History of Wayang Kulit

PUPPET is one of the nation's top arts and culture of Indonesia's most prominent among the many works of other cultures. Culture puppets include acting, singing, music, speech arts, literary arts, painting, sculpture, and art is also symbolic. Culture of puppets, which continues to grow over time, also a lighting media, propaganda, education, entertainment, philosophical understanding, and entertainment

According to the research of historians of culture, culture is a culture of wayang native to Indonesia, particularly in Java. The existence of puppets was many centuries before the Hindus go to the island of Java. Although a popular puppet story in today's society is an adaptation of the works of Indian literature, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Both the main story in the puppet undergone many changes and additions to adapt them to the original philosophy of Indonesia.
Adjustment of the concept of this philosophy is also about the philosophical position of the Javanese people against the gods in the puppet. The gods in the puppet is no longer something that is free from wrong, but like any other God's creatures, sometimes acting wrong, and could be a blunder. The presence of puppet characters dalam_ panakawan deliberately created the culture of Indonesia (Javanese cultural exact) to reinforce the concept of philosophy that in this world there is no creature that is really good, and that is really bad. Each creature is always bearing the elements of good and evil.
In his dissertation titled Bijdrage tot de Kennis van het Javaansche Tooneel (1897), the Dutch cultural historian Dr. GA.J. Hazeau indicated his belief that the puppet is the original performance of Java. Understanding puppet in the dissertation Dr. Hazeau it is walulang inukir (a carved leather) and seen his shadow on the screen. Thus, the puppet in question certainly is a shadow play as we know it today

Origin of Wayang Kulit

There are two opinions about the origin - origin puppet. First, the notion that puppets originated and was first born on the island of Java, precisely in East Java. This opinion is in addition to adopted and raised by researchers and experts in the Indonesian nation, is also the result of research of Western scholars. Among Western scholars belonging to this group, is Hazeau, Brandes, Kats, Rentse, and Kruyt.

 The reason they are quite strong. Among other things, that the art of puppet is still very closely related to sociocultural and religious state of the Indonesian people, especially the Javanese. Panakawan, the most important figures in a puppet, that Semar, Gareng, Petruk, Bagong, there are only puppets in Indonesia, and not in other countries. In addition, names and technical terms puppet shows, it all comes from the Javanese (Kuna), and no other language.
Meanwhile, a second opinion suspected puppets from India, which brought together with the Hindu religion to Indonesia. They include Pischel, Hidding, Krom, Poensen, Goslings, and Rassers. Most of this second group is the British scholar, the European country which had colonized India.
However, since the 1950's, puppet books as if he had agreed that the puppets are coming from Java Island, and in no way be imported from other countries. Culture puppet was born in Indonesia is estimated at least during the reign of King Airlangga, king Kahuripan (976 -1012), when the kingdom in East Java that was prosperous, prosperity. Literary works the subject of puppet stories have been written by the poets of Indonesia, since the X century Among other things, the script-language literature Kakawin Book of Old Javanese Ramayana written during the reign of King Dyah Balitung (989-910), which is a spin-off from the Book of the Ramayana written by Indian poet, Valmiki.



Furthermore, the Javanese poet no longer just translating the Ramayana and the Mahabharata into Old Javanese language, but compose and retelling by entering into this philosophy of Java. For example, the professor's work Kanwa Arjunawiwaha Kakawin, which is composed of berinduk on the Book of Mahabharata. Composed by other, more obvious difference between the original story derigan Indian version, is Baratayuda Kakawin work professor and professor Sedah Panuluh. This great work done in the reign of King Jayabaya, king of Kediri (1130-1160).
Puppet as a performance and spectacle had already started there since the reign of King Airlangga. Some inscriptions are made in those days, among others already mentioned the words "mawayang 'and` aringgit' which means that the puppet show.