'Wayang krucil', the endangered puppet play

'Wayang krucil', the endangered puppet play

By Rosa Widyawan

JAKARTA (JP): Wayang krucil is a form of wayang that depicts
stories from the Majapahit period through the use of small, flat,
wooden puppets. The stories generally concern Javanese cultural
values, especially their educational and philosophical aspects.

During the revolution era, the wayang was used to promote a
spirit of heroism by conducting performances about the history of
Indonesian heroes such as Prince Diponegoro and Untung Surapati.
It was also a way to spread Islamic propaganda, through the story
of Amir Hamzah, for example.

In Javanese society, this shadow play is less popular than
other forms of wayang and other performing arts. Wayang krucil is
only known in the East Java regencies of Tuban, Ngawi, Trenggalek
and the Central Java regency of Blora. These areas are relatively
dry and less fertile, compared to other parts of Java.

Wayang krucil is a distinct form of wayang in that the dolls
are made of wood and smaller than ordinary wayang kulit or wayang
purwa. The word krucil in Javanese indicates small things such as
precil (baby frogs), pentil (mango fruit buds, nipple). It is
also called wayang klitik because the dolls make a rattling sound
when they are played.

Wayang krucil does not follow the ordinary wayang performance
structure that begins with a talu (musical overture), pagunungan
(a mountain-shaped puppet symbolizing great natural forces),
janturan (a long poem to introduce a major scene), palace scene,
perang gagal (failed battle) and ends with tancep kayon (the
conclusion, signaled by visibly placing a tree of life puppet in
front of the screen).

The wayang krucil dalang (coordinator) has the liberty to not
follow a standard plot, but the flow of the story depends on
audience interest. Such pressure will force the dalang to draw on
his creativity, which often times produces different versions of
the same story.

Wayang krucil performances usually tell local stories such as
the Panji Stories or Damarwulan chronicles, whose premise is that
sacrifice and suffering will bring happiness in the future.

Damarwulan ngarit (Damarwulan gathers grass), for example,
tells the tale of Damarwulan, a young country fellow who devoted
himself to working as a horse keeper for Patih Logender. He
endures hard times while working for the man so that he can
eventually marry a beautiful young aristocratic girl.

The Bujangganong story concerns a poor, ugly, young man
obsessed with Taliwati, Talirasa and Talisari, the daughters of
the King of Ngerum. At the end of the story, he happily manages
to marry all three.

Indirectly, the wayang suggests that villagers not feel
inferior and that they work hard to achieve their ideals.

The most specific and important characteristic of the
performance is the appearance of the golekan doll. The dalang's
skill is reflected in the way he manipulates the doll, which
appears either in the beginning, middle or end of the
performance.

The golekan scene has philosophical meaning. It encourages the
audience to have enough self-confidence to seek the meaning of
life. Dancing golekan are meant to inspire the audience to
anggoleki (seek, interpret) hidden massages in the night-long
performance. Moral values are delivered symbolically and ways of
life are transformed through various stories in the performance.

The dalang is not only a central performer in the play, in
which he leads the musicians, narrates, sings and speaks while
manipulating the puppets. His profession is inherited and he has
a strong influence over his community, especially in terms of
spiritual values. He is believed to be a guru with supernatural
powers and one whose words are thought to have magical powers and
always be true.

In the Janjang village of Blora, the dalang is called mbah (a
Javanese term of kinship used for grandfathers and old men) even
if he is relatively young. The people of Janjang never make fun
of a wayang krucil performance because they believe that the
dalang has the power to curse anyone who gossips about him.

There are other ways to become a dalang, such as in the case
of Ki Sarni of Tuban, East Java. Ki Sarni, a gamelan player from
the Wolu Tengah village of Tuban, was elected after the death of
the village dalang. Ki Sarni admitted that the former dalang's
position legitimately should have gone to Pak Gus, who was passed
over because he was deaf and dumb.

Supangkat, a former gardener at a primary school in Janjang,
also did not inherit his new profession. A local leader appointed
him dalang in 1989 after the death of the village's former
dalang.

The income of a dalang is not sufficient to live on. In one
year he will perform no more than five times. Most have other
jobs, working as peddlers or shopkeepers, for example. They
generally perform on special occasions, such as during ceremonial
meals, and when people want to break their vows. Dalang only
charge Rp 150,000 to Rp 500,000 for a performance, depending on
the local economic conditions and the quality of the dalang.

Wayang krucil is an endangered tradition in Javanese society.
It has many competitors, especially videotapes, which are often
rented for special ceremonies. Furthermore, most wayang krucil
dalang are elderly and few are preparing others to take over this
centuries-old tradition.