Ancient Shadow Puppets (Wayang Kulit)
Friday, July 21st, 2006 by ablteamWayang kulit, or shadow puppets as they are more commonly known as in English, are part of an ancient heritage of pre-Hindu culture that still exists in many regions around Indonesia. The word wayang means puppet, while kulit means skin. Wayang puppets are cut from thin pieces of buffalo hide and intricately carved and decorated to symbolize different characters. The figures are braced with a single support stick and often have articulating arms and legs that can be manipulated to act out dramatic scenes.
In Bali a wayang kulit performance is a popular form of village entertainment that invariably accompanies a religious ceremony or rite. Performances are usually adaptations of epic legends and tales that are retold in story form against a white cloth screen that is lit with a shimmering oil lantern.
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