K.O, Nicole, Dominica, Eric, Sara

Article 2 Yielding to the Dreamy Tug of Ancient Shadows - Examining the Collision of Traditional and Modern Practices in Africa

LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/featured_articles/001018wednesday.html

~Location~ Surabaya, Indonesia- This place is an acrhipelgo area in the Southeast. It is a modern urban elite and it is very diverse. Indonesia has many islands.It is mostly coastal lowlands but the larger islands have larger mountains. The total square mile of Indonesia is 1,919,440.

~Quote~ "I like the puppet show better than television because the stories are more plausible. The shows portray human nature as it really is. The puppets are shadows of human beings."

"Perhaps it was their passion for puppetry or their respect for the acclaimed puppet master, Anom Ruroto, that kept them from going home... but few in the audience left before the performance ended at 4:05am.

~Ancedote~ Most of these puppet shows last about 12 hours long with no breaks in between. Mr.Suroto is one of the best known puppeteers in all of Indonesia. His son, Muhammad Bayuaji Prasetya is only 16 years old and follows in his father's footsteps. He too is becoming a known puppeteer in Indonesia. While performing he gets so caught up in the show that he doesn't take breaks because it's almost as though he has entered into the world of the puppets. At the end of Bayuaji's performance he is so tired that he has to be helped off the stage.

~Vocab~

emeritus-one retired from professional life but permitted to retain as an honorary title the rank of the last office held

aficionados-a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usually fervently pursued interest or activity

penchant-a strong and continued inclination

dalang - The puppeteer in a traditional Indonesian puppet show.

~Story Line~ The story begins on an early Saturday morning, around 3:15 a.m. as a well known puppetmaster and his son (who happens to be his protoge) deliver one of their many famous puppet shows. Along with the puppetmasters there is also a 20 man orchestra. The show depicts ancient legend and stories that have been passed through Indonesian culture for centuries. The show is in its seventh hour as much of the audience begins to doze off and fall asleep. Despite the late hour, many still find energy to remain awake. It could've been the respect for the tradition, their passion for puppetry or even their respect for the puppetmaster, but many found enough will power to stay awake, no matter how late they ended.