Popularizing 'wayang' via the Internet? Why not

Popularizing 'wayang' via the Internet? Why not

By Kanti Waluyo

JAKARTA (Antara): The communications revolution has changed
people's lives.

The world has become a huge system of information exchange. In
1988, one optic fiber cable could carry 3,000 electronic messages
at the same time. In 2000, they carry an estimated 10 million.

Now, with the aid of technology like the Internet, information
is at our fingertips.

The globalization of information will undoubtedly affect the
socio-cultural fabric of life in Indonesia. Most of the
information on the Internet comes from industrially advanced
countries with very different cultures from Indonesia's. How can
we anticipate the influence of these different values? A single
cultural reference might be used to investigate the
possibilities.

One such reference which still has the attention of the
Indonesian community is wayang. By bringing wayang to the
frontiers of global communication, Indonesians, as well as the
rest of the world, can benefit from its instructive, moralistic
and indelibly Indonesian character. Wayang has positive values,
it imparts a sense of identity; it is a healthy entertainment,
and it preserves and celebrates Indonesia's unique and vibrant
cultural heritage.

Style

The wayang is a part of Indonesia's cultural heritage that
lives on, especially in the Javanese, Sundanese and Balinese
communities, as well as in the communities of Banjar and Lombok
in West Nusa Tenggara.

According to the pakem (book of Javanese wayang stories), each
wayang message is conveyed through specific scenes and figures
involved; the quality of the performance depends on the style and
perception of the dalang (puppet master).

There are various kinds of wayang in Indonesia. The most
popular one dates back thousands of years: the wayang kulit
(leather puppet show). Its basic stories are taken from the
Mahabharata and Ramayana. These stories are our living link with
Hindu doctrine, but we love them for their adaptations to local
culture.

The basic stories for wayang Klitik/Krucil (show with flat
wooden puppets) -- wayang Timplong, wayang Tengul, wayang Cepak,
wayang Sasak -- have their origins in the Babad Tanah Jawi
(chronicle of Java glorifying the Javanese kings) and the Serat
Menak (for the dissemination of Islam).

The wayang Suluh takes its story from the Indonesian national
history such as the stories about Pangeran Diponegoro, Untung
Suropati. The basic story of the wayang Wahyu is based on the
Bible. An example is the story of Yusuf Winisudo in which Dawud
gets the wahyu.

So what role can the wayang play for Indonesians in an era of
global communication?

Firstly, with freedom of information anything can be accessed
on the Internet. One therefore faces a competition of values,
both negative and positive.

Because of that, a source of positive values is needed. The
wayang's could function to give psychological, intellectual,
religious, philosophical, aesthetical and ethical inspiration.

For example, there is the story of Pandawa, an Amarta knight
who protects his people from suffering. By contrast, Kurawa acts
out of self-interest, being afflicted by the passion of greed. In
the Bharatayuda war, Suyudana ordered his people to wage war
against Pandawa out of personal interest.

Secondly, wayang helps to maintain the identity of the
nation's culture. The younger generation living in this Internet
era gets most of their information from foreign cultures without
first having a sense of their own identity.

In order to recapture the nation's identity, it is useful to
consider the teachings in the wayang, the teachings of a cultural
life or a way to appreciate one's parents, teachers and fellow
human beings.

For example, at the beginning of the Bharatayudha war Arjuno
suddenly lost his fighting spirit. He was heartbroken. He could
not fight his own brothers and teachers whom he thought showed
great dedication in having educated and cared for him since his
childhood.

Kresno could not stand to see the doubt afflicting his younger
brother. He reminded Arjuno that a knight could not withdraw from
his national duty. At critical times he had to uphold his
mission, especially the obligation to fight evil without regard
to whether it be relative, a teacher or his own family. With this
advice from Kresno, Arjuno's spirit was finally aroused again.

Thirdly, wayang provides healthy entertainment. Each wayang
performance presents love stories, serious dilemmas and great
sacrifices as a form of dramatic entertainment. One such
performance is that of Ki Timbul Hadiprayitno.

This artist presents dialogue that moves his audience to
sadness or happiness. Ki Anom Suroto's performances are full of
Islamic teachings, yet he is also deft at presenting humorous and
enticing dagelan (jokes) both through Limbukan and Goro-goro
scenes. This, as well as the songs by the sinden (women singers
with gamelan orchestra), compel the audiences rank him a favorite
wayang performer.

Fourthly, wayang maintains a specific cultural heritage. The
wayang shows the trait of gotong royong (mutual help) by very
nature of its performance.

Without good cooperation there is no wayang performance,
especially when a wayang is held in rural or remote areas. Two
weeks before a show, the rural community already knows through
word of mouth who is going to be the host of the wayang , in what
context the performance will be held, where the venue is located,
and who the dalang will be.

The rural community, through gotong royong, builds the stage
for the wayang performance and sets up the tents to sell
refreshments for duration of the wayang performance.

What can be done so that wayang can play a role in global
communication? One way is to produce wayang on CD-ROM, including
an introduction to wayang figures and stories, and subsequently
to market the CD on the Internet. Things must be done in an
interactive way in accordance with consumer demand. However, the
philosophy of wayang must always be maintained.