Infogarsela - Its precursor in West Java was wayang golek cepak, rod puppetry based on Islamic and indigenous Indonesian stories, which it began to oust in the early 20th century. The stories of wayang golek purwa are loosely based on the Indian Ramayana and Mahabharata epics, which came to Java with Hinduism some one thousand years ago.
They are spiced with many colourful indigeneous characters not found in India. Some flat leather wayang kulit puppets are still used in wayang golek, notably the kayon or gunungan, a pear-shaped stylized tree filled with animals, decorated with flames on one side.
This is a prop used to represent virtually anything, for instance a forest (kayu = 'wood'), mountain (= 'gunung'), wall, building, fire, flood, wind, or dust cloud. It is also used to signal the end of a scene. Wayang is an expensive undertaking, and performances are sponsored by a wealthy individual or institution, who thereby acquire considerable prestige. It is staged as part of the celebrations of a marriage, circumcision, a momentous occasion or anniversary. Performances normally happen out of doors, begin in the evening, and continue into the small hours. Seats and food may be provided for invited guests, while the general public is free to mill around and watch.
The crowd also attracts food sellers, purveyors of home remedies, gamblers, and every conceivable form of pedal, horse and motor-driven public transport. The dalang (puppeteer) sits cross-legged at the front of a square, covered stage of shoulder height. Two soft banana tree trunks are placed across a stand in front of him, into which the spike at the bottom of the central rod of the puppets can be stuck.
To his left is the large wooden chest, in which the puppets were carried to the performance. He cues the gamelan salendro at his back by knocking on the chest with a heavy round piece of wood, the campala. Hanging loosely together on the side of the chest are several metal plates, the kecrek, which he causes to crash loudly with his foot at appropriate moments during fight scenes.
The dalang has sole responsibility for manipulating the puppets, providing the dialogue and narration (including long passages in archaic language), singing the kakawen (mood songs), improvising jokes and slapstick, and directing the ensemble by giving percussive and verbal cues. For some eight hours he has no opportunity to stretch his legs or relieve himself. The only chance the dalang has to rest is during the lagu selingan, songs sung at the request of members of the public. The titles requested are written on a piece of paper, enclosing some money, and handed to the female singer during the performance.
The kendang player provides the main musical link between the dalang and the gamelan. As well as playing dance patterns, he adds sound effects during fights, signals transitions, or adjusts the tempo to match the movement or action. Certain pieces (notably Karatagan and the lagu perang, or battle music) contain phrases of indeterminate length: they last until the kendang plays apattern to cue the goong.
The gamelan players provide a running commentary on the action, heckle the clowns and bad guys, laugh at the jokes and answer rhetorical questions. They enliven their playing with the rhythmic, interlocking hoots and catcalls called senggak. They may also sing improvised phrases (alok) while the female sing ers are resting.
Wayang golek works at many levels: pure entertainment, low-brow humour, promotion of commercial products, propagating government family planning programmes, social satire, creative etymology, philosophical, mystical or religious teaching, communing with the past, narrative, benediction or even exorcism. Different members of an audience might focus on quite different elements: music, movement, fights, jokes, slap-stick, sexy singers, archaic language, vocal prowess, word-play, dramatic tension, gimmicks (such as puppets which puff smoke or vomit noodles), a social gathering, a fun place to eat and drink. Wayang is as diffuse and rich as life itself.
The kendang player provides the main musical link between the dalang and the gamelan. As well as playing dance patterns, he adds sound effects during fights, signals transitions, or adjusts the tempo to match the movement or action. Certain pieces (notably Karatagan and the lagu perang, or battle music) contain phrases of indeterminate length: they last until the kendang plays apattern to cue the goong.
The gamelan players provide a running commentary on the action, heckle the clowns and bad guys, laugh at the jokes and answer rhetorical questions. They enliven their playing with the rhythmic, interlocking hoots and catcalls called senggak. They may also sing improvised phrases (alok) while the female sing ers are resting.
Wayang golek works at many levels: pure entertainment, low-brow humour, promotion of commercial products, propagating government family planning programmes, social satire, creative etymology, philosophical, mystical or religious teaching, communing with the past, narrative, benediction or even exorcism. Different members of an audience might focus on quite different elements: music, movement, fights, jokes, slap-stick, sexy singers, archaic language, vocal prowess, word-play, dramatic tension, gimmicks (such as puppets which puff smoke or vomit noodles), a social gathering, a fun place to eat and drink. Wayang is as diffuse and rich as life itself.
Labels:
ada2ajah,
Wisata Populer Di Garut
Thanks for reading Wayang Golek Performing Arts of Sunda (West Java, Indonesia). Please share...!
