Wayang Kulit: Balinese shadow puppets
Reading The Island Of Bali (Miguel Covarrubias) recently I learned more about a very important part of Balinese culture, wayang kulit, or shadow puppets. Covarrubias writes from 1936, but wayang kulit is still a part of the culture. Combining stories from the Hindu classics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, with other native stories, the shadow puppet shows are, according to Covarrubias, "the greatest factor in the spiritual education of the masses." In villages all over Bali shadow puppet shows start at midnight and continue until dawn. The puppeteer, called a dalang, is a man of many talents. He must have the strength and stamina to operate the puppets for 9 hours without a break. The dalang must be ordained in a mawinten ceremony. His tongue is inscribed with mystic symbols by the stem of a tjempaka flower dipped in honey. After this he can perform the mystical magic, tjalonarang.
The actual performance is achieved by projecting light from an oil lamp, hung over the dalang's head, onto a white screen (kelir). In the performance a gender wayang (orchestra) plays, to the timing of the dalang's tapping foot, which has a horn hammer. All the characters symbolizing good line up on the right of the dalang, all the demons, giants, witches and evil characters on his left. In Balinese Hinduism it's a constant fight between black and white, good and evil. One can imagine the long nights in hillside villages in Bali, where communities gathered, totally enraptured by a wayang kulit show, that finished at dawn, with good triumphing over evil. An amazing culture really and one which I have only just scratched the surface of.
By Nick | Permalink
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G’Day Nick,
Nice coverage of Wayang Kulit. The ones I’ve seen in Java go on and on until practically sunrise, and, you cannot understand a word the Dalang says because it was in Jawa Kuno (ancient Javanese).
Be interesting to know if it’s the same in Bali. That is, using the old Balinese language.