WONDERFUL SHADOW PUPPET (WAYANG KULIT)

Wayang kulit is a traditional Indonesian art is mainly developed in Java. Puppet comes from the word 'Ma Hyang' meaning leads to spiritual spirit, god, or God Almighty. There is also interpreted Javanese wayang is a term that means 'shadow', this is because viewers can also watch a puppet show from behind the curtain or imagining. Shadow puppets played by a puppeteer who is also the narrator's dialogue puppet characters, with accompanied by gamelan music played by a group of nayaga and songs sung by the singer. Puppeteer play shadow puppets behind the screen, the screen is made of white cloth, while the lights flashed behind electricity or oil lamps (blencong), so that the spectators who were on the other side of the screen can see the shadow puppet who fall into color. In order to understand the story of wayang (play), the audience must have knowledge of puppet characters whose image appears on the screen. [1]

In general, the puppet took the story from the Mahabharata and Ramayana manuscripts, but not be limited only by the grip (standard), the mastermind ki could also play a play carangan (composition). Some of the stories are taken from the Panji stories.

Puppet show has been recognized by UNESCO on November 7, 2003, as a work culture that is admirable in the field of narrative story and legacy of beautiful and valuable (Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity). Shadow puppets are more popular in central and eastern Java, while the puppet show more often played in West Java