The Indonesian Theater:

Wayang Kulit
Presentation by: Alyssah Naomi P. Tuppal
What are the features of
Wayang Kulit Theater?
You may have heard of Zarzuela as one of the ways on how our Filipino
ancestors get their dose of stories. In Indonesia, they receive their life
lessons and stories through the Wayang Kulit, a form of puppetry that
utilizes two-dimensional leather puppets that cast shadows on a screen.
The Wayang Kulit is known to be one of the highest forms of art in
Indonesia.

The earliest records of Wayang Kulit are from the 800s. Scholars still
debate whether it is indigenous or from either lndia or China. One of the
major stories told is Mahabharata, a Hindu epic with origins in India. The
Jester Semar, however, cannot be found anywhere else but in Indonesia.
Rod puppets from China are also suspected predecessors of the
nighttime shadow puppetry. Wherever the origins of Wayang Kulit are, its
period of development was from 800-1500 during the Hindu-Buddhist
period.
Wayang Kulit is based on two Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Scholars believe that the Balinese version of the Wayang Kulit resembles
the pre-Islam practice, with the Balinese believing the Majapahit brought
the art-form to them from the last Hindu-Buddhist kingdom in Java
which fell around 1520. Bali remained Hindu even after the introduction
of Islam.
In Java, however, another story about the origins of Wayang Kulit exists.
The Dhalang, or the puppeteer, believed that the Wali, the saints who
converted Java to Islam, created the art form. The first People were
performance was made in the local mosque. required to recite the
Islamic confession of faith to enter. Most Dhalang today consider
themselves spiritual descendants of the Wali. The figure of the puppets
are attributed to the prohibition of Islam of imitating human form.

By 1700, the Dutch colonial areas, government invited the Dhalang to

ettle in different leading to the descendants of spread of the art form.
Today, even those who are not Dhalang can perform Wayang Kulit
educational institutions.
Wayang and Wayang Kulit
Wayang is loosely defined in the modern language as leather." The
"puppet" while Kulit means associated with Indonesian Wayang. word
Bayang which means "shadow is also sometimes However, not all Wayang
are shadow play. language, Wayang can In ancient be descending, and
Ang, traced from two words: Waya, meaning ancestors a symbol.

Throughout the years, the wayang has developed into several forms
OPup theaters like the well-known leather shadow puppet Wayang Kulit,
the flat puppet Wayang Klithik, and wooden the Besides puppetry, the
three-dimensional dressed puppets Wayang Golek. term wayang is also
used to denote theater presentation of wear human masks characters
called Wayang Wong, and the play where the main characters is
popularly known as Wayang Topeng.
How do you think the Wayang Kulit puppets are made? They are usually
made rom flattened buffalo hide with buffalo horn rods for support, the
only moving parts are one or both arms hinged at the shoulder or elbow.
The puppets of Bali and different in that Balinese Java are puppets tend
to be more realistic than those of Java. They are held up behind a piece
of white cloth where an electric bulb or an oil lamp is used as the light
source that helps cast shadows on the screen.

You can distinguish the genres of stories in Wayang Kulit by the name or
the of source the stories or characters depicted. The most popular
genre of Wayang Kulit is wayang Purwa whose plot is based on the
Javanese versions of India's which Mahabharata and Ramayana. Another
genre of Wayang Kulit is Wayang Gedhog is a story about the Javanese
Prince named Panji of Koripan and Princess Candra Kirana of Kediri.

You can distinguish the genres of stories in Wayang Kulit by the name or
the of source the stories or characters depicted. The most popular
genre of Wayang Kulit is wayang Purwa whose plot is based on the
Javanese versions of India's which Mahabharata and Ramayana. Another
genre of Wayang Kulit is Wayang Gedhog is a story about the Javanese
Prince named Panji of Koripan and Princess Candra Kirana of Kediri.
Performance
Watching a typical performance of a Wayang Kulit will make you miss a
good night's sleep for it starts from the evening and lasts until dawn.
People may however opt to come or leave anytime. It is also free to
watch in village settings.
You will encounter the performances during birthdays, weddings, social
issues, and political campaigns, among others. The message of the story
matches the event it is dedicated to. Considered a very powerful art,
you will find that Wayang Kulit has a strong spiritual influence among the
Javanese both young and old. Stories of Wayang Kulit often show the
revelation of the divine order and how it plays a role in the daily lives of
humans. The Javanese usually interpret the things that happen to their
lives in relation to the plots and characters of the famous Wayang
stories. This is the reason why Wayang Kulit is extremely looked upon as
an important vehicle of culture among the Indonesians. It serves as the
carrier of myth, a reflection of one's morality, and a form of religious
experience rolled into one.
A Wayang Kulit performance is typically divided into three
parts, identified by a music mode.

1. Act 1 (Pathet Nem music): The characters are

introduced and the conflict begins. The music mode
2. Act 2 (Pathet Sanga music): The hero goes to the
forest, the sea, or other natural landscapes to
meditate and plan on resolving the conflict. At this
stage, some plays introduce "clown scenes" to entertain
the children in the audience before they sleep.
3. Act 3 (Pathet Manyura music): The characters
engage in battles and the hero wins and conquers evil.
Traditionally, people watch from the shadow side. Today, however, you
can watch performances set up in a way that you will be able to view
either the shadow side or the Dhalang side. Here are the elements of a
performance

Dhalang- puppeteer
Cempala- mallet to knock on the puppet box
Kepyak - metal plates that the
Dhalang hits with the feet
Gamelan - indigenous orchestra type
Wayang Kulit - shadow puppets
Blencong- light source
Penggerong a member of the chorus
Pesindhen-a female solo singer who sings with a gamelan
Gawang and Kelir - screen frame and screen
Gedebog - banana logs where the puppet sticks are stuck
Kothak-puppet box
 Dhalang

Did you know that the puppeteer plays an important part not just in moving the
puppet but in the entire performance? He is called the Dhalang, the master of
different arts. He (commonly a male) is a master storyteller, a master puppeteer, a
conductor, a socio-political commentator, a spiritual adviser, and an entertainer. He
has hundreds of stories with him, picking out the most appropriate one depending on
the circumstances. He is also a linguist, having mastered an ancient language none but
the Dhalang use. Puppets are usually made by the Dhalang himself. The
Dhalang is held high among people. It is a serious task that only a master can
deliver. Today, Dhalang refine their skills through training at formal art institutes with
degree programs in Dhalang studies.
 Do you remember the Indonesian percussion ensemble Gamelan? This ensemble of mostly gongs
and metallophones brings life to the theatrical performance along with the Fesindhen (female
chorus) and Penggerong (chorus member).

Recall the laras slendro and laras pelog, the two tuning systems used in the Gamelan from your
Quarter 1 lessons. Laras slendro refers to the set of five-toned instruments while laras pelog
pertains to the group of instruments with tones set at intervals between the seven pitches. In
Wayang Kulit, the more upbeat and martial. Sounding plays use the laras slendro, which is often
heard in stories of Mahabharata and Ramayana. The more melancholic and romantic plays often
found in Javanese and Islamic legends are accompanied by the laras pelog set.
Aside from the Gamelan, you will also hear singing and speaking throughout the performances,
which makes the human voice an important musical instrument in Wayang Kulit. Particular
pitches, rhythms, and tunes are associated with specific types of characters.
The Gamelan's role in the performance is mainly accompaniment of different events entrance
and exit of characters, journeys, battles, and narrations. At times, the Dhalang ill sing songs
called Sulukan. This is accompanied by soft-sounding instruments.
The Gender is the most important musical instrument during the performance. It is placed directly behind
the Dhalang. It accompanies the Sulukan, narratives, and certain musical compositions. It is played using
disc-headed mallets. Another important instrument is the barrel-shaped, two-headed hand drum called
Kendhang. A Gamelan may have a three-set kendhang. The largest drum with the lowest sound is called
kendhang gendhing, the middle-Sized drum is called kendhang ciblon, and the smallest drum is called
kendhang ketipung. The ciblon can be used for a variety of performances while the ketipung is generally
only used for accents. The kendhang is the instrument that sets the tempo. Battle scenes and dramatic
actions are accompanied by loud and fast music to further enhance the drama. Character recitations
and narratives are accompanied by soft and slow music. The Kendhang player receives cues from the
Dhalang.
The Dhalang has a unique way of conducting the orchestra. He uses both verbal and musical cues. Verbal
cues are in the form of riddles that give a clue to the title of the required composition. Musical cues come
from short melodies the Dhalang gives out himself. Another musical cue is the rhythmic pattern of the
mallet, called Cempala, tapping the puppet chest. This signals the switch from one speaker to another, or
is simply a support for a song.

Capping the role of music in a Wayang Kulit theater is the importance of modal classification in Indonesian
music called pathet. The three acts of Wayang Kut are parallel to the three modes of music: Pathet Nem,
Pathet Sanga, and Pathet Manyura (most Wayang Kulit are performed with the Slendro tuning). This also
symbolizes stages in the hero's life.