Wayang (leather puppet) one of the
culture of Indonesia is the traditional art of Javanese society, this
traditional art has grown since the 15th century, until now there are still
many fans, although only from certain circles. The puppets are made of animal
skin, mostly female oxen because they are bigger and softer.
shadow
puppet (wayang)s is an art that
displays drama through the shadow of a leather puppet (wayang) on a piece of cloth (the color) with the spotlight of the
light show (blencong) played by a person called Dalang and accompanied by traditional music gamelan by presenting
classical stories such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana stories. Which is thick
with Hindu-Indian culture adapted to Javanese culture.
In the
art of wayang (leather puppet) there
are two important entities namely the figure Dalang and Lakon (figures
played). The puppeteer as an actor who plays the puppet (wayang) by directing the audience to a story he wants to address. A
great puppeteer, not only capable of telling and playing puppets, but also able
to direct the flow of doctrinization to the audience. So the performance of wayang kulit is not only limited to
people's entertainment.
While
the play is a character in the story that played in an appearance. This play is
strongly influenced by elements of local classical culture and outside culture.
The local culture-influenced play is based on ancestral stories and the
creations of predecessor Dalang, such
as Gareng, Semar, Bagong and Petrok. While the play that comes from the outside
culture as told in the story of Ramayana and Mahabharata with the play Ravana, Rama, until Pandawa Lima and so
on.
While
the variant of the doll that is played depends on the ceremony or deployment
performed. Because the ancestors of the Indonesian people were animists and
dynamists, who believed that every object has power and spirit, so that puppets
are manifested in the form of statues and images. Which in every form of
puppets has the power generated on the shape of the face and the size of the
puppet.
The
history of wayang development in
Indonesia,
1. Pre-history Basically
puppet show is the remnants of ancient Javanese religious ceremonies which at
that time still embraces animism. At that time, the forerunners of the Javanese
community had made a worship tool in the form of a sculpture for the calling
media of spirits or ancestral spirits called Hyang, Hyang was believed
to be giving protection as well as protection to them, but sometimes punishing
and harming them, in a ceremony considered sacred they call the ability of the
magic person as an intermediary, other than that time and a special place for
the smoothness of the worship event.
2. The
period of Hidu-Budha
re-emerged
Tradition of wayang creation from
prehistoric culture in the manifestation of wayang
batu (puppet of stone)on the sculpture of temple reliefs and sculpture in
this era. Puppet at this time is the result of collaboration between the
ancestor view of the worship of the spirit with Hindu worship to the gods that
exist in Hindu religion. Along with the pre-historical changes to the
Hindu-Buddhist era of the story at the puppet show that used to tell the
figures of the ancestors, the legend of tribal chiefs or ancestors was drowned
in the changing times and changed the story of Hindu gods originating from
India namely the story of the Ramayana and Mahabharta.
3. The
period of Islam
The
fundamental changes and developments of wayang
took place during the Islamic period. In some forms we can see as it is today,
the masterpieces of the saints in perfecting the shape of the face which
formerly featured the front face turned to appear from the side, the color that
was once only black (made of soot) and white (burnt bone powder), dikenbangkan
be diverse color, hand puppets that once merged with his body made arm or hand
joints joints to be moved and also add a variety of puppets.
4.
Colonial Period
In the
colonial period, wayang still
developed as a performing arts, especially when the government of Mataram II
under the leadership of king Amangkurat II (1680) moved his capital from Plaret
to Kartasuara. At the same time the forms of wayang began to be perfected like using the accompaniment of
gamelan and Tembang rhythms performed by siden
and noyaga. But at this time the wayang that used to function as a
religious ceremony has been transformed into a traditional classical art form
and only a few small parts of society that occasionally still perform for
religious events.
5. The
post-independence period
No
development of wayang forms or
creation of new puppets during the Japanese colonial period (1942-1945).
However, the emergence of new forms of puppets creations including the type of
story and the purpose of his performances occurred after the independence of
Indonesia. In this period, wayang
performances are also a form of art, no longer as a ritual or religious acrata.
In this case the puppet becomes the total theater art of a Dalang when he narrates the play. At this time the function of wayang not only as a mere entertainment,
but also as a means of education and mass communication, satra education, art
education, religion and philosophy. One type of puppet (wayang) that emerged at this time is the puppet (wayang) suluah Pancasila which was
created in 1947 in Madiun which tells about the political conditions at the
time. Each region has its own style and technique in a puppet (wayang) show. Thus wayang Indonesia is made by indigenous
Indonesian people who have a story, style and puppeteer extraordinary, able to
play puppet show with very good.
Tourists
from abroad are learning to play Gamelan which is one of the musical instruments
during the performance as we have discussed above, wayang has passed through
various periods from pre-historic to post-independence period. Puppet is not
only liked by the local community, but also many foreign tourists from overseas
even not only watching the show but they also learn how to play the puppets.
If you
are curious and want to witness a puppet show, datanng directly to Indonesia,
the country of a thousand cultures.
Thank
you, please share and comment for this blog can be better and useful for you who want to
know Indonesian culture.
