Fuzzy Bus

Bali is a large arts and ritual performance based community. All of the arts are essential to the lifestyle on the island, and the Wayang Kulit, shadow puppet, is an extremely popular traditional performance. It is also the most ancient puppet theatre in existence throughout the world today. While Bali attracts many tourists and for various reasons, attending a performance of Wayang Kulit is definitely the highlight for most. Many people rank it higher than the dance and music scene, and even the beauty of the beaches with all the accompanying water sports. A vacationer staying in a hotel in Bali Indonesia can get lost in all of the possibilities for scenic adventures and entertainment, though they are highly recommended to make the time for a shadow puppet performance. They may also want to visit the courtroom in Klungkung where the characters are depicted in a large mural on the courtroom’s ceiling. They were also a common subject in traditional Balinese paintings, and remain so even today.

The word Wayang is the term used for theatre, though its actually translation is shadow. Wayang used by itself includes all forms of traditional and contemporary theatre. Kulit translates as skin and refers to the leather from which the characters are carved. They are intricately chiseled from specialized tools and then are supported by buffalo horn handles and rods. The Wayang Kulit came into existence with Islam’s major incorporation into the culture. When this happened, the depiction of God or Gods in human form became illegal. This put an end to the traditional puppet theatre, and that style of painting. It was after a request made by King Raden Patah of Demak, Java to see the puppets was denied by Muslim religious leaders, that the shadow puppet was designed as an alternative. These puppets were created out of leather and only their shadow was presented during a performance. This form of puppet theatre was acceptable and brought the birth of Wayang Kulit.

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