You’ve probably heard of an Indonesian art called Wayang. Wayang is one of Indonesia’s proud heritage and is well known throughout the world. Indonesian shadow puppetry, or Wayang Kulit itself, is one of the most popular types of Wayang.
But what exactly is Wayang? How did this cultural heritage appear in Indonesia, and what types of Wayang exist in Indonesia? If you want to watch this puppet show, which indonesia places to visit ?
What is Wayang?
Wayang is a cultural heritage that belongs to Indonesia and has existed for hundreds of years. Meanwhile, Wayang Kulit is a puppet show performance in which the way of playing is attaching sticks to the ends of the puppeteer’s hands and feet.
The Wayang design makes Indonesian shadow puppets stand out from other cultural heritages. Unlike other puppets, Wayang has many shapes that don’t look like a person or animal. Of course, Wayang still describes the human story in general. However, the framework for making Wayang is carved with traditional Indonesian symbols and patterns.
There are many types of Wayang in Indonesia. Still, some of the most common types encountered by Indonesian people are as follows:
1. Wayang Kulit
Of course, Wayang Kulit is Indonesia’s most famous type of Wayang. Kulit, which means skin, is the material used to make these puppets, it can be from cows or goats’ skin.
2. Wayang Wong
Wong, if translated into Indonesian, means a person. As the name implies, Wayang Wong is a person who acts like a puppet. Wayang Wong is a Javanese performance in which people imitate the puppets’ movements and use traditional ornaments resembling the shapes of the Wayang.
3. Wayang Golek
Wayang Golek actually comes from Sundanese and has a style similar to Wayang Kulit, only not in 2D. Wayang Golek is the same as ordinary Wayang, except that it has a hollow body that only consists of a stick for the puppeteer to hold. The puppets also wear traditional Sundanese clothing.
Where to Watch Wayang Shows
Many foreign tourists ask about Indonesia for places to visit, including where you can watch Wayang performances simultaneously. Those of you who are eager to watch the show, can check out the tourist city of Yogyakarta.
There are two places in Yogyakarta where you can see firsthand this traditional Javanese art, which are:
1. Sonobudoyo Museum
Sonobudoyo Museum is a museum located in the center of Yogyakarta city. The attraction of this museum is its collection of Wayang. All kinds of Wayang can be seen in this museum, and this place also organizes Wayang shows every night except Monday.
2. Kraton (Keraton)
Unlike the Sonobudoyo Museum, the Keraton does not hold puppet shows daily. There will be various kinds of performances every day, and Wayang shows are one of them. Shows usually start in the afternoon after lunch.
Wayang has a certain beauty and uniqueness, making it stand out as a cultural heritage. Another fact that makes Wayang unique is its existence. So far, there is no evidence to suggest that Wayang exists in countries other than Indonesia.
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