Javanese Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet) performance by a famous Indonesian dalang (puppet master) Ki Manteb Sudharsono, is usually a whole night long.

Wayang is a Javanese word for particular kinds of theatre (literally "theatre" or sometimes "puppet"). When the term is used to refer to kinds of puppet theatre, sometimes the puppet itself is referred to as wayang. Performances of shadow puppet theatre are accompanied by gamelan in Java, and by gender wayang in Bali.

UNESCO designated Wayang Kulit, a shadow puppet theatre and the best known of the Indonesian wayang, as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003. In return for the acknowledgment, UNESCO required Indonesians to preserve their heritage.^[1]

Etymology[link]

The term 'wayang' was derived from Javanese word for "shadow".^[2] The word is related to Malay and Indonesian word bayangan (shadow). However today in daily Javanese and Indonesian vocabulary, 'wayang' is most often associated with the puppet itself or the whole puppet theatre performance.

History of Wayang Kulit[link]

Wayang shadow-puppet (Bali, early 20th century)

Wayang is a generic term denoting traditional theatre in Indonesia. There is no evidence that wayang existed before Hinduism came to Southeast Asia sometime in the first century CE, brought in by Indian traders. However, there very well may have been indigenous storytelling traditions that had a profound impact on the development of the traditional puppet theatre. The first record of a wayang performance is from an inscription dated 930 CE which says "si Galigi mawayang," or "Sir Galigi played wayang". From that time till today it seems certain features of traditional puppet theatre have remained. Galigi was an itinerant performer who was requested to perform for a special royal occasion. At that event he performed a story about the hero Bhima from the Mahabharata.

Wayang Kulit is a unique form of theatre employing light and shadow. The puppets are crafted from buffalo hide and mounted on bamboo sticks. When held up behind a piece of white cloth, with an electric bulb or an oil lamp as the light source, shadows are cast on the screen.

Wayang Kulit plays are invariably based on romantic tales, especially adaptations of the classic Indian epics, "The Mahabarata" and "The Ramayana". Some of the plays are also based on local happenings (current issues) or other local secular stories. It is up to the conductor or Dalang to decide his direction.

A Dalang performing Wayang Kulit in Java, circa 1890.

The Dalang is the genius behind the entire performance. It is he who sits behind the screen and narrates the story. With a traditional orchestra in the background to provide a resonant melody and its conventional rhythm, the Dalang modulates his voice to create suspense thus heightening the drama. Invariably, the play climaxes with the triumph of good over evil.

Hinduism arrived in Indonesia from India even before the Christian era, and was slowly adopted as the local belief system. Sanskrit became the literary and court language of Java and later of Bali. The Hindus changed the Wayang (as did the Muslims, later) to spread their religion, mostly by stories from the Mahabharata or the Ramayana. Later, this mixture of religion and wayang play was praised as harmony between Hinduism and traditional Indonesian culture. On Java, the western part of Sumatra and some smaller islands traditionalists continued to play the old stories for some time, but the influence of Hinduism prevailed and the traditional stories either fell into oblivion or were integrated into the Hinduistic plays.

The figures of the wayang are also present in the paintings of that time, for example, the roof murals of the courtroom in Klungkung, Bali. They are still present in traditional Balinese painting today.

When Islam began spreading in Indonesia, the display of God or gods in human form was prohibited, and thus this style of painting and shadow play was suppressed. King Raden Patah of Demak, Java, wanted to see the wayang in its traditional form, but failed to obtain permission from the Muslim religious leaders. As an alternative, the religious leaders converted the wayang golek into wayang purwa made from leather, and displayed only the shadow instead of the figures itself.^{[citation needed]} Instead of the forbidden figures only their shadow picture was displayed, the birth of the wayang kulit.^{[citation needed]}

The figures are painted, flat woodcarvings (a maximum of 5 to 15 mm thick—barely half an inch) with movable arms. The head is solidly attached to the body. Wayang klitik can be used to perform puppet plays either during the day or at night. This type of wayang is relatively rare.

Wayang today is both the most ancient and most popular form of puppet theatre in the world. Hundreds of people will stay up all night long to watch the superstar performers, dalang, who command extravagant fees and are international celebrities. Some of the most famous dalang in recent history are Ki Nartosabdho, Ki Anom Suroto, Ki Asep Sunandar Sunarya, Ki Sugino, and Ki Manteb Sudarsono.

[edit] Wayang kulit

Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet) in Wayang Purwa type, depicting five Pandava, from left to right: Bhima, Arjuna, Yudhishtira, Nakula, and Sahadeva, Indonesia Museum, Jakarta.

Wayang kulit, shadow puppets prevalent in Java and Bali in Indonesia, are without a doubt the best known of the Indonesian wayang. Kulit means skin, and refers to the leather construction of the puppets that are carefully chiselled with very fine tools and supported with carefully shaped buffalo horn handles and control rods.

The stories are usually drawn from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata or the Serat Menak.

There is a family of characters in Javanese wayang called Punakawan; they are sometimes referred to as "clown-servants" because they normally are associated with the story's hero, and provide humorous and philosophical interludes. Semar is the father of Gareng (oldest son), Petruk, and Bagong (youngest son). These characters did not originate in the Hindu epics, but were added later, possibly to introduce mystical aspects of Islam into the Hindu-Javanese stories.^[3] They provide something akin to a political cabaret, dealing with gossip and contemporary affairs.

Wayang kulit as seen from the shadow side

The puppet figures themselves vary from place to place. In Central Java the city of Surakarta (Solo) and city of Yogyakarta are most famous and the most commonly imitated style of puppets. Regional styles of shadow puppets can also be found in West Java, Banyumas, Cirebon, Semarang, and East Java. Bali produces more compact and naturalistic figures, and Lombok has figures representing real people. Often modern-world objects as bicycles, automobiles, airplanes and ships will be added for comic effect, but for the most part the traditional puppet designs have changed little in the last 300 years.

Historically, the performance consisted of shadows cast on a cotton screen and an oil lamp. Today, the source of light used in wayang performance in Java is most often a halogen electric light. Some modern forms of wayang such as Wayang Sandosa created in the Art Academy at Surakarta (STSI) has employed spotlights, colored lights and other innovations.

The handwork involved in making a wayang kulit figure that is suitable for a performance takes several weeks, with the artists working together in groups. They start from master models (typically on paper) which are traced out onto kulit (skin or parchment), providing the figures with an outline and with indications of any holes that will need to be cut (such as for the mouth or eyes). The figures are then smoothed, usually with a glass bottle, and primed. The structure is inspected and eventually the details are worked through. A further smoothing follows before individual painting, which is undertaken by yet another craftsman. Finally, the movable parts (upper arms, lower arms with hands and the associated sticks for manipulation) mounted on the body, which has a central staff by which it is held. A crew makes up to ten figures at a time, typically completing that number over the course of a week.

The painting of less expensive puppets is handled expediently with a spray technique, using templates, and with a different person handling each color. Less expensive puppets, often sold to children during performances, are sometimes made on cardboard instead of leather.'

[edit] Wayang wong and wayang topeng or wayang gedog

Pandava and Krishna in an act of the wayang wong performance.

Wayang wong also known as Wayang orang (literally human wayang) is a type of Javanese dance theatrical performance with themes taken from episode of Ramayana or Mahabharata.

While wayang gedog usually the theatrical performance that took the themes from the Panji cycles stories from the kingdom of Janggala, in which the players wear masks known as wayang topeng or wayang gedog. The word "gedog" comes from "kedok", which, like "topeng" means "mask". The main theme is the story of Raden Panji and Candra. This is a love story about princess Candra Kirana of Kediri and Raden Panji Asmarabangun, the crown prince of Jenggala. Candra Kirana was the incarnation of Dewi Ratih (goddess of love) and Panji was an incarnation of Kamajaya (god of love). Kirana's story was given the title "Smaradahana" ("The fire of love"). At the end of the complicated story they finally can marry and bring forth a son, named Raja Putra. Panji Asmarabangun ruled Jenggala under the official names "Sri Kameswara", "Prabu Suryowiseso", and "Hino Kertapati". Originally, wayang wong was performed only as an aristocratic entertainment in four palaces of Yogyakarta and Surakarta. In the course of time, it spread to become a popular and folk form as well.

[edit] Wayang golek (rod puppets)

A pair of wayang golek from West Java

Panakawan, the friendly gestures of cepot, the red face; petruk the long noses and gareng the round nose

Wayang golek are wooden doll puppets that are operated from below by rods connected to the hands and a central control rod that runs through the body to the head. The simple construction of the puppets belies their versatility, expressiveness and aptitude for imitating human dance. Today, wayang golek is mainly associated with Sundanese culture of West Java. However the wooden wayang also known in Central Java as Wayang Menak, originated from Kudus Central Java.

Little is known for certain about the history of wayang golek, but scholars have speculated that it most likely originated in China and arrived in Java sometime in the 17th century. Some of the oldest traditions of wayang golek are from the north coast of Java in what is called the pasisir region. This is home to some of the oldest Muslim kingdoms in Java and it is likely the wayang golek grew in popularity through telling the wayang menak stories of Amir Hamza, the uncle of Muhammad. These stories are still widely performed in Kabumen, Tegal, and Jepara as wayang golek menak, and in Cirebon, wayang golek cepak. Legendary origins of wayang golek attribute their invention to the Muslim saint Wali Sunan Kudus, who used the medium to proselytize Muslim values.

In the 18th century the tradition moved into the mountainous region of Priangan West Java where it eventually was used to tell stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabarata in a tradition now called Wayang Golek Purwa, which can be found in Bandung, Bogor and Jakarta. The adoption of Javanese Mataram kejawen culture by Sundanese aristocrats was probably the remnant of Mataram influence over the Priangan region during the reign of expansive Sultan Agung. While main characters from Ramayana and Mahabharata are similar with wayang kulit purwa version of Central Java, some of punakawan (servant also jester) were rendered in Sundanese names and characteristics, such as Cepot or Astrajingga as Bagong, Dawala or Udel as Petruk. Wayang golek purwa has become the most popular form of wayang golek today and the most famous puppeteer family is the Sunarya family which has produced several generations of stellar performers.

[edit] Wayang karucil or wayang klitik

Wayang klitik image of Batara Guru

Wayang klitik figures occupy a middle ground between the figures of wayang golek and wayang kulit. They are constructed similarly to wayang kulit figures, but from thin pieces of wood instead of leather, and, like wayang kulit figures, are used as shadow puppets. A further similarity is that they are the same smaller size as wayang kulit figures. However, wood is more subject to breakage than leather. During battle scenes, wayang klitik figures often sustain considerable damage, much to the amusement of the public, but in a country in which before 1970 there were no adequate glues available, breakage generally meant an expensive, newly made figure. On this basis the wayang klitik figures, which are to appear in plays where they have to endure battle scenes, have leather arms. The name of these figures is onomotopaeic, from the sound klitik-klitik, that these figures make when worked by the dalang.

Wayang klitik figures come originally from eastern Java, where one still finds workshops turning them out. They are less costly to produce than wayang kulit figures.

The origin of the stories involved in these puppet plays comes from the kingdoms of eastern Java: Jenggala, Kediri and Majapahit. From Jenggala and Kediri come the stories of Raden Panji and Cindelaras, which tells of the adventures of a pair of village youngsters with their fighting cocks. The Damarwulan presents the stories of a hero (Damarwulan) from Majapahit. Damarwulan is a clever chap, who with courage, aptitude, intelligence and the assistance of his young lover Anjasmara, makes a surprise attack on the neighboring kingdom and brings down Minakjinggo, an Adipati (viceroy) of Blambangan and mighty enemy of Majapahit's beautiful queen Sri Ratu Kencanawungu. As a reward, Damarwulan is married to Kencanawungu and becomes king of Majapahit; he also takes Lady Anjasmara as a second wife. This story is full of love affairs and battles and is very popular with the public. The dalang is liable to incorporate the latest local gossip and quarrels and work them into the play as comedy.

[edit] Wayang beber

Wayang beber depiction of a battle

Wayang glass painting depiction of Bharatayudha battle

The wayang beber has strong similarities to narratives in the form of illustrated ballads that were common at annual fairs in medieval and early modern Europe. They have also been subject to the same fate—they have nearly vanished although there are still some groups of artists who support wayang beber in places such as Surakarta (Solo) in Central Java.^[4] Chinese visitors to Java during the 15th century described a storyteller or unrolled scrolls and told stories that made the audience laugh or cry. A few scrolls of images remain from those times, found today in museums. There are two sets, hand-painted on hand-made bark cloth, that are still owned by families who have inherited them from many generations ago, in Pacitan and Wonogiri, both villages in Central Java. Performances, mostly in small open-sided pavilions or auditoriums, take place according to the following pattern:

The dhalang (puppeteer, narrator) gives a sign, the small gamelan orchestra with drummer and a few knobbed gongs and a musician with a rebab (violin-like instrument held vertically) begins to play and the dhalang unrolls the first scroll of the story. Then, speaking and singing, he narrates the episode in more detail. In this manner, in the course of the evening he unrolls several scrolls one at a time. Each scene in the scrolls represents a story or part of a story. The content of the story typically stems from the Panji romances which are semi-historical legends set in the 12th-13th century East Javanese kingdoms of Jenggala, Daha and Kediri, and also in Bali.

[edit] Wayang Sadat

This newly developed form is used by teachers of Islam to show the principles of Muslim ethics and religion to the natives of Java and Bali. ^[1] The term "sadat" derived from shahada (Arabic: الشهادة aš-šahādah).

[edit] Wayang Wahyu

This form was created in the 1960s by the Javanese Jesuit Brother Timotheus L. Wignyosubroto who sought to show the Javanese and other Indonesians the teachings of the Catholic Church in a manner accessible to the audience. In the beginning, the puppets were often made of paper because it was less expensive than the traditional water buffalo hide. It became popular as an alternative method of telling Bible stories.^[2]

Notes[link]

Wayang Museum in Kota, Jakarta area

1. ^ Poplawska 2004
2. ^ Poplawska 2004

See also[link]

Indonesia portal

• Ketoprak

References[link]

• This article was initially translated from the German-language Wikipedia article.
• Poplawska, Marzanna. Asian Theatre Journal. Fall 2004, Vol. 21 p. 194-202

Further reading[link]

• Brandon, James (1970) On Thrones of Gold — Three Javanese Shadow Plays. Harvard University Press
• Clara van Groenendael, Victoria (1985) The Dalang Behind the Wayang. Dordrecht, Foris
• Keeler, Ward (1987) Javanese Shadow Plays, Javanese Selves. Princeton University Press
• Keeler, Ward (1992) Javanese Shadow Puppets. OUP
• Long, Roger (1982) Javanese shadow theatre: Movement and characterization in Ngayogyakarta wayang kulit. Umi Research Press
• Mellema, R.L. (1988) Wayang Puppets: Carving, Colouring, Symbolism. Amsterdam, Royal Tropical Institute, Bulletin 315.
• Mudjanattistomo (1976) Pedhalangan Ngayogyakarta. Yogyakarta (in Javanese)
• Soedarsono (1984) Wayang Wong. Yogyakarta, Gadjah Mada University Press

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wayang

• Historical Development of Puppetry: Scenic Shades (includes informations about wayang beber, kulit, klitik and golek)
• Seleh Notes article on identifying Central Javanese wayang kulit
• Wayang Orang (wayang wong) traditional dance, from Indonesia Tourism
• Wayang Klitik: a permanent exhibit of Puppetry Arts Museum
• Wayang Golek Photo Gallery, includes description, history and photographs of individual puppets by Walter O. Koenig
• Wayang Kulit: The Art form of the Balinese Shadow Play by Lisa Gold
• Wayang Puppet Theatre on the Indonesian site of UNESCO
• The Wayang Golek Wooden Stick Puppets of Java, Indonesia (commercial site)
• An overview of the Shadow Puppets tradition (with many pictures) in a site to Discover Indonesia
• Wayang Kulit exhibition at the Museum of International Folk Art
• Wayang Kulit Collection of Shadow Puppets, Simon Fraser University Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology digitized on Multicultural Canada website

Rhoma Irama
Background information
Birth name	Raden Irama
Born	(1946-12-11) December 11, 1946 (age 65) Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia
Genres	Dangdut
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, actor
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1967–present
Associated acts	Soneta Group, Ridho Rhoma
Website	http://www.rajadangdut.com

Raden Irama (born December 11, 1946, in Tasikmalaya, West Java), most commonly known as Rhoma Irama, is an Indonesian dangdut musician and occasional actor. During the height of his stardom in the 1970s, he became the self-proclaimed Raja Dangdut (King of Dangdut) with his group Soneta.^[1]

Prior to his a pilgrimage to Mecca, he was known as Oma Irama. He is a member of aristocrat class of Sundanese from both his father, Raden Burdah Anggawirya, and mother, R.H. Tuti Juariah.^[2]

Beginnings[link]

Oma Irama's first bands were known as Tornado and Gayhand, and covered Western rock and roll music of Paul Anka, Andy Williams, and The Beatles.^[3]

In the late 1960s Oma Irama, sang orkes Melayu and also some pop Indonesia. In 1968 he joined the group Orkes Melayu Purnama in 1968. This group pioneered elements of the dangdut style within orkes Melayu music - the drum was changed to double drum, the electric guitar's role was expanded, and the suling, or bamboo flute, adopted a style reminiscent of Bollywood music. He also recorded pop Indonesia music during this period with the Zaenal Combo and Galaksi, while the album 'Ingkar Janji' was recorded in 1969 with Orkes Melayu Chandraleka.

Once Oma broke from recording with the Purnama Group, he formed Orkes Melayu Soneta (named for the English word sonnet), which became the first dangdut group in 1970. The subtitle, 'the sound of Moslems' was added in 1973.

The group featured Oma Irama and Elvy Sukaesih as singers, both solo, and duets. Their first album, 'Volume 01', 'Begadang' ('Stay up all night'), released in 1973, featured 4 songs by Oma Irama, three by Elvy, and three duets. The song featured a topless Oma Irama wearing tight trousers and holding an electric guitar. His choice of pose showed the influence on his music of Western hard rock bands, influences which also found their way into his music - orkes Melayu was in his opinion was too soft, too acoustic, too polite, and unable to compete against the power and energy of rock music, and so the music was electrified, with keyboard, two electric guitars, electric bass, as well as the traditional suling and gendang. He has stated that he took his guitar style from Richie Blackmore of Deep Purple. In addition to Western and Malay influences, Hindi composers were credited for some of the band's songs.

The Begadang album ranked #11 on Rolling Stone Indonesia's "150 Greatest Indonesian Albums of All Time" list.^[4] Furthermore, the main single "Begadang" reached at number 24 on the magazine's "150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time" list.^[5]

His 1973 hit Terajana, one of the best-known dangdut songs of all time, was the first to use the newly coined, and arguably derogatory, term dangdut, distinguishing the Javanese orkes Melayu music, heavily influenced by Indian Bollywood records, henceforth dangdut, from the established orkes Melayu, associated with North Sumatran Malays.

Once Soneta was established in the early 70's, Oma changed his name to Rhoma and went on a decade long run of successful hit records and films, all of which starred Rhoma playing himself while performing all of his hits. He wrote the classics "Kareta Malam" and "Kuda Lumping" which were sung by Elvy Sukaesih.

Performing live, he adopted many of the props of stadium rock, including large audiences, powerful soundsystems, complex sets, fireworks, flashing lights, and smoke machines.

Haji[link]

Following his 1975 hajj, he took the name Rhoma Irama, which is an abbreviation of "Raden Haji Oma Irama" (Raden is an aristocracy title for Javanese and Sundanese cultures). Following this pilgrimage, he took on a more explicitly Islamic moral tone, adopting Islamic dress, shorter hairstyles, and ejecting band members who consumed alcohol or had extra-marital sex. He also resolved that his music should instruct, and not merely entertain, a form of jihad waged through music. Themes in his music included extra-marital sex, government corruption, drugs, and gambling.^[3] The song haram for instance, warns against both drugs and gambling.

Rhoma Irama campaigned for Islamic party PPP from 1977 to 1982, and as a result he was banned from state television and radio by the Suharto regime, which was at that time enforcing separation of religion and state, and some of his songs were also banned from sale. The ban was lifted in 1988, and with Suharto himself moving towards Islam in the 1990s, dangdut became of the establishment.

His 1982 movie Perjuangan dan Doa (Struggle and Prayer) as described as the world's first Islamic rock musical movie.

In recent years Rhoma Irama has campaigned against Inul Daratista a dangdut star popular for her suggestive dancing, acting as head of composers' union PIMMA to ban her from singing any of their compositions.

Discography[link]

Pre Soneta[link]

• Djangan Kau Marah
• Di Rumah Sadja
• Di Dalam Bemo
• Biarkan Aku Pergi
• Anak Pertama
• Djenggo
• In Dan Dip
• Pemburu

With OM Soneta[link]

• Dangdut
• Surat Terakhir
• Berbulan Madu
• Gelandangan
• Joget
• Janda Kembang
• Tiada Lagi

With Soneta Group (Volume Series)[link]

• Soneta Vol-1 Begadang (1973)
• Soneta Vol-2 Penasaran (1974)
• Soneta Vol-3 Rupiah (1975)
• Soneta Vol-4 Darah Muda (1975)
• Soneta Vol-5 Musik (1976)
• Soneta Vol-6 135.000.000 (1977)
• Soneta Vol-7 Santai (1977)
• Soneta Vol-8 Hak Azazi (1978)
• Soneta Vol-9 Begadang 2 (1979)
• Soneta Vol-10 Sahabat (1980)
• Soneta Vol-11 Indonesia (1980)
• Soneta Vol-12 Renungan Dalam Nada (1981)
• Soneta Vol-13 Emansipasi Wanita (1983)
• Soneta Vol-14 Judi (1989)
• Soneta Vol-15 Gali Lobang Tutup Lobang (1989)
• Soneta Vol-16 Bujangan (1994)

Movie Soundtrack Albums[link]

• Oma Irama Penasaran
• Gitar Tua Oma Irama
• Darah Muda
• Begadang
• Berkelana I
• Berkelana II
• Raja Dangdut
• Camelia
• Cinta Segitiga
• Perjuangan dan Doa
• Melodi Cinta
• Badai di Awal Bahagia
• Sebuah Pengorbanan
• Cinta Kembar
• Pengabdian
• Satria Bergitar
• Kemilau Cinta di Langit Jingga
• Menggapai Matahari I
• Menggapai Matahari II
• Nada-Nada Rindu
• Bunga Desa
• Jaka Swara
• Nada dan Dakwah
• Tabir Biru
• Dawai 2 Asmara

Rhoma Irama Solo Albums[link]

• Pemilu (1982)
• Lebaran (1984)
• Persaingan (1986)
• Haji (1988)
• Modern (1989)
• Haram (1990)
• Salawat Nabi (1991)
• Kehilangan Tongkat (1993)
• Rana Duka (1994)
• Stress (1995)
• Baca (1995)
• Viva Dangdut 1996
• Mirasantika (1997)
• Reformasi (1998)
• Euforia (2000)
• Syahdu (2001)
• Asmara (2003)
• Jana Jana (2008)
• Azza(2010)

Filmography[link]

• Oma Irama Penasaran (1976)
• Gitar Tua Oma Irama (1977)
• Darah Muda (1977)
• Rhoma Irama Berkelana I (1978)
• Rhoma Irama Berkelana II (1978)
• Begadang (1978)
• Raja Dangdut (1978)
• Cinta Segitiga (1979)
• Camelia (1979)
• Perjuangan dan Doa (1980)
• Melody Cinta Rhoma Irama (1980)
• Badai di Awal Bahagia (1981)
• Sebuah Pengorbanan (1982)
• Satria Bergitar (1984)
• Pengabdian (1984)
• Kemilau Cinta di Langit Jingga (1985)
• Menggapai Matahari I (1986)
• Menggapai Matahari II (1986)
• Nada-nada Rindu (1987)
• Bunga Desa (1988)
• Jaka Swara (1990)
• Nada dan Dakwah (1991)
• Tabir Biru (1994)
• Dawai 2 Asmara (2010)
• Sajadah Ka'bah (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

• "Hips Don't Lie: A pop singer and a potentially violent culture war in the world's biggest Muslim state.", "The Wall Street Journal", April 3, 2007