Wayang kulit, the shadow puppet theatre of Indonesia, is especially popular in Java and Bali. Its repertoire draws heavily on oral legends and tales as well as written literature of the Indian and Javanese traditions. The dalang, or puppeteer, performs in front of a wide screen, and animates the puppets, imitating various voices and noises.
Origins Wayang kulit is popular in Bali, South Sumatraand West Java, but it is Central Java that is considered to be the home of this theatrical form. Whether Central Java is the birthplace of wayang kulit is still unknown. Some scholars say it is, indeed, Java’s very own contribution to world theatre. Others postulate that because a large part of the wayang kulit repertory originated in India, it is logical to assume that the theatrical form originated there too. Still others think that China is the ancient home of wayang kulit, but while China does have its own shadow theatre, neither Chinese plays nor shadow puppets bear much resemblance to the shadow theatre of Java. Regardless of where it originated, one fact is indisputable – the art of the shadow theatre represents a singularly Javanese achievement and today this art form is without counterpart in either China or India.
The Puppets A complete set of shadow puppet – there are approximately 400 – represents a world unto itself, yet one whose inhabitants are as recognizable to the audience as old friends or family members. Shadow puppets are made from thin, almost parchment-like leather and range in size from six inches to over three feet in height. The body shape, size, colouration, type of head-dress and style of clothing for each character have been set by tradition, thus making individual character clearly distinguishable from one another. Even if one does not remember the actual name of character, he will be able to know from the aforesaid elements what kind of ‘person’ the character is, whether refined or coarse, a god, a clown, an ogre and so on. The most important of all the shadow puppets is not a character but the gunungan, the ‘tree of life’, which is used by the dalang to mark both the opening and the closing of the performance as well as a change of scene. It is also used to symbolize a forest, a fire or a storm. It can be the call of alarm before battle. Waved and twirled by the dalang, it becomes a symbol of approaching fate.
Wayang Schematic
Jamang (diadem)
Suweng (ear stud)
Kalung (necklace)
Pending (sash buckle)
Wastra ( skirt-cloth)
Badong (apron)
Uncal kencana (gold apron pendants)
Kroncong (anklet)
Gelang (bracelet)
Bokongan (hip cloth)
Sabuk (waistband)
Kelatbahu (upper arm ring)
Manggaran (slopknot of sash)
Praba (back ornament)
Sumping (ear jewel)
Dawala (diadem band)
Garuda (bird’s head ornament)
Karawista together constitute the makuta (crown)
Modangan and
Njamat (gem)
The term sekaten encompasses at least two related but different concepts. First, it describes festivities held annually between the fifth and twelfth days of Javanese month of Maulud to commemorate the birthday of the prophet Muhammad SAW. Secondly, it refers to a specific ceremonial Javanese gamelan set played at these festivities which, until the 1970s, was owned by only three royal courts : Surakarta, Yogyakarta and Cirebon (Kasepuhan).
Grebeg Grebeg is a major event involving almost all the royal family, the officials and employees of the kingdom, and the community in general. In Javanese, the word means procession, support, and an impressive and noisy event. All these are expressed in the Grebeg ritual, which revolves around a procession of several gunungan (mountain-like heaps) made of rice decorated with vegetables and other foods. Hundreds of soldiers and palace employees take part in the procession, which is attend by the King and his family and watched by thousands of people. Three kinds of grebeg festivities related to royal ceremonies are the Grebeg Maulud (marking the birth of prophet Muhammad SAW), Grebeg Syawal (the end of the Fasting month), and Grebeg Besar (the completion of the haji). Each consists of a procession that carries a pair (or its multiple) of gunungan from the palace to the Grand Mosque. As the procession passes the sitinggil – the open pavilion where the ruler receives courtesy calls – two palace-herloom gamelan (Kodok Ngorek and Munggang) are played in its honour. Upon arrival at the mosque, prayers are said for the well-being of the community and a selamatan (well-wishing ritual) is held. Afterwards, everyone tries to take something from the gunungan, as to have a piece is believed to bring blessings.
Sekaten The word sekaten is often associated with sekati, a measure of weight formerly used by the Javanese. It is also linked to syahadatain, meaning the two sentences of the syahadat or the acknowledgement of acceptance which is the primary requirement for conversion to Islam. The gamelan sekaten is very large and heavy, three times the size and weight of a normal Javanese gamelan. The gamelan is seen as being part of the Hindu culture. In the translation from Hinduism to Islam in the mind-15th century, the wali or religious preachers cleverly used such products of the Hindu culture as means to attract people and convert them to the teachings of Islam.
Gunungan
The gunungan are tokens of gratitude to God The Almighty for the abundance of food that has bestowed upon the community. They are moulded from rice and decorated with vegetables and cakes.
The male gunungan or gunungan lanang is covered with fringes of snake beans and red chilli peppers, the top hidden under a layer of flat rice cakes that culminates in a plume of fish-shaped cakes. The more rounded female gunungan or gunungan wadon is elaborately decorated with rice cakes in a variety of shapes and colours, and bristles with bamboo skewers holding tiny cakes.
Gamelan Sekaten
In order to attract the people, the gamelan sekaten was designed to be as big and spectacular as possible, and very loud. To withstand the hard material, most hammers were made of durable material like water-buffalo horn.
The gamelan sekaten consists of :
One Bonang (set of 10 to 14 kettle-gongs) played by three musicians (pengrawit)
One or two pairs of demung (low-toned xylophone).
Four saron (mid-toned xylophones) with four musicians playing the same melody.
One bedug (large single-headed drum) use to signal a chance of tempo or speed.
One set of kepmyang (pairs of small kettle-gongs).
One pair of gong ageng (big gongs), played by a single musician.
Taken from ____, Indonesian Heritage ; Performing Arts. Archipelago Press, Singapore. 1998.
In Indonesia there are many kinds of traditional dances. The most famous dances are in Central Java Region. Especially in Surakarta and Yogyakarta. Among the Most popular are tile Beksan Lawung (Yogyakarta style), Klana Topeng (Yogyakarta style), Beksan Wayang Golek (Yogyakarta style), Gambir Anoni (Surakarta style), Bondan (Surakarta style), Gatutkaca Gandrung (Surakarta style), Golek (Yogyakarta style) and war-dances such as Srikandi fighting Cakil, Prahasta fighting Hanila, Ontoreja fighting Hanggada and so on.BEKSAN LAWUNG The Beksan Lawung is a dance for men depicting the knighthood of the Period of feudal society. it represents contests between knights in the skill of using their lances, similar to the tournaments in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. Beksan Lawung has been cultivated in the palaces of both Surakarta and Yogyakarta. Kusumakesawa, a dance expert of Surakarta belonging to the older generation, says that Beksan Lawung already exsisted in the mataram (17th century). A Plete Beksan Lawung is danced by 16 dancers; however, the number can be reduced to 10, 8, 6 or even 4, in Yogyakarta the Beksan Lawung is also called Beksan Trunajaya because it, was danced by the Trunajaya army troop.KLANA TOPENG The Klana Topeng dance Yogyakarta style Of the strong type describes King Klana Sewandana from the kingdom Of Bantarangin who is in love with Dewi Candrakirana of the panji story. In the dance Klana Sewandana is dressing himself up. he combs his hair, Powders his face, arranges his eye-brows and his moustache, tidies up his Clothes, and finally looks in the mirror. The dance also describes how klana, who seems to see Dewi Candrakirana in front of him, Moves to and fro to got hold of her. There are many surakarta Style elements in the dance.BEKSAN WAYANG GOLEK The Beksan, wayang Golek was created by Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX about 1944. It is different from the Other Yogyakarta style dances in that the dance movements imitate the stiff movements of wayang golek (wooden puppet play) though the movement are short and broken the dance is none the less of a high aesthetic quality; both male and female dancers wear jackets. The important charaters portrayed in the Beksan wayang Golek are those of the Menak stories, for instance, marmaya fighting King Jayengpati. .GAMBIR ANOM Gambir Anom is a solo dance surakarta style of the refined type danced either by a man or a woman but usually by a woman.The Gambir Anom dance depicts lrawan, Arjuna's son, in love he is dressing himself up; he combs his hair, Powders his face, arranges his eye-brows and Puts his clothes in order, His toilet complete, he bends forward in several directions as if the girl of his dreams is in front of him.GAMBYONG The gambyong is a female dance, surakarta style, usually danced by one' three or dancers. The gambyong dance describes a Young woman dressing herself up to look more beautiful.BONDAN The bondan is a solo female dance, Surakarta style, describing a young girl taking care of and cuddling her little sister.GATOTKACA GANDRUNG The Gatotkaca gandrung is a very popular solo-dance surakarta style of the strong type, describing Gatotkaca dresses himself up, moving here and there as though Pregiwa is close to him.GOLEK The golek is a Solo female dance, Yogyakarta style (which can 6180 be danced by more dancers) describing a young girl dressing herself up.PETILAN ONTOREJA FIGHTING HANGGADA This Yogyakarta Style dance describes the fight between onto-raja, Bima,s son and Hanggada, Subali,s son, from the lakon Rama Nitis (Incarnation of Rama). The fight is won by Ontoreja.The lakon Rama Nitis is a mixture of the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, in which Rama incarnates in, Kresna and Laksmana in Arjuna.
-taken from many sources-
The kris or keris is a distinctive, asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Southern Thailand and the southern Philippines. Both a weapon, and spiritual object, krisses are often considered to have an essence or presence, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad. The kris spread from the island of Java to many parts of the archipelago of Indonesia, such as Sumatra, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, South Sulawesi, Kalimantan, and to the Southeast Asian areas now known as Malaysia, Brunei, southern Philippines, southern Thailand, and Singapore. The term keris had a Javanese origin, though it cannot be ascertained how it came about. The term "keris" may have originated from the old Javanese word ngeris which means ‘to stab’ or ‘to pierce’. Kris is a European rendering of this Javanese term. Keris blades are usually narrow and have a wide, asymmetrical base. Blade length is highly variable. The blade is made from different iron ores and often contains nickel. A bladesmith, or Empu, makes the blade in layers of different metal. The different metals used to forge the blade gives the keris its distinctive ‘watered’ appearance. This is called pamor and is similar in concept to Damascus patterning on Indo-Persian blades and "hada" on Japanese blades. Blades are acid-etched after forging to bring out the contrasting patterns formed by the various metals used in the keris. Iron ore sources are rare in some areas of the Malay world, especially in Java. The Empu (for those highly skilled smiths in the employ of Kratons, who can pass down their title of Empu to their sons) or pandai keris (for smiths of varying skill levels, working outside of kratons), often use myriad types of metal ores that they can find to make the blade. There are tales of blades made from meteorite iron (rare and highly prized due to its spiritual significance and higher nickel content) to scrap metals from vehicles, tools, railway tracks, captured Dutch cannons and blades, and in recent times, bicycle chains. Keris blades can be straight or sinuous. With sinuous blades, the bends are called luks. Most keris have fewer than 13 luks and the number of luks should be odd, or the keris would be considered unlucky. The sinuous blade has become synonymous with the keris, especially today as it has become a popular tourist souvenir. In reality more than half of the old keris have straight blades. The luks maximise the width of wound while maintaining its weight. A keris and its sheath have many parts. The names for these parts vary by region. The following terms apply mainly to the Javanese keris. ukiran – handle/hilt; patra – handle carvings (especially on Javanese ukiran); selut – metallic cap on the ukiran (not on all krisses); mendak – metal cup on the tang between the ukiran and the blade guard; wilah – blade; pocok – blade point; peksi – tang; ganja – guard/parrying structure; wrangka – the wide, top portion of the sheath; gandar – the narrow portion of the sheath; pendok – a metal sleeve for the gandar; buntut- end of the pendok. The ukiran and the sheath are often made from wood, though examples made from ivory or covered in gold sheets could be found. Different regions in Southeast Asian produce different styles of wilah, ukiran, and sheaths. One beautiful material used for some ukiran and wrangka was fossilized mammoth molar, called "graham". Such a molar would be cut to reveal the dentine patterns within the molar. Aged graham sheaths exhibit an attractive orange, white, and beige stripe pattern. Kris has a cranked hilt, which served as a support for stabbing strike. At the same time it allowed to add the strength of the wrist to the pressure on the blade while slashing and cutting. Kris has no special protection for the hand, except for the broad blade at the hilt, which offers some protection for the hand. In rare cases Kris has its blade made to rotating around the axis, fixed in the hilt. The idea was to get the blade automatically turning to slip past the ribs. This works poorly and leads to low durability of the weapon. Krisses were worn every day and at special ceremonies, with heirloom blades being handed down through successive generations. Yearly cleanings, required for as part of the spirituality and mythology around the weapon, often leaves ancient blades worn and thin. In everyday life and at events, a man usually only wore one kris.
-taken from many sources-
Javanese beliefs (Kebatinan or Kejawen) have principles embodying a "search for inner self" but at the core is the concept of Peace Of Mind. Although Kejawen is not a religious category, it addresses ethical and spiritual values as inspired by Javanese tradition. It is not a religion in usual sense of the word, like Islam, Judaism, or Christianity. There are no scriptures such as the Bible or the Qur'an, nor are there prophets. There is no emphasis on eschatology (ie. life after death, heaven or hell, devils or angels). Kebatinan is a metaphysical search for harmony within one's inner self, connection with the universe, and with an Almighty God. Javanese beliefs are a combination of occultism, metaphysics, mysticism and other esoteric doctrines, exemplifying a Javanese tendency for synthesis. The Javanese system is so flexible that syncresis in all manifestations is attainable, even that which is in conflict. Javanese ideals combine human wisdom (wicaksana), psyche (waskita) and perfection (sempurna). The follower must control his/her passions, eschewing earthly riches and comforts, so that he/she may one day reach enlightened harmony and union with the spirit of the universe. Generally speaking, the Kebatinan follower believes in the existence of a super-consciousness in the cosmic world which is beyond humankind's comprehension, yet controls and guides humans' affairs and destiny. This Superconciousness is believed to be contacted via meditation. There are several meditation techniques (tapas): tapa kalong (meditation by hanging from a tree), Tapa Geni (avoiding fire or light for a day or days), Tapa Senen (fasting on Monday), Tapa Mutih (abstention from eating anything that is salted) and Tapa Ngablek (isolating oneself in dark rooms). Fasting is a common practice employed by Javanese spiritualists in order to attain discipline of mind and body to get rid of material and emotional desires. Many Kebatinan followers meditate in their own way to seek spiritual and emotional relief. These practices are not performed in churches or mosques, but at home or in caves or on mountain perches. Meditation in Javanese culture is a search for inner self wisdom and to gain physical strength. This tradition is passed down from generation to generation.
-taken from many sources-
The word originates from Javanese word "amba", meaning ”to write” and the Javanese word for dot or point, "titik."Batik has been both an art and a craft for centuries. In Java, Indonesia, batik is part of an ancient tradition, and some of the finest batik cloth in the world is still made there.
Although the process of decorating cloth through the process of batik is found in several regions in Africa or India and even in some South East Asian countries, the batik of Indonesia is unique and unequaled.
Indonesian Batik is made in several regions, but the center of the art is Central Java, in cities like Yogyakarta, Solo, Cirebon, Pekalongan and Indramayu.
The pride of Indonesians to wear batik till the present day has preserve this art of textile.
The beauty of Batik is a tribute to the patience, creativity of the woman of Java, the main island of Indonesia. Credit should be also given to men who prepare the cloth and handle the dyeing and finishing process.
Contemporary batik, while owing much to the past, is markedly different from the more traditional and formal styles. For example, the artist may use etching, discharge dyeing, stencils, different tools for waxing and dyeing, wax recipes with different resist values and work with silk, cotton, wool, leather, paper or even wood and ceramics.
Batik is historically the most expressive and subtle of the resist methods. The ever widening range of techniques available offers the artist the opportunity to explore a unique process in a flexible and exciting way.
Process of Batik Painting
Melted wax (Javanese: malam) is applied to cloth before being dipped in dye. It is common for people to use a mixture of bees wax and paraffin wax. The bee's wax will hold to the fabric and the paraffin wax will allow cracking, which is a characteristic of batik. Wherever the wax has seeped through the fabric, the dye will not penetrate. Sometimes several colors are used, with a series of dyeing, drying and waxing steps.
Thin wax lines are made with a canting needle, a wooden handled tool with a tiny metal cup with a tiny spout, out of which the wax seeps. Other methods of applying the wax onto the fabric include pouring the liquid wax, painting the wax on with a brush, and applying the hot wax to precarved wooden or metal wire block and stamping the fabric.
After the last dyeing, the fabric is hung up to dry. Then it is dipped in a solvent to dissolve the wax, or ironed between paper towels or newspapers to absorb the wax and reveal the deep rich colors and the fine crinkle lines that give batik its character. This traditional method of batik making is called Batik Tulis (lit: Written Batik).
The invention of the copper block or cap developed by the Javanese in the 20th century revolutionised batik production. It became possible to make high quality designs and intricate patterns much faster than one could possibly do by hand-painting. This method of using copper block to applied melted wax patern is called Batik Cap.
Indonesian batik used for clothing normally has an intricate pattern. The traditional ones carry natural colors while the contemporary ones have more variety of color. Some batik may be mystic-influenced, but very rarely used for clothing. Some may carry illustrations of animals and people. Batik is generally thought of as the most quintessentially Indonesian textile. Motifs of flowers, twinning plants, leaves buds, flowers, birds, butterflies, fish, insects and geometric forms are rich in symbolic association and variety; there are about three thousand recorded batik patterns.
-taken from many sources-
Indonesia is home to hundreds of forms of music. The traditional music of central and East Java and Bali is the gamelan. It is the main element of the Indonesian traditional music. Each gamelan is slightly different from the other; however, they all have the same organization, which based on different instrumental groups with specific orchestral functions. The instruments in a gamelan are composed of sets of tuned bronze gongs, gong-chimes, metallophones, drums, one or more flute, bowed and plucked string instruments, and sometimes singers. In some village gamelan, bronze is sometimes replaced by iron, wood, or bamboo. The most popular gamelan can be found in Java, and Bali.
The gamelan has an old and mysterious origin. Apparently it predates the Hindu-Buddhist culture that dominated Indonesia in its earliest records, and instead represents a native art form. The instruments developed into their current form during the Majapahit Empire. In contrast to the heavy Indian influence in other art forms, the only obvious Indian influence in gamelan music is in the Javanese style of singing.
In Javanese mythology, the gamelan was created by Sang Hyang Guru in Saka era 167 (c. AD 230), the god who ruled as king of all Java from a palace on the Maendra mountains in Medangkamulan (now Mount Lawu). He needed a signal to summon the gods, and thus invented the gong. For more complex messages, he invented two other Gongs, thus forming the original gamelan set.
In Indonesian traditional thinking, the gamelan is sacred and is believed to have supernatural power. Both musician and non-musicians are humble and respectful to the gamelan. Incense and flowers are often offered to the gamelan. It is believed that each instrument in the gamelan is guided by spirits. Thus, the musician have to take off their shoes when they play the gamelan. It is also forbidden to step over any instrument in a gamelan, because it might offend the spirit by doing so. Some gamelan are believed to have so much powers that playing them may exert power over nature. Others may be touched only by persons who are ritually qualified. In Javanese gamelan, the most important instrument is the Gong Ageng. The Javanese musicians believe that Gong Ageng is the main spirit of the entire gamelan.
There are a wide variety of gamelan ensembles, distinguished by their collection of instruments and use of voice, tunings, repertoire, style, and cultural context. In general, no two gamelan ensembles are the same, and those that arose in prestigious courts are often considered to have their own style. Certain styles may also be shared by nearby ensembles, leading to a regional style.
The varieties of gamelan are generally grouped geographically, with the principal division between the styles favored by the Balinese, Javanese, and Sundanese peoples. Balinese gamelan is often associated with the virtuosity and rapid changes of tempo and dynamics of Gamelan gong kebyar, its best-known style. Other popular Balinese styles include Gamelan angklung and kecak, also known as the "monkey chant." Javanese gamelan was largely dominated by the courts of the 19th century central Javanese rulers, each with its own style, but overall is known for a slower, more meditative style than that of Bali.
In Indonesia, gamelan usually accompanies dance, wayang puppet performances, or rituals or ceremonies. Typically players in the gamelan will be familiar with dance moves and poetry, while dancers are able to play in the ensemble. In wayang, the dalang (puppeteer) must have a thorough knowledge of gamelan, as he gives the cues for the music.
Gamelan's role in rituals is so important that there is a Javanese saying that "It's not official until the gong is hung." Some performances are associated with royalty, such as visits by the sultan of Yogyakarta. Certain gamelans are associated with specific rituals, such as the Gamelan Sekaten, which is used in celebration of Mawlid an-Nabi (Muhammad's birthday).
Gamelan is a way of linking individuals in social groups. Gamelan music is performed as a group effort, and so there is no place for an individual showoff. Traditionally, gamelan is only played at certain occasions such as ritual ceremonies, special community celebrations, shadow puppet shows, and for the royal family. Gamelan is also used to accompany dances in court, temple, and village rituals. Besides providing music for social functional ceremonies, gamelan also provides a livelihood for many professional musicians, and for specialized craftsmen who manufacture gamelan.
Today, although gamelan music is still used for ritual ceremonies and the royal family, it is also performed as concert music at social and cultural gatherings to welcome guests and audiences. Gamelan is also used to accompany many kinds of both traditional and modern dances, drama, theatrical and puppetry. In modern days, gamelan can be kept in places such as courts, temples, museums, schools, or even private homes.
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taken from many sources-
