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Description

Wayang kulit (shadow puppet) of gunungan (mountain) or kayon (tree of life). One side of the object shows a set of white stairs leading up to the closed double doors of a small temple. Guarding the doors at either side are two golden skinned, blue faced creatures (raksasa) holding maces. Their faces are fierce, with red eyes and sharp teeth in grinning mouths. To either side of the temple’s roof are the faces of dragons, with red eyes and mouths, sharp golden teeth, and feathered brows. At top is the head of a purple demon that wards off evil spirits. Above it is a golden Tree of Life full of monkeys, birds, flowers, and a serpent wrapped around the trunk. A tiger and water buffalo face each other at the tree’s bottom. On the other side of the object is a large blue demon’s head with open red mouth and white teeth. It is surrounded on all sides by yellow and red flames. The leather of the object is pierced through with patterns that create delicate lacy designs intended to allow light to shine through. The puppet is held firm by a long smooth handle made of polished horn.

History Of Use

Kayon kulit, a 2-dimensional shadow puppet (wayang) used in puppet stage plays to represent the seat of the gods. Wayang kulit shadow play is over a thousand years old. It is thought to be derived from the leather shadow puppetry of southern India, like tholu bommalata, which came to Java with the spread of Hinduism in the first millennium. In Java--part of the largely Islamic Republic of Indonesia--this highly distinctive form of shadow puppetry is valued as a pusaka, a sacred treasure of the royal court of Yogyakarta. The plays are performed to mark special occasions, such as birthdays, marriages, and religious events. They have also been adapted for television and for public education campaigns. At the heart of all performances is the dhalang, the leading artist, puppeteer and gamelan orchestra leader. With immense energy, drama, humour and creativity, the dhalang is responsible for manipulating the puppets; for interpreting their personalities and gestures; for speaking in their particular voices; for narrating the story and for conducting the gamelan orchestra— gongs, xylophones, drums, bowls, vocals, strings. When the play is about to begin, the dhalang places one of his gunungan or kayon—a large leaf-shaped shadow puppet-form representing a tree of life or sacred mountain—in the centre of the screen to separate the opposing groups of puppets and to announce that the cosmic order is in balance. Part way through the play, chaos descends when the four clown characters--Semar and his sons, Bagong, Gareng and Petruk--make an entry. They enliven and delight the audience with their crude and comic behaviours, jokes and songs.

Item History

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