Dalang

There are five puppeteers who still exist in Manca Negari Barat. Of these five puppeetteers, only Nyi Arum who is still popular up to her middle age. This fact eliminates a perception that women puppetters are only popular when still young and beautiful, and also because their beauty and power are not commonly owned by ordinary women. To stay existent, a good rapport with the community is needed. Nyi Arum's status as a civil servant helps her perform in ceremonial events. Her social connection also gave her an opportunity to perform out of Java, and she will be invited to Netherlands. Nyi Arum holds her pride for remaining existent in the world of puppetteering in spite of the low frequency of invitation to perform. Nyi Arum also displays a gender-responsive attitude, which is shown in her creating stories which place women as the leading roles. She also inserted critiques and suggestions that women be independent and have career into the intermezzo sections of the stories such as in Limbukkan scenes. Besides that, Nyi Arum also actively discusses women in formal situation. A. Pendahuluan Berbicara masalah wayang, tidak lepas dengan dalang. Seorang dalang wayang kulit, menurut Ras (1985:4), meskipun ia hanya orang desa yang tidak terpelajar, oleh para penontonnya dianggap ahli seni sastra. Dalam waktu semalam dan seorang diri ia menyajikan pergelaran drama. Di samping unsur cerita narasi, ia juga menggunakan puisi kuna atau suluk, tembang macapat, dan dialog-dialog yang bersifat stereotipe. Seni wayang kulit di Jawa memiliki beberapa versi atau gagrak. Menurut Nugroho ada versi Yogyakarta, Surakarta, Banyumasan, Jawa Timuran, Pesisiran, dan Cirebonan (2001:9). Sementara itu, di Jawa Timur tidak hanya memakai satu versi, Jawa Timuran, melainkan ada dua versi yaitu versi Jawa Tengah (Yogyakarta dan Surakarta) dan Jawa Timuran. Kedua versi di atas memiliki pemetakan daerah pemakaian yang jelas. Di daerah-daerah yang oleh Koentjaraningrat (1984:30) disebut "daerah mancanegari barat", yakni daerah-daerah Madiun, Ponorogo, Pacitan, Magetan, Trenggalek, Blitar, Tulungagung, dan Nganjuk, cenderung digunakan versi wayang kulit Jawa Tengah. Sedangkan daerah-daerah wetan, seperti Kertosono, Jombang, Mojokerto, Sidoarjo, Gresik, Malang, Jember, dan Surabaya cenderung menggunakan versi wayang kulit Jawa Timur atau wayang "Jawa Timuran". Dalang wayang kulit tidak hanya pria saja. Meskipun tidak banyak jumlahnya, ada pula dalang wayang kulit wanita. Antara dalang wayang kulit pria dan wanita masih dibedakan. Hal tersebut berkaitan erat dengan pandangan masyarakat Jawa terhadap wanita. Dalam masyarakat Jawa kedudukan wanita dapat dilihat dari ungkapan-ungkapan: wong wadon iku swarga nunut neraka katut, wong wadon iku panggonane ing buri, kanca wingking (nasib wanita selalu bergantung kepada nasib suami, baik ataupun jelek, demikian pula nasib wanita di akherat, wanita selalu berada di belakang laki-laki). Wanita juga diibaratkan sebagai salah satu barang yang menjadi lambang keperkasaan laki-laki, yaitu wisma, curiga, turangga, wanita (rumah, pusaka, kuda, dan wanita) (Herri, 1981:23). Ungkapan-ungkapan tersebut mencerminkan bahwa wanita berada pada kedudukan yang lebih rendah dari pada laki-laki. Pandangan seperti itu dapat mempengaruhi dalang wayang kulit wanita dalam pola pertunjukan, cerita yang dapat 1 Disarikan dari Penelitian Berjudul: Dalang Wayang Kulit Perempuan Jawa Timur. Dibiayai oleh SKW

In the attempt to preserve and safeguard the unique heritage of Wayang Kulit (Shadow Play),UNESCO has designated it as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7th November 2003. Wayang Kulit Kelantan in Malaysia is threatened with imminent extinction. This paper reviews the critical situation of Wayang Kulit Kelantan in Malaysia. The visualization and movement of Wayang Kulit Kelantan is described into four major aspect, which are the puppets, shadows, screen for shadow projection (Kelir) and its light source. It also reviews the comparison methods and techniques between Wayang Kulit Kelantan traditional shadow play and Computer Graphics Imagery (CGI) used as a prototype design in traditional Wayang Kulit Kelantan.

"Second Skin: Peeling Back the Layers
Solo Exhibition by Entang Wiharso
September 10-November 6, 2011
Curated by Dr. Mary-Louise Totton
KIA (Kalamazoo Institute of Arts)
Kalamazoo, MI - USA

To see a description of the show, visit:
http://www.kiarts.org/page.php?menu_id=257

The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts is both a museum and community art school. Since 1924 the mission has been to cultivate both the creation and appreciation of the visual arts."

O wayang kulit, o teatro de sombras de Bali é uma forma espetacular herdeira da tradição indobudista vinda de Java, no século XV, e um dos responsáveis pela indianização de Bali, através da utilização dramatúrgica das epopeias indianas. O processo de formação do dalang, o marionetista, é complexo, abrangendo um extenso aprendizado literário, linguístico, ritualístico e vocal. O dalang deve articular os mitos ancestrais e a contemporaneidade, transmitindo ensinamentos filosóficos e religiosos, além de comen- tar aspectos da sociedade atual.


The wayang kulit, the shadow theater of Bali, belongs to the Indo-Buddhist tradition, that came from Java in the fifteenth-century, and is one of the responsible for the indianization of Bali, by the use of Indian epics. The formation process of the dalang, the puppeteer, is complex, encompassing an extensive literary, linguistic, ritualistic and vocal learning. The dalang must articulate the ancestral myths and the contemporaneity, dispensing philosophical and religious teachings and commenting aspects of the society as well.