian era, and was slowly adopted as the local belief system. Sanskrit became the literary and court language of Java and later of Bali. The Hindus changed the Wayang

(as did the Muslims, later) to spread their religion, mostly by stories from the Mahabharata or the

Ramayana. Later this mixture of religion and wayang play was praised as harmony between Hinduism and

traditional Indonesian culture. On Java, the western part of Sumatra and some smaller islands traditionalists

continued to play the old stories for some time, but the influence of Hinduism prevailed and the traditional

stories either fell into oblivion or were integrated into the Hinduistic plays.

When Islam began spreading in Indonesia, the display of God or gods in human form was prohibited, and thus this style of painting and shadow play was suppressed. King Raden Patah of Demak, Java, wanted to see the wayang

in its traditional form, but failed to obtain permission from the Muslim religious leaders. As an alternative, the

religious leaders converted the wayang golek into wayang purwa made from leather, and displayed only the shadow

instead of the figures itself.Instead of the forbidden figures only their shadow picture

was displayed, the birth of the wayang kulit.

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 Sunarya,

Ki Sugino, and Ki Manteb Sudarsono.

Ki Nartosabdho, Ki Anom Suroto, Ki Asep Sunarya, Ki Sugino, and Ki

Manteb Sudarsono.

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. They start from master models (typically on paper) which are traced out onto kulit (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.

Ghatotkacha (Sanskrit घटोत्कच), is a character in the Mahābhārata epic and the son of Bhima and the giantess Hidimbi (sister of Hidimba). His maternal parentage made

him half-Rakshasa (giant), and gave him many magical powers that made him an important fighter in the

Kurukshetra war, the climax of the epic. He got his name from his head, which was hairless and shaped like a pot (in Sanskrit, Ghatam means pot and "Utkach" means hairless

".

Ghatotkacha, when he was young, lived with his mother Hidimbi, when one day he had a fight with Abhimanyu, his cousin, without knowing that Abhimanyu

was Arjuna's son.[2]

Ghatotkacha is considered to be a loyal and humble figure. He made himself and his followers available to his father Bhima at any time; all Bhima had to do was to think of him and he would appear. Like his father, Ghatotkacha primarily

fought with the mace.His wife was Ahilawati and his son was Barbarika.

In the Mahābhārata, Ghatotkacha was summoned by Bhima to fight on the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra battle. Invoking his magical powers, he wrought great havoc in the Kaurava army. In particular after the death of

Jayadratha, when the battle continued on past sunset, his powers were at their most effective (at night).

Abhimanyu, Arjuna, Bhima

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