Wayang kulit is one of the most prominent indonesian top arts and culture among the many works of other cultures. Wayang kulit Culture include acting, singing, music, speech arts, literary arts, painting, sculpture, and also symbolic art. Wayang kulit, which continues to grow over time, alsoas an information media, religion enlighting media, education, entertainment, philosophical understanding, and entertainment.
According to the research of historians of culture, culture is a Wayang kulit is the original culture of indonesia, particularly in Java. The existence of wayang kulit was many centuries before the Hindus go to the island of Java. Although a popular puppet story in today’s society is an adaptation of the works of Indian literature, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Both the main story in the wayang kulit undergone many changes and additions to adapt them to the original philosophy of Indonesia.
Adjustment of the concept of this philosophy is also about the philosophical vision of the Javanese people against the gods in the wayang kulit. The gods in the wayang kulit are no longer free from doing wrong, but like any other God’s creatures, sometimes acting wrong, and could be doing sinr The presence of figures in a puppet panakawan deliberately created by indonesian culture exact (Javanese cultural exact) to reinforce the concept of philosophy that there is no very good creature and very bad creature. Each creature is always bearing the elements of good and evil.
In his dissertation titled Bijdrage tot de Kennis van het Javaansche Tooneel (1897), the Dutch cultural historian Dr. GA.J. Hazeau indicated his belief that wayang kulit is the original performance of Java. In the dissertation Dr. Hazeau told that wayang kulit means walulang inukir (a carved leather) and seen his shadow on the screen. Thus, wayang that he mention it certainly is a shadow play as we know it today.
Origin
Regarding the origins of this wayang kulit, in the world there are two opinions. First, the opinion wayang kulit originated and was first born on the island of Java, precisely in East Java. This opinion is in addition to adopted and raised by researchers and experts in the nation of Indonesia, also was the result of research of Western scholars. Among Western scholars belonging to this group, is Hazeau, Brandes, Kats, Rentse and Kruyt.
Their reason are quite strong. Among other things, that the art of wayang kulit is still very closely related to sociocultural and religious state of the Indonesian people, especially the Javanese. Panakawan, the most important figures in a wayang kulit Semar, Gareng, Petruk, Bagong, are only found in indonesian wayang, and not in other countries. In addition, names and wayang technical performance terms, it all comes from the Javanese (Kuna), and no other language.
Meanwhile, a second opinion suspected wayang kulit from India, which brought together with the Hindu religion to Indonesia. They include Pischel, Hidding, Krom, Poensen, Goslings and Rassers. Most of this second group is the British scholar, the European country which had colonized India.
However, since the 1950′s, wayang kulit books as if he had agreed that the puppets are coming from Java Island, and not imported from other countries at all.
Wayang kulit culture was born in Indonesia is estimated at least during the reign of King Airlangga, king of Kahuripan (976 -1012), when that kingdom in East Java was prosperous, prosperity. Literary works that be the subject of wayang kulit stories have been written by the poets of Indonesia, since the 10th century Among other things, the script-language literature Kakawin Book of Old Javanese Ramayana written during the reign of King Dyah Balitung (989-910 ad), which is a spin-off from the Book of the Ramayana written by Indian poet, Valmiki. Furthermore, the Javanese poet no longer just translating the Ramayana and the Mahabharata into Old Javanese language, but compose and retelling by adding the philosophy of Java to the stories. For example, the professor’s work Kanwa Arjunawiwaha Kakawin, which is composed stories reverented on the Book of Mahabharata. Other composed stories that, more obvious difference between the original story to the Indian version, is Baratayuda Kakawin work of empu Sedah and empu Panuluh. This great work done in the reign of King Jayabaya, king of Kediri (1130-1160).
Wayang kulit as a performance and spectacle had already started there since the reign of King Airlangga. Some inscriptions are made in those days, a couple of them are already mentioned the words “wawa yang” and “aringgit” which means wayang kulit show.
About the birth of wayang kulit culture, Ir. Sri Mulyono in his book Simbolisme dan Mistikisme dalam Wayang (1979), estimate the puppet has existed since the time of neolithikum, about 1,500 years before Christ. His opinion was based on the writings Robert von Heine-Geldern Ph. D, Prehis toric Research in the Netherlands Indies (1945) and Prof. writing. K.A.H. Hidding writting Indonesia Encyclopedia page 987.
The word “wayang” probably derived from the word “wewa yangan”, which means shadow. This conjecture is consistent with the fact the Wayang Kulit performances are using a screen, a piece of cloth, as a barrier between the DALANG who plays the wayang, and the audience behind the curtain. Viewers only saw movement through the wayang shadow motion that falls on screen. At that time wayang performances accompanied only by a simple set of gamelan (javanese traditional music instrument) consist of saron, Todung (a type of flute) and kemanak. Other types of gamelan and SINDEN at that time was allegedly not yet exist.
For more javalyze the wayang culture, since the early days of the Majapahit Kingdom introduced another wayang story that does not referented on the Book of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Since then the Panji stories, ie stories about the ancestors of the kings of Majapahit, was introduced as one form of another puppet. Panji stories are then more widely used for Wayang Beber performances. Tradition to javalyze wayang story also forwarded by some Islamic clerics, among them by the Wali Sanga. They began to use stories of the kings of Majapahit, among them the story Damarwulan.
The entry of Islam into Indonesia since the 15th century also gave a big influence on the culture of wayang, especially on the religion concept of the wayang philosophy. At the beginning of the 15th century, that is the time of the Kingdom of Demak, began to use specially-shaped oil lamp called blencong on Wayang Kulit performance.
Since the days Kartasura, composing a story that referented to the Ramayana and Mahabharata increasingly much more different from the original. Since the time people know the genealogy of wayang characters, including gods figure, which originated from the Prophet Adam. This family tree continues to the kings of Java. And then, began to be known also a pakem wayang stories . The appropriate standard of stories, and wayang new creation stories beyond the standard line. In addition, there was more drama called splinter, which was too far out of the story grip.
Indeed, because it is rooted srongly in the culture of Indonesia, so there was some confusion between the wayang stories, legends, and history. If the Indians think that the story of Mahabharata and Ramayana actually happened in his country, regarded Javanese wayang story actually happened on the island of Java.
And in the Kulonprogo wayang kulit still very interested by all circles. Not just by adults only, but also teenagers and even young children have also been unusual to see wayang kulit show. Besides, puppet also commonly used in certain events in Kulonprogo, both in wates or inremoted areas in Kulonprogo.
