Indonesian Hindu Religious Theather Puppet: "Wayang Kulit"

This is a shadow puppet for the Wayang kulit theater, the traditional Hindu drama of Java and Bali, in Indonesia. Wayang kulit originated in Java.

The ancient shadow puppet performance tells stories from the two Hindu epic poems, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The function of the shadow play is to educate as well as amuse, by portraying good and evil, with good always triumphing, although evil is never destroyed.

Wayang kulit is a dramatic story told in the form of a play using flat, leather puppets that throw their shadows on a screen. The puppets are chiseled with very fine tools and supported with shaped buffalo horn handles and control rods. The puppets are cut out in profile and pierced with holes, so that when held against the light they look almost like lace. Their arms are moved by small sticks. Puppets range from 10 to 30 inches high.

The puppets are believed to have great spiritual power, and are "brought to life" by special ceremonies performed by the dalang, the puppet master and story teller. The puppets move behind a large, white screen of cloth stretched on a wooden frame. Above the puppeteer hangs a flaring oil lamp. As the puppets move, the lamp casts their shadows onto the screen.


Source:
http://e"Ramayana." World Book Online InfoFinder. World Book, 2013. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. <
www.worldbookonline.com.dbpcosdcsgt.co.san-diego.ca.us/pl/infofinder/article?id=ar458860>.

"Wayang." World Book Online InfoFinder. World Book, 2013. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. < http://0-www.worldbookonline.com.dbpcosdcsgt.co.san-diego.ca.us/pl/infofinder/article?id=ar747599&st=wayang+kulit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayang http://www.art-pacific.com/artifacts/indonesi/puppets/kulit.htm http://www.tunasmekar.org/WayKul.html