Together with dances and traditional costumes, shadow theater has widely contributed in popularizing Indonesian arts internationally. Generally referred to by its Javanese appellation wayang, meaning shadow, it can be played by actors or by puppets. This broad term comprises all forms of art related to theater. Any audience, Asian as well as occidental, quickly gets transported into the story, caught by the captivating intrigues…
The history of wayang
Shadow theater is not exclusive to Indonesia. Other Asian nations such as Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Laos also have their own styles of shadow play. This performing art originally from India came to Southeast Asia with the spread of Buddhism and Hinduism.
The wayang tradition settled into the royal courts of Java and Bali during the twentieth century. In Java, the cities of Yogyakarta, Cirebon and Surakarta gradually became artistic and cultural centers from which the shadow puppet spread to the entire island.
The plays narrate the Indian sagas of Ramayana and Mahabharata, the adventures of Panji, a Javanese legendary prince, or depict the exploits of Amir Hamzah. Wayang presentations were used for the transmission of Javanese tales and legends to the audience.
The most common form of shadow theater is the wayang kulit played with flat leather puppets. It is also the Javanese’s favorite form of theater.
Wayang Kulit in Yogyakarta
The different types of wayang
Wayang Golek puppets, Yogyakarta
