Today,
the most famous shadow puppetry comes from Java and from Turkey. Javanese shadow
shows are known as 'Wayang Purwa' and are elaborate performances lasting throughout
the night. They were originally used to teach the stories of the Hindu religion,
and so have much in common with Indian shadow shows. The specific texts were
the Ramayana and the Mahabarata. They were handed down by oral tradition, and
so have evolved a Javanese version of the originals, with many episodes being
invented by the puppeteers to add new interest to the plots.
The puppets ('Wayang Kulit') are made from animal hide and are richly decorated and coloured, since originally one half of the audience (the men) would sit on the side of the screen where the actual puppets could be seen, while the women watched the shadows. The puppets are stylized versions of people, with the head and hair being particularly prominent, since it is normally these attributes which are used to identify the different characters. The puppets are manipulated by a single person (the 'Dalang') who also provides all the voices. An orchestra, consisting of gongs, drums and tuned percussion instruments, accompanies the action - it is known as a gamelan.
You can find out more about Javanese shadow puppets at discover-indo.tierranet.com.
Click on to the next page to have a look at some Turkish shadow puppets.
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