Wayang Kulit, puppets that become alive...

The Wayang Kulit are mystical two dimensional shadow puppets that have entertained the people in Indonesia for generations.

The puppets are made out of goat skin leather and their details are securely cut and punched in order to create a clear expression in their silhouette.

Once placed between the white screen and oil lamp, the puppets become alive...

 

A puppet made out of leather and ready to be beautifully decorated 

The master who gives the puppets their character and voice is called the Dalang. A Dalang has undergone intense training before he is allowed to perform as he must know all the stories as no other.

Additionally he must be able to give his own creative touch to the stories through humor, playfullness and mystism. Only then will he receive the reputation of an excellent puppet master...

Together with his orchestra and his assistence, the Dalang is able to create a magnificent show that usually displays the famous Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

During the show the Dalang can choose from around 60 different types of puppets who all have their own character and soul.

 

Two puppets at a workshop: Rama and Sita
are now ready to perform

There are two groups of Wayang Kulit that represent the good and the evil. The Alus always has a fine character and is sensitive, while the Kasar is more vulgar and agressive.

The good guys always stand on the right of the screen, while the bad guys stand on the opposite. Always in balance, like everything else in Bali...

Another prominant puppet in the show is the Kayonan, the tree of life. It appears in the beginning and at the end of the show.

Additionally it is always present during important acts, in the form of fire, water or wind creating a mystical and turbelant touch.

Other important characters of the wayang kulit are the servants. These puppets can be easily distinguised from the other main characters.

The servants are alway big bellied and look funny, while the other puppets are more graceful.

 

The oil lamp and the Dalang give life to the puppets

Additionally the servants can actually move their jaws and they translate the vocals sang by the Dalang which is important as the wayang kulit can only be expressed through the ancient Sanskriet language 'Kawi'.

Kawi is a language that the Balinese people don't speak but know and have learnt by heart by watching the wayang kulit stories since childhood. Through repetition they immediately know how the stories go and which puppet represents who.

The Dalang is considered a priest, as he can speak Kawi and despite the simplicity of the wayang kulit show, it is actually amazing how one person can create such a magical spectacle... 

When you walk around the shops, market or workshops and you see all the shadow puppets you might wonder why they are so beautifully painted. You won't see the colours during the show...

However, the Balinese consider each puppet to have a soul and therefore it must be decorated as beautifully as possible.

The colourings also reflect the type of character and role of each puppet.

 

Rama, Sita and Rawana

 

For instance in the Ramayana epic the noble Rama is green because he is considered to be the incarnation of Wisnu, the god of life and preservation.

His wife Sita is cream colored which indicates modesty, refinement and beauty.

Rawana, the evil one is large, hairy, has bulging eyes and has the color red which symbolises uncontrolled passion.

Eitherway, when buying a puppet the only thing that counts is that you choose the one that you think is the most beautiful or funny...

Sukawati is the village known for its best puppet makers and masters, who travel through Bali to perform their skills.

If you want to buy a puppet, the best thing you can do is to visit the workshop of a puppet maker. Usually he has a large selection of puppets displayed and he is also happy to explain more about the process of making this Bali craft.

Expect to pay around Rp 500.000 for a good quality puppet (medium size) made out of genuine leather.

If you want the full experience you can also make shadow puppets yourself. At the Museum Puri Lukisan in Ubud Indonesia (+62 361 971159/ 975136) they offer a 2 day course in which you will learn the function of the puppets and you will make one yourself.