Dewi Artisans International Offers Peek into History with Wayang Kulit Puppets

 Heavily influenced by traditional Javanese culture, Wayang Kulit puppet shadow theater is an early form of theater performance that has been entertaining audiences of all ages for centuries. The word “wayang” is generally thought to have originated from bayang, meaning shadow. The stories used to animate Wayang Kulit shadow puppets are typically animated by the dhalang, or puppeteer that serves as the narrator.

The imagery and themes of Wayang Kulit puppet shows have lived on in fashion designs and home décor items available at Dewi Artisans International. Puppets of the Wayang Kulit Shadow Play are handmade from intricately carved and colorfully painted water buffalo leather, with the center handle and manipulating rods made from authentic water buffalo horn.

History of the Wayang Kulit Puppet

There very well may have storytelling traditions that predated first century Southeast Asia and helped to influence Wayang Kulit shadow theater in Indonesia. But there is no historical evidence that suggests it existed before the rise of Hinduism. An inscription dated 930 BC reads “Sir Galigi played Wayang.” From there, Wayang developed and matured into a Javanese phenomenon, with sophistication and creative depth that held no rivals at the time in either China or India.

Traditional Artistic Puppetry

Wayang Kulit is a unique form of theatre employing light and shadow. The puppets are mounted on bamboo sticks and held up behind a piece of white cloth casting the shadows on the screen. The storylines are usually romantic tales based on religious legends, and often included adaptations of classic Indian epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Some of the plays are also based on local events of the time or other secular stories.

Respected in Indonesian culture for the ability to bring these stories to life, the dalang sits behind the screen, sings songs and narrates dialogue coming from the various characters in the story. A traditional orchestra provides the melody and rhythm, with the dalang modulating his voice to build suspense and heighten the drama of the play. The play climaxes with the classic triumph of good over evil.

The Wayang Kulit puppet figures can vary from place to place. Regional styles of shadow puppets can be more compact and naturalistic, and some represent real people. While modern items such as bicycles, cars, and planes are added for comic effect, the actual puppet designs and storylines have changed little over the last 300 years.

Modern Wayang Kulit Puppet Theater

Attempts to bring Wayang Kulit have been received with mixed reviews. Wayang Hip Hop that combines the conventions of Wayang Kulit with modern hip hop music was seen to convey messages that do not hold the same values as traditional Wayang Kulit shadow theater productions. Older dalang note a lack of morality in these modern expressions of the traditional theater art. However, three are those who believe that Wayang Hip Hop actually helps to spark interest for the traditional form in younger audiences, making sure that Wayang Kulit retains some relevance in the 21st century.

The imagery and themes of the Wayang Kulit shadow puppet theater can be seen throughout popular culture in animation entertainment content and a wide range of commercially-available home design, clothing, and accessories. From comforters and pillows, to coffee mugs and jewelry, Wayang Kulit puppetry is found in all areas of society.

Dewi Artisan International Wayang Kulit Puppets

At Dewi Artisan International, actual performance Wayang Kulit shadow puppets serve as interesting and intriguing home décor display items that represent specific characters in action from these traditional theater performances.

These full-sized Wayang Kulit puppets are entirely hand made. The body of the puppet is made of colorfully painted handcrafted water-buffalo leather by highly skilled artisans in Indonesia. These spectacular, authentic puppets will enhance any living room decor, bedroom, kitchen, or office decor. The puppets are approximately 29 inches tall, including the stand.

Contact Dewi Artisan International Today

The products are authentically created by creative artisans using traditional methods while working with natural materials. This is the only kind of artisan-made product you can buy at Dewi Artisans International.

Inspired by Dewi Sianturi, a member of the Toba Batak tribe that lives near Lake Toba in the highlands of North Sumatra, Indonesia, Dewi Artisans International sells authentic hand-made goods from throughout Asia. The primary source of our products come from the Archipelago of Indonesia, in Southeast Asia.

For complete information on the selection of Wayang Kulit puppet items, contact Dewi Artisans International today.