Wayang Kulit Performance Video and Images
These images are still screen shots from the video link above.
Wayang Kulit: Part 1 NEW YORK, March 16, 2012 — First installment of Ki Purbo Asmoro's epic Javanese shadow puppet performance at Asia Society New York. (26 min., 55 sec.)
http://asiasociety.org/video/wayang-kulit-part-1?page=3
What is Wayang Kulit?
One of the most prominent features of Indonesian culture that for centuries has highlighted the life of its people especially on Java and Bali, is the art of Wayang. This ancient art is among the world’s greatest story-telling tradition and is recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. While it comes in the form of theater (Wayang Orang) and three dimensional wooden puppets theatre (Wayang Golek), the most distinguished art of Wayang is presented in the leather puppet’s shadow theatre known as Wayang Kulit.
Whilst Wayang Golek is mostly associated with the Sundanese ethnic group in West Java Province, Wayang Kulit is the outstanding art of the Javanese in Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java. Wayang Kulit is also known on the island of Bali, as well as in other parts of Indonesia.
The term ‘Wayang’ is derived from the Javanese word for shadow (or ‘bayang’ in Bahasa Indonesia language). However, others suggest that te word “wayang” may also be derived from “Ma Hyang” meaning towards the divine. Nowadays, it is most often associated with both the puppet itself as well as the complete puppet theatre performance.
Wayang kulit are without a doubt the best known among the Indonesian wayang performances . Kulit literally means skinor hide, and refers to the leather of which the puppets are made that are meticulously chiseled with very fine tools, supported by carefully shaped buffalo horn handles and control rods. The art of creating wayang kulit is incredibly detailed. Several artists are usually involved in the different stages required to make one single puppet.
Wayang kulit is made from water buffalo hide, cut and punctured by hand, one tiny hole to another at a time. The artists who carve and puncture the water buffalo hide begin by scratching the outline and details of the wayang figure onto the rawhide. The carving and punching of the rawhide, which are the most essential for the character’s portrayal and the shadows that are cast, are guided by this sketch. A mallet is used to tap special tools, called tatah, to punch the holes through the rawhide. The tool only comes in two basic shapes, flat and curved, but they do come in a variety of sizes. Most punches require several turns of the tatah to achieve the desired detail. This is the most time-consuming stage of the puppet-making process. Once the hole-punching is complete, the puppets are painted in layers of water-based paints, heavily decorated with extraordinarily fine details, and often finished with gold or bronze leaf.
To observe the intricate process in making Wayang Kulit and to learn more about Wayang Kulit, you can visit the Village of Kepuhsari, in the Wonogiri Regency, in the province of Central Java.
The stories presented in Wayang Kulit performances are based on the classic Hindu Saga, which are commonly known as Wayang Purwa. Wayang Purwa, or Classical Wayang, refers to four cycles of epics, which were standardized by the royal courts of Central Java in the eighteenth century. The two most popular and commonly performed of these epics are the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
Wayang stories involve moral and ethical dilemmas faced by the characters in their journeys through life, love, and war. The stories are about good versus evil, but more than that, they contemplate the existential struggle between right and wrong. They are about the pursuit of living a virtuous, noble life and the search for meaning. The means to those ends are not always clear cut. “Good” characters may possess certain negative traits and likewise, not all “bad” characters are entirely immoral. Whatever the circumstance, wayang stories always present philosophical ideas and poignant messages.
Wayang kulit performances are grand events that last throughout the night, accompanied all the while by a live traditional gamelan orchestra. Wayang Kulit performances are always present during folk festivities and significant events such as births, weddings, or other celebrations. The particular story presented and messages conveyed are usually relevant to the event. A performance celebrating a birth might tell a story about the birth of a heroic character, for example.
Traditionally, wayang kulit performances can be viewed from two sides of the screen – the “shadow side” and the “dalang” (puppeteer's) side.” In the past, people typically watched from the shadow side. Today, performances are set up for the audience to watch from the dalang’s side of the screen. Yet, even when the shadow side is not accessible, shadows still play an integral role in the performance.
http://www.indonesia.travel/en/destination/992/kepuhsari-village/article/358/wayang-kulit-the-enchanting-shadow-puppet-theatre
Whilst Wayang Golek is mostly associated with the Sundanese ethnic group in West Java Province, Wayang Kulit is the outstanding art of the Javanese in Central Java, Yogyakarta, and East Java. Wayang Kulit is also known on the island of Bali, as well as in other parts of Indonesia.
The term ‘Wayang’ is derived from the Javanese word for shadow (or ‘bayang’ in Bahasa Indonesia language). However, others suggest that te word “wayang” may also be derived from “Ma Hyang” meaning towards the divine. Nowadays, it is most often associated with both the puppet itself as well as the complete puppet theatre performance.
Wayang kulit are without a doubt the best known among the Indonesian wayang performances . Kulit literally means skinor hide, and refers to the leather of which the puppets are made that are meticulously chiseled with very fine tools, supported by carefully shaped buffalo horn handles and control rods. The art of creating wayang kulit is incredibly detailed. Several artists are usually involved in the different stages required to make one single puppet.
Wayang kulit is made from water buffalo hide, cut and punctured by hand, one tiny hole to another at a time. The artists who carve and puncture the water buffalo hide begin by scratching the outline and details of the wayang figure onto the rawhide. The carving and punching of the rawhide, which are the most essential for the character’s portrayal and the shadows that are cast, are guided by this sketch. A mallet is used to tap special tools, called tatah, to punch the holes through the rawhide. The tool only comes in two basic shapes, flat and curved, but they do come in a variety of sizes. Most punches require several turns of the tatah to achieve the desired detail. This is the most time-consuming stage of the puppet-making process. Once the hole-punching is complete, the puppets are painted in layers of water-based paints, heavily decorated with extraordinarily fine details, and often finished with gold or bronze leaf.
To observe the intricate process in making Wayang Kulit and to learn more about Wayang Kulit, you can visit the Village of Kepuhsari, in the Wonogiri Regency, in the province of Central Java.
The stories presented in Wayang Kulit performances are based on the classic Hindu Saga, which are commonly known as Wayang Purwa. Wayang Purwa, or Classical Wayang, refers to four cycles of epics, which were standardized by the royal courts of Central Java in the eighteenth century. The two most popular and commonly performed of these epics are the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
Wayang stories involve moral and ethical dilemmas faced by the characters in their journeys through life, love, and war. The stories are about good versus evil, but more than that, they contemplate the existential struggle between right and wrong. They are about the pursuit of living a virtuous, noble life and the search for meaning. The means to those ends are not always clear cut. “Good” characters may possess certain negative traits and likewise, not all “bad” characters are entirely immoral. Whatever the circumstance, wayang stories always present philosophical ideas and poignant messages.
Wayang kulit performances are grand events that last throughout the night, accompanied all the while by a live traditional gamelan orchestra. Wayang Kulit performances are always present during folk festivities and significant events such as births, weddings, or other celebrations. The particular story presented and messages conveyed are usually relevant to the event. A performance celebrating a birth might tell a story about the birth of a heroic character, for example.
Traditionally, wayang kulit performances can be viewed from two sides of the screen – the “shadow side” and the “dalang” (puppeteer's) side.” In the past, people typically watched from the shadow side. Today, performances are set up for the audience to watch from the dalang’s side of the screen. Yet, even when the shadow side is not accessible, shadows still play an integral role in the performance.
http://www.indonesia.travel/en/destination/992/kepuhsari-village/article/358/wayang-kulit-the-enchanting-shadow-puppet-theatre