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Iconographic Meaning

Each puppet is characterized by it's wanda, a Javanese word which describes the specific mixture of elements of size, form, colour, ornamentation and carving. Shape of body, red eyes, and teeth identify character as a buta (demon), although its exact role cannot be determined as there are very few accepted forms.

Cultural Context

Theatrical performance.

Description

Poorly crafted two dimensional humanoid male with added frontispiece depicting arms and torso. Split bamboo rod tied to body from head to foot to right; arms immoveable. Head without headdress tied to body. Loose hair in brown with gold edges. Pink face with red lips, irises. Teeth, eyes gold (cream?). Details either incised or painted in brown. Brown pointed beard. Blue garment (?) painted on shoulder of circular frontspiece. Large bare belly. Blue again painted on lower torso. Legs bare.

History Of Use

Javanese puppetry as an art form probably developed by the 11th century. Wayang kulit puppetry is the major form of shadow theatre. Originally the plays depicted Javanese mythology, but after contact with India the Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, became predominant in the cycles, which comprise about 200 plays. A dalang (puppet master) performs the plays to celebrate important occasions, usually in three acts, with vocal and instrumental accompaniment. Typically they serve a moral and religious purpose. Although the custom varies, men typically observe the plays on the dalang's side of the screen, thus directly partaking of the spiritual elements of the drama. Women and children are excluded, watching only the shadows from the opposite side of the screen. Each puppet's character is represented by its appearance and placement onstage; good characters are placed to the right, evil to the left. Buta (demons) are one of the very rare indigenous additions to the Wayang. They are coarse, ugly, and evil, used as further adversaries to the protagonists. They appear in all cycles. As there are few standard forms the character of this puppet has not been identified; it is likely a personal creation of the dalang.