Puppets from the past
Javanese culture is a product of pre-Hindu, Hindu and Islamic influences. The Javanese shadow-puppet (wayang) theatre, however, preserves the country's Hindu-Buddhist heritage. Wayang means shadow, and the major puppetry form is wayang kulit. Kulit means leather, referring to the puppets' main structural element. The puppets are detailed with black ink, have movable arms, and are supported by a stick of horn. The figure is posed against a leaf-shaped background called a kayon, which represents the tree or mountain of life. Symbolic decorations cover the kayon, including a face in its centre which symbolises the dangers and risks that we all must confront in life.
Wayang is usually based on stories drawn from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The master puppeteer, called the dalang, animates the puppets and narrates and chants through the entire night to the accompaniment of the traditional gamelan orchestra. The dalang is a master storyteller, recounting events spanning centuries and continents, improvising from the basic plot a complex network of intrigues, romances, wars, magic and comedy. The dalang must also be a mimic capable of producing a different voice for each of the characters, and must have great physical stamina to sustain a performance. A perfect grasp of poetry, history, philsophy and religion is necessary, as is the ability to manipulate dozens of figures. Understandably, the dalang is a very special type of person!
Photograph © Glenn Beanland