WAYANG KULIT:
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The word 'Wayang' means 'shadow', and 'kulit' means 'leather'. Wayang kulit is therefore a form of shadow theater using puppets made from leather. The Wayang puppets are usually made of buffalo hide, which is perforated to create shadows. They are manipulated by rods made of buffalo horn or bamboo. Usually, only the arms of the puppet can be moved in relation to the body. Every puppet is characterized by its own voice, its own way of gesturing, and walking. Many of the Wayang puppets are characters from the epics: 'Mahabharata', and 'Ramayana,' though they are not restricted to these. Wayang puppets portray the refined human vs the ogre. It is easy to distinguish the noble or 'halus' characters from the bad ones by looking at the physical features of the puppets. Ogres have big, fat bodies, and wide-open bulbous eyes. They walk in a funny way, and gesticulate in an exaggerated manner. They often display aggressive behavior. By contrast, the noble characters have smaller bodies, narrow 'rice-grain' eyes, and thin, pointed noses. They walk with graceful, controlled movements and tend to look down. They speak in a calm voice. Though smaller than ogres, they are powerful warriors.
Arjuna:
Some popular Wayang characters are: Arjuna, Kumbakarna, Hanuman, Gareng, and Sita. Arjuna is an example of a refined and noble character. He has thin, narrow eyes, a pointed nose, and a small slender body. His lowered gaze is a sign of self-control. His voice is low and gentle. His movements are controlled and graceful. He is very polite to the people he respects but, he is extremely powerful and kills his opponents with dance-like movements. He has the characteristic hairstyle of the Pandawa brothers, i.e. very finely curled black hair. In a large set of Wayang puppets, there are about a dozen puppets to represent Arjuna in different moods. Several of these can be used in a single performance. He has many names. Of these, Janaka, Permadi, and Arjuna are the most important.
Kumbakarana:
Kumbakarana is one of the largest ogres. He is physically very different from Arjuna. He has big round eyes and a big fat body. Ogres are essentially uncivilized creatures. They epitomize uncontrolled human desire and passion. Kumbakarna is the brother of Rawana, who carries away Sita(Prince Rama's wife) in the epic 'Ramayana'.
Hanuman:
Hanuman is another character from the 'Ramayana'. He is both a wise advisor and a powerful warrior. He is always associated with the "right side".
Gareng:
Gareng appears in every play as one of the clown servants of a noble or 'halus' warrior (such as Arjuna). He is physically deformed in every way. He is Semar's son. Semar is one of the most powerful gods who agreed to live on the earth among people. Clowns offer wise advice to their masters. They also introduce an element of lightheartedness in the story through their silly jokes.
Sita:
Sita is the wife of Prince Rama. She exemplifies the representation of a woman in Wayang. The variety of female characters in Wayang is more limited than in the case of male characters. Thus Sita is a refined character.
In Wayang kulit performances the puppets are manipulated behind a rectangular screen about 1.5 meters high and 3-6 meters long. This is the space in which the puppets come alive. It is made of white cotton. A border 10-15 cm wide made of dark fabric represents the ground and the sky. The screen is set on a wooden frame, raised a little above the ground. The 'dalang' or narrator sits on the ground in front of the screen. A lamp hangs above his head. It is this lamp that produces the shadow of the puppet clearly visible from the other side. Usually the puppets walk on the ground but they can also be made to 'fly'. Flying is represented by moving the puppets above the ground. Generally, puppets enter from either the left or the right side of the screen. It is important to note where a puppet enters or where it is placed on the screen, because it may provide visual clues about the story being narrated.
Music is an essential component of the Wayang theater, inseparable from the narrative and visual elements. The 'dalang' has to choose music appropriate to the mood of the particular moment in the story. For example, the music played by the gamelan ensemble may range from soft background pieces meant for the audience, to fast and tense compositions signifying battlescenes. In addition to manipulating the puppets, the 'dalang' gives cues (When to start or end a piece, speed up or slow down etc.) to the gamelan ensemble by striking the wooden box containing the puppets with a mallet.
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WAYANG GOLEK:
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Wayang Golek Puppets
Wayang golek is most popular among the Sundanese of W. Java. This form of Wayang uses three-dimensional wooden puppets. They have completely movable arms and heads. Wayang golek does not use a shadow screen. The stories narrated are from the epics as well as tales of the mythical Javanese king Panji. There are also legends about Amir Hamzah, the uncle of the Prophet.
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