Wayang wong, also called wayang orang, is a popular type of dance drama that originated on the island of Java in the Southeast Asian nation of Indonesia . Performances are highly stylized and reflect Javanese court culture. Wayang wong is also commonly performed on the neighboring Indonesian island of Bali.
Wayang wong comes from Javanese words meaning human puppet. Wayang wong developed from a sacred type of Indonesian shadow puppet theater called wayang kulit. Wayang kulit is a dramatic story told in the form of a play, using flat leather puppets that throw their shadows on a screen. The puppets are cut out in profile. They are colored and beautifully decorated. The puppets’ arms are moved by small sticks.
Wayang wong dancers move like wayang kulit puppets. The dancers’ movements are often jerky, rigid, and exaggerated. The dancers speak and sing as they move. They wear elaborate costumes and heavy makeup. Wayang wong performances feature themes taken from episodes of the two Indian epic poems, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana . Epic poems are an ancient form of poetry. They often tell of the origin or history of a people. Wayang wong dancers are accompanied by a traditional Indonesian orchestra called a gamelan, which consists chiefly of metal percussion instruments and drums. Wayang topeng is similar to wayang wong except that the actors wear carved and painted wooden masks. This form of wayang is seldom performed today, but the masks are common decorative items.
Wayang wong started in the 1700’s under the patronage of the courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta in Java. It was commonly performed in royal courts until the 1940’s. Wayang wong also spread to Bali, where it developed as folk art performed by groups of villagers. In Balinese wayang wong, there is more emphasis on long poetic speeches and less on dance than in Java. Also, most of the Balinese wayang wong performers—except those portraying heroic characters—wear elaborate masks.
