Wayang Wong in the Yogyakarta Kraton: History, Ritual Aspects, Literary Aspects, and Characterization. (Volumes I and II) (Indonesia).

Abstract

The Yogyakarta kraton wayang wong, created by Sultan Hamengkubuwana I in the late 1750's and elaborated by his successors, was a deliberate revival of the Old Javanese wayang wwang. Evidence supporting this hypothesis may be found by comparing the Balinese wayang wong ( and parwa), the narrative reliefs on the walls of the East Javanese c and is, Javanese and Balinese wayang, and the Yogyakarta wayang wong. There are close resemblances between narrative reliefs, wayang, and wayang wong, but owing to the different means of expression they also show many differences in detail. Stone reliefs on the c and is are much simpler than the complicated wayang carving and coloring. Human dancers in the wayang wong are more flexible than the wayang puppets, but the latter have more complex physical traits. Each character in the wayang wong is distinguished by patterns of movement (twenty-one types), costuming, makeup, and voice quality. Wayang wong was revived by Sultan Hamengkubuwana I to strengthen the legitimacy of his claim to be the true ruler of Mataram. Wayang wong was considered to be a pusaka and performed as a state ritual for the benefit of the country. For that reason the Sultan's subjects were allowed to witness the performances. With the introduction of written texts--Serat K and ha and Serat Pocapan--by Sultan Hamengkubuwana V in the second quarter of the nineteenth century, a wayang wong lakon became a play in the Western sense. Sultan Hamengkubuwana VIII (r. 1921-39), a great patron of wayang wong, produced eleven lengthy and elaborate wayang wongs with thirteen different stories; in effect he formalized the wayang wong existing today.