'Dalang' enjoy freedom after Soeharto's fall<\/p>\n
By Haryoso<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): President Soeharto's big fall in May has left
\nJavanese shadow puppet masters, dalang, wondering if there is
\nanything they can do to restore their image as moral gurus.<\/p>\n
The country's new political climate gave dalang the courage to
\nspeak their minds during their July 7 through July 9 congress in
\nCentral Java's ancient city of Surakarta.<\/p>\n
About 150 puppet masters from Central and East Java attended
\nthe congress, in which they disclosed they had been used as a
\ntool of Soeharto's political propaganda machine during the 32
\nyears of the New Order regime.<\/p>\n
They said they were forced to convey government messages in
\ntheir shows. The last instance in which this happened occurred
\nwhen Indonesia was beginning to feel the pinch from the economic
\ncrisis and was being stricken by various disasters. The Soeharto
\ngovernment sponsored wayang kulit (shadow puppet) shows
\nthroughout the country, all presenting the story Romo Tambak.
\nAccording to Javanese mystical belief, the story has the
\nredeeming power to purify individuals, families or even a country
\nfrom all wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
The state's intervention in cultural affairs has seriously
\nimpaired the freedom of dalang to maintain their role as moral
\ngurus. For Javanese, wayang stories are packed with moral wisdom
\nfrom which a good dalang conveys moral values to the audience in
\na plain and entertaining way.<\/p>\n
Soeharto himself was often referred to by his political foes
\nas a dalang in the political arena since he so completely
\ncontrolled society. Real dalang say they have become stigmatized
\nsince they were a \"megaphone\" of the New Order regime.<\/p>\n
Cultural observer Emha Ainun Nadjib, when addressing the
\ncongress, said that many dalang had become very wealthy under the
\nSoeharto administration and that they had neglected their moral
\nduties.<\/p>\n
A dalang who puts financial fortunes above ideals and moral
\nduties has succumbed to political pressure and relies on cheap
\nand dirty jokes, he said.<\/p>\n
\"A dalang in this category only thinks of money and other
\nmaterial wealth,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Famous dalang, such as Ki Djoko Hadiwijoyo, Ki Entus Soesmono,
\nKi Suboro and Ki Panut Darmoko, expressed pessimism that puppet
\nmasters could become Begawan, or moral gurus, in the post-
\nSoeharto era.<\/p>\n
Their reason is that, like any other artist, dalang have two
\noptions in life: ideals or material wealth.<\/p>\n
\"Ideally, a dalang can take the middle way,\" Hadiwijoyo said.<\/p>\n
Many participants in the congress complained that dalang were
\nforced to promote Golkar, the political organization that
\nSoeharto used as his political vehicle to stay in power.<\/p>\n
In Central Java, dalang have been grouped in an association of
\ndalang and Javanese singers pesinden called or Ganasidi, a move
\nthey see as the government's effort to control artists.<\/p>\n
Ki Panut Darmoko from Nganjuk, East Java, said the dawning
\n\"reform era\" put dalang in an awkward position because of their
\npast association with Golkar.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar is fast losing its glow following Soeharto's fall. It
\nhas been blamed for the economic, political and moral crisis,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"It's true that nowadays dalang stress the entertainment
\naspects of the show too much and somewhat neglect the moral
\naspects. Maybe it's because the country is full of clowns and
\ndalang love clowning around.\"<\/p>\n
Cultural observer Won Poernomo said he did not see any dalang
\nqualified enough to be called moral gurus who are truly committed
\nto the promotion of Javanese culture.<\/p>\n
Their cultural commitment is so loose, he said, that what
\nconcerned them most was how to amuse the audience with off-color
\njokes or how to please the host with a lively show.<\/p>\n
Dalang often act like public relations officers for certain
\ngovernment leaders, he added.<\/p>\n
\"Some dalang have gone as far as discrediting fellow dalang
\nwho support Golkar's rivals, the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) and United Development Party (PPP).\"<\/p>\n
Ki Sayoko, a dalang from Klaten, Central Java, has, for
\nexample, been scorned by many peers simply because he openly
\nsympathized with Megawati Soekarnoputri, a PDI leader and one of
\nSoeharto's political enemies.<\/p>\n
In fact, independent cultural observers have long warned
\ndalang against being co-opted by political groups, including the
\ngovernment, but the advice has often fallen on deaf ears.<\/p>\n
Poernomo said dalang should show a \"reform spirit\" in
\nthemselves and forget the kudos they received from the Soeharto
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
\"The public is critical of dalang who fail to innovate. They
\nwill be left behind by wayang lovers.\"<\/p>\n
A similar view was aired by wayang columnist Murtijono, who
\nchairs the Surakarta Cultural Center.<\/p>\n
In his opinion, dalang -- because of their strategic role in
\nthe community -- had been co-opted by the state since Indonesia
\nproclaimed its independence in 1945.<\/p>\n
\"It's possible that proreform leaders will now persuade them
\nto convey their political messages as well,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The three-day congress offered dalang something to ponder:
\nwhether to be independent from outside interests or not.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dalang-enjoy-freedom-after-soehartos-fall-1447893297",
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