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

~ The location of Indonesia makes sense with this case study of the art of puppeteering because its part of their culture and most of the puppet shows are of the history of their culture. They preserve their culture through the puppet shows.

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 shawdows of human beings." - Siswantro

"I think young Indonesians like puppetry because the moral and ethical stories are more relevant to their daily lives than their dream world of foreign soap operas." - Mr. Kayam

"These stories have benn handed down for centuries and they provide a way to connect with the past." - Mr. Kayam

Ancedote:

Mr. Suroto is the most well-known puppeteer in all of Indonesia. The puppet shows usually last about 12 hours long, having contemporary themes or comedy. The shows are high in drama, palace intrique, romance, philosophy, combat, mysticism and moral lessons.

The puppeteer sits cross-legged on a mat before a illuminated cotton screen about the size of a large television.

A puppeteer can make up to $5000 per performance.

Many of the children in Indonesia are interested in puppeteering but cant afford to go to school for it so they usually learn as an apprentice.

The most difficult part of puppeteering is learning the voices of characters, which can take up several hours of the day, everyday. It is not usually hard to stay up for the 12 hours of the performance.

Key Vocabulary:

Dalang ~ The Puppeteer

Wayang Kulit ~ A Shadow theatre

Wayang Golek ~ Uses Rod Puppets

Aficionados ~ an ardent devotee; fan, enthusiast

Epic ~ noting or pertaining to a long poetic composition, usually centered upon a hero, in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style

Story Line:

In Indonesia they hold 12 hour long puppet shows which you'd think would be boring but to the people of indonesia it isnt because it is a huge part of their culture. The show runs without a break which means that the puppeteer must be really talented. A puppeteer is a playwright, linguist, ventriloguist and director all at the same time. In this story, Mr.Suroto is the puppeteer, accompanied by his son. His sons name is Bayuji and Mr.Suroto is trying to teach his son all the trades of puppeteering, but these take years to master.

Beyond the Article:

http://www.centres.ex.ac.uk/bill.douglas/Schools/shadows/shadows4.htm

Mikaela, BJ