6 minute read
Wayang Should Tell a Story
he history of wayang as a performing art has been so long. The Balitung inscription (907 AD) which contains the
Twords Galigi Mawayang proves the existence of wayang performances at that time. Centuries later, the designation of wayang as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO on November 7, 2003 confirmed
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the existence of wayang as one of the pinnacles of cultural achievement, a masterpiece of the intangible oral cultural heritage of the Indonesian nation. To commemorate that moment, the government set November 7 as National Puppet Day referring to Presidential Decree Number 30 of 2018 concerning National Puppet Day. Further complementing its prestige, wayang was inscribed into UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage through a session in Istanbul, Turkey on November 4-9, 2008.
The high-quality work of the nation – Danang Daniel
The form of wayang performances has undergone repeated transformations along with the growth and change of the supporting community. From the beginning of a shadow show, wayang has developed into a stage performance
that can be watched
from any angle. The
puppeteers and supporters of the show who were originally behind the scenes in its development have also become a major part of the show itself.
Of course, this change did not happen immediately. Indonesia’s agrarian society is slowly moving towards industry. Wayang, which was originally an event closely related to social rites, has gradually shifted to a ceremonial agenda whose appearance has become more important than its content. People are increasingly familiar with wayang performances, but paradoxically, they are increasingly
distant from the story.
The language of
wayang
which has its own discipline (different from the language of everyday people¬) is not the only cause.
Wayang deals with people who are busy fighting for the prosperity of life. In conditions of unequal prosperity, most artists place their work as a commodity that refers to market needs. Artists need
income to survive economically so they will try in various ways to survive and be accepted by society. Some take a long process while still considering the ethicalaesthetic aspects, but many also take shortcuts to gain popularity and to make their work a source of income.
The Decline of Wayang’s Realm
Concerns about the stagnation and even the decline of the wayang’s realm have been voiced for a long time. Around 1972, in the “Seminar on the Arts”, Gendhon Humardani stated, “Pakeliran Saponika saweg gawat kawontenanipun.” (The art of wayang is currently in a critical condition). The puppeteer role models of the decade also expressed a view that was not much different.
Grande – Secretariat of Directorate
General of Culture
Ki Darman Ganda Darsana once said,
“Saiki wis angel golek dhalang, sing ana wong buruh mayang.” (Now it’s hard to find a puppeteer, but workers who play wayang instead). It is clear that such differences of opinion are not new but a dialectic that will continue to occur over time. It is the
dialectic that actually leads the wayang to find its ideal form in every era.
The puppeteer as the central figure of wayang is faced with the current situation of society which tends to be individualistic. The puppeteer is no longer seen as a figure who plays a social role but is seen as an individual with a unique field of work, a field that is not normally chosen by most people. His or her existence is determined more by his or her popularity, how often he or she performs the show, how expensive the tariff is, how wide the coverage area of the stage is and so on. This causes puppeteers to work more alone as workers in other fields increase the
degree of their existence.
More and more wayang audiences no longer see the puppeteer and wayang as a unified whole, but are more interested
in marking the parts of the show that they enjoy and understand. Those who are only interested in entertainment, for example, will seek information about the guest stars, whether singers or comedians, who will accompany the performance of a puppeteer they want to attend.
This group will go home after the scene of limbukan and/or gara-gara because their favorite part of the wayang show has ended. The puppeteer is left and then continues his performance with a group of spectators who still like the elements of the play, although their numbers are generally not very large.
The fact that people are more interested in entertainment has influenced most of the puppeteers to focus on cultivating the elements of
their performances on the entertainment side, often sacrificing other important elements. For example, the duration of the scenes of limbukan and gara-gara made longer causes story development to be not optimal. The act or story is no longer the main element in the show. This is generally accepted, although of course there are still some puppeteers who do not apply that way. The current situation in the world of
puppetry is relatively free from criticism because people no longer have sufficient concern for the quality of wayang performances. The unrelatedness of the puppeteers and the community in social interaction makes wayang tend to become the property of the puppeteers. Criticism is often interpreted as jealousy or dislike of the puppeteer. This is enough to hinder the progress of wayang art today.
Adjust oneself
Changes in various fields that are increasingly fast and unpredictable as a result of advances in communication
technology today have also given rise to dichotomies that require wayang to adapt, develop and maintain their functions in the midst of people’s lives. The digital era is the latest challenge in the wayang’s realm.
The public is spoiled for choices and offers. In the turmoil of life which is all
Not only a shadow of the imagination - Danang Daniel
Harmony in the dimness - Danang Daniel
about material things, wayang actually has room to function itself in offering views and values. Wayang and wayang actors are subjects. The function of wayang as a transmitter of ideas, both moral and aesthetic, is something that should not be negotiable.
Awareness of the importance of performing arts with quality in order to rebuild spaces of expression rooted in tradition is an urgent matter that should be immediately pursued. Wayang shows must be done in such a way that they are able to attract the interest of the
audience while remaining faithful to their distinctive scope. If the communication problem in the show is successfully solved, wayang has the potential to touch the human side by way of space and responding to all forms of progress, not only limited to the packaging but also the contents of the ideas conveyed in the show.
The challenges of the wayang universe will not stop. The digital world that is developing today becomes an opportunity as well as a threat if it is not handled intelligently. Wayang is required to be responsive and forward-looking. Wayang shows must not stop being a kind of artifact from the past. Watching wayang is not visiting a museum.
It is really unfortunate when people watch wayang solely because they want to reminisce while the content in the wayang itself is not in line with the life of the era. If it is true that wayang is an oral cultural heritage recognized by the world, wayang should tell a story. It is appropriate that wayang participates in planning the future.
