We travel more than 2000 years into the past of Java in Indonesia. It is a time when neither religion nor literacy is widespread among the people. The people here have developed their very own culture for teaching life: Wayang. Wayang is Javanese and means mirror - this refers to the mirror of human life in nature or the reflection of our lives. A puppet shadow theater was developed to teach people about life, morality and philosophy. This is therefore the oldest culture in Java and has been supported by UNESCO since 2004.
I visited a small workshop in Yogyakarta where the traditional wayang puppets are made. The puppets made here are used for the traditional performance in Yogyakarta's palace and some of them are also for sale (more on this later). The incredibly friendly owner took a long time to explain the history, production and general information about Wayang culture to me. I was so fascinated and grateful for his time that I don't want to withhold this information from you!
The Wayang shadow theater
The shadow theater requires a white background that is 5 meters long and 2 meters high, as well as light that shines on the background. When there was no electricity, the light was obtained from a coconut oil lamp. When the light falls on the white background, you can see the shadows of the puppets on one side and the puppet with all its colors on the other side. Sometimes there is also a picture on the white background that supports the narrative and is used for explanation. During the performance, this screen originally stands in the middle. The audience can then view the show from all sides by walking around the screen. The entire theater is performed by just one performer. So this person speaks all the characters and animals that appear in the story. There are a total of 300 characters that can be used in the play, including, for example, Sinta and Ramah, who you may know from the famous love story. The play is spoken in the Javanese language. The play is accompanied by Javanese musical instruments. This is called "Gamelang". There are about 50 people playing music in the background while 2 women sing.
The Wayang puppets represent human and nature. The puppet is therefore divided into three parts:
Legs and feet represent nature
Belly and chest represent the heart
Head represents the mind
The Wayang puppets are characterized by complex and multifaceted symbolism. The owner of the workshop explained some of the symbols to me using the Wisnu figure, one of the Hindu gods who is the protector of the world, the family and the home.
The fact that human beings are made up of the four natural elements of fire, water, earth and air is represented on the puppet in the form of ornaments. The human body receives energy through these elements. This energy is represented on the puppet by 4 flowers, with each individual flower representing one of the chakras. You can also discover a bird on the puppet. This symbolizes the energy through the sky. The wings of the bird represent the energy of the sun, the body represents the energy of the moon and the feathers represent the energy of the stars.
The puppet's long nose stands for curiosity and its large ears for wisdom, because as the saying goes: "talk less, listen more". Its long arms stand for generosity and the finger position is the one you adopt when meditating. The protruding fingers represent instinct, feelings and mind. The fact that the thumb and index finger meet symbolizes harmony and love. The puppet's legs symbolize its connection to earth. If the puppet is barefoot, this symbolizes modesty.
The production of Wayang puppets
At the beginning of the Wayang culture, the puppets were made from banana leaves. However, as these are very unstable and the puppets broke quickly as a result, at some point people started using leather to make them. Now the puppets are made from buffalo skin. However, the buffaloes on Java are used for work in the rice fields, which is why they are often beaten with a whip and the quality of the skin suffers as a result. Because of this, the buffalo skin is now imported from Sulawesi.
The first step in making a Wayang puppet is to draw the outline on the leather. An already created figure is used as a template for this. The outlines are then traced with a nail. The pattern of the marionette is then cut into the leather. Tools of different thicknesses are used for this, depending on how large or small the ornament is to be. This process takes about 4 days. The figure is then painted identically on both sides. Only natural colors are used for this and not chemical ones, as these adhere better to the buffalo skin. Painting the marionette takes a further 3 days. The rods for moving are made from the horns of the buffalo and are then attached to the painted puppet.
He also explained this process to me using the Wisnu figure as an example. For more complex figures, the production process is more time-consuming.
Where you can find the workshop
The small workshop is located near the palace in Yogyakarte and is called "Classic Wayang". Not only can you watch how the puppets are made and have the staff explain as much as you like, you can also buy some of their pieces. The quality is incredibly good and you can even roll the puppets without them breaking. And what could be better than taking a piece of Java's oldest culture home with you from your travels?
You can also reach the workshop at the following telephone number: +6281226883325.
Please send me pictures and tell me what you thought of the workshop if you decide to visit it.
If you want to know more about the wayang culture, there are several videos on YouTube - many of them in Indonesian though. I've linked you to a short video from UNESCO that briefly introduces the traditional shadow theater.
Love, Shirley
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