Wayang puppet theatre | Global Knowledge Systems

Overview

Renowned for its elaborate puppets and complex musical styles, this ancient form of storytelling originated on the Indonesian island of Java. For ten centuries wayang flourished at the royal courts of Java and Bali as well as in rural areas. Wayang has spread to other islands (Lombok, Madura, Sumatra and Borneo) where various local performance styles and musical accompaniments have developed. While these carefully handcrafted puppets vary in size, shape and style, two principal types prevail: the three-dimensional wooden puppet (wayang klitik or golèk) and the flat leather shadow puppet (wayang kulit) projected in front of a screen lit from behind. Both types are characterized by costumes, facial features and articulated body parts. The master puppeteer (dalang) manipulates the swivelling arms by means of slender sticks attached to the puppets. Singers and musicians play complex...

This record is imported from the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage public dataset as discovery metadata. ARED has not independently verified community authority, access protocols or local naming beyond the source record.

Community and Authority

Communities: Indonesia
Languages: Not specified in UNESCO dataset
Cultural territories: Indonesia
Countries: Indonesia

How the System Works

Music, Performance and Oral Literature Language, Story and Memory Material Culture, Design and Technology Ways of Knowing and Knowledge Transmission

Sources and Evidence

Imported from UNESCO DataHub dataset ich001. Field-level provenance is retained in the record metadata.

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage ListsDataset

Open original source record

Field-Level Provenance

title: UNESCO DataHub field title_en
preferredTitle: UNESCO DataHub field title_fr
summary: UNESCO DataHub field description_en
type: UNESCO DataHub fields type_of_element_en and type_acronym
countries: UNESCO DataHub field countries, ISO codes resolved with ISO-3166 regional metadata
categories: ARED category inference from UNESCO concepts_primary_names, concepts_secondary_names and title
relationships: UNESCO concepts_primary_names, concepts_secondary_names, type fields and World Heritage links
sourceUrl: UNESCO DataHub field http_url_en
rights: UNESCO DataHub dataset metadata license and license_url

Original Source Metadata

uuid869b0fc3-01b0-4a30-9df3-cbf7d3a94970

ich_public_ref63

inscription_year2008

title_enWayang puppet theatre

title_frLe théâtre de marionnettes wayang

type_of_element_enRepresentative List

type_acronymRL

countriesID

http_url_enhttps://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/00063

concepts_primary_namesPuppets, Shadow play, Theatre

concepts_secondary_namesCostumes, Craft workers, Epic poetry, Instrumental music, Know-how transfer, Leather, Memorization, Moral values, Musical instruments, Oral tradition, Satire, Story telling, Vocal music, Wood carving

main_image_urlhttps://ich.unesco.org/img/photo/thumb/00045-LRG.jpg

main_image_caption_enNot supplied

main_image_copyrightSENA WANGI Indonasian National Wayang Secretariat

main_image_authorNot supplied

videoshttps://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/pfydro4X2t0, https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/ydNMfq2yNIU

images[object Object], [object Object], [object Object]

Why This Record Is Credible

This public record is connected to 1 source and has been labelled Source Supported. ARED separates evidence sources from cultural authority so users can see both provenance and review limits.

Cultural Access

Use this as public discovery metadata only. It does not replace community authority or local access protocols.

Relationships

Puppets Shadow play Theatre Costumes Craft workers Epic poetry Instrumental music Know-how transfer Leather Memorization Moral values UNESCO representative list

Review and Corrections

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