Ryoh Matsumoto, 'wayang' lover from Japan

Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Philosophy, as expressed in Javanese wayang kulit (leather puppet), reflects realities in human life.

Not surprisingly, many literary people and cultural experts from various countries love this typical traditional art of Indonesia, sometimes more than Indonesians themselves do.

One such foreign aficionado of wayang is Ryoh Matsumoto, 77, from Japan, who has for about 40 years devoted his life to the study, development and preservation of the finely crafted leather puppets that project such beautiful shadows upon canvas.

Originally knowing nothing of this art, this graduate of Osaka University's French department became acquainted with wayang in 1968, when he visited the Prambanan Temple in Yogyakarta and happened to watch a wayang performance.

"I knew nothing of the show. I just joined the big audience out of curiosity. After seeking information and getting a bit familiar with wayang stories, my interest in the art began to grow," said Matsumoto.

To better understand wayang, back in Japan Matsumoto began Indonesian language training and further studied shadow puppetry. He also learned more about wayang from top dalang (shadow puppet masters) from Yogyakarta, Central and East Java, such as Ki Nartosabdo, Ki Anom Suroto, Ki Timbul Hadiprayitno, Ki Panut Darmoko and Ki Mantab Sudarsono.

For a deeper knowledge of wayang, with the permission of the National Institute of Sciences and support of the Indonesian Arts College of Surakarta, Matsumoto studied wayang and Javanese culture, notably traditional dances and gamelan (musical instruments), at Puro Mangkunegaran (royal court) in Surakarta, Central Java, for a year in 1983.

As a manifestation of his love of wayang, the former employee of a book publisher, Heibon-sha Ltd, on August 17, 1974 set up a Japanese wayang association, Wayang Kyokai, with 100 members, which was marked by a wayang show presenting an episode of Wisanggeni Lahir (the birth of Wisanggeni, a demigod knight).

For the development and spread of wayang, the club stages 25 performances in various places a year on average, but the duration of each show is reduced to two to three hours (from seven to eight hours as traditionally required). In June each year, a dusk-to-dawn show is staged with such stories as Parikesit Lahir (the birth of a crown prince) and the Ramayana serials.

Matsumoto's first book, Wayang Kulit Jawa (Javanese Shadow Puppetry), was written in 1975, followed by Wayang in 1977. His other books over the next two decades were Latar Belakang Mahabarata (Background of the Mahabharata) in 1980, Wayang Dalam Gambar (Illustrated Wayang) in 1982, Catatan Harian Mimpi (Day Dream Notes) in 1985, Tukang Sihir Yang Sedih (The Unhappy Sorcerer) in 1987, Ramayana (1993) and Wayang (1994).

In his view, the wayang puppets have a high value as fine art, while their stories constitute an esthetically composed philosophy of human life; two special features that put Javanese shadow puppetry in the top place among world cultures.

"I believe that wayang as a beautiful component of culture will not only become Indonesia's asset. It will further develop and become a treasured possession of world nations," Matsumoto pointed out.

The philosophy of life as the spirit of wayang shows, according to him, will unify the world's diverse ethnic groups and cultures. This philosophy is only felt by the heart while all men basically share the same conscience. Therefore, wayang will be able to grow anywhere with some technical modifications to suit local traditions.