Balinese shadow puppetry, or Wayang, is a popular performance style in Bali, Indonesia, using puppets moved behind a lighted screen. The two most common types of puppets are wayang golek and wayang kulit. Performances are often based on Hindu texts and can last several hours. The puppets are handled by a master puppeteer called a dalang, who is believed to have special powers. The performances have spiritual significance and can be used to address current events affecting the community.
Balinese shadow puppetry is a popular style of performance on the Indonesian island of Bali. The theatre, also called Wayang, uses puppets attached to rods and moved behind a lighted screen in a dark room. Shadow puppet theater has a long and important history in Indonesia, with records of performances dating back to 930 AD
The two most commonly seen types of puppets in shadow puppetry are wayang golek and wayang kulit. Golek puppets are three-dimensional, carved from wood and operated by several attached rods. These puppets are usually beautifully painted, even if the decoration isn’t visible through the screen. Wayang kulit puppets are most common in Bali, they are made from leather and operated with buffalo horn rods. Making the puppets is very labor intensive, with the most intricate months to complete.
Most of the plots of Balinese shadow plays are taken from the two main Hindu texts, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Performances are held to celebrate important events and also as religious offerings to the gods. A shadow puppet show can last several hours, although people can eat, talk, nap, and come and go as they please. The performances often feature comedic interludes, with a special subset of clown-like characters called Punakawan providing bawdy humor.
Folk stories in wayang often revolve around the main character’s struggle to realize his dharma. In Hindu philosophy, dharma is a central concept, suggesting that every person has a duty or obligation that he should fulfill in life. The shadow puppet plays often act as a reminder of the rewards and dangers of dealing with the dharma and honor the legendary figures of Hinduism who have succeeded in a lifelong quest to fulfill their obligation.
The puppets are handled by a master puppeteer called a dalang. Most dalangs are men and train for their profession for many years. During the performance, the dalang sits behind the cotton screen. Above his head hangs the light source, which is traditionally a lamp filled with coconut oil. Directly in front of him sits a debog, a soft block of wood that he can tuck puppets into to keep them in place.
To the right of the dalang is an intricately carved puppet chest which contains all the puppets. As representations of Hindu gods and sacred figures, puppets are considered sacred and should be handled with extreme caution. Depending on the type of puppet, certain traditions must be observed. At the beginning of each shadow play, a puppet representation of the tree of life, called a gunagun or kayon, is placed in the center of the screen. Puppets representing noble or royal characters must never go below the level of the dalang’s head.
Shadow puppetry has enormous spiritual significance in Bali and throughout Indonesia. A dalang is believed to have special powers similar to a Native American shaman, including the ability to heal or exorcise evil. It is believed that those who watch a shadow puppet theater show are temporarily protected from bad spirits and dangers.
Wayang performances are not only intended as retellings of historical epics. Some dalangs use Punakawan characters to tie traditional history to current events affecting the community. Because these characters are clowns, they are able to introduce these ideas in a comical way, in hopes of preventing any political dissent or outrage. Often, in times of trouble or turmoil, extra wayang performances are held, in the hope that the dalang will help resolve the situation and restore balance to the community.
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