Ryoh Matsumoto, 'wayang' lover from Japan

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.