A Storytelling Art Form
"Traditional storytelling through theatrical puppet
performances preserves Indonesian heritage"
Global Context: Personal & Cultural Expression
Key concepts: Culture (Humanities) and Visual Culture (Visual Art)
Related concepts: Form, Communication, Creativity, Narrative, Presentation & Interpretation
What is 'Wayang Kulit'?
The ancient Indonesian art of shadow play or "Wayang Kulit" is a unique combination of ritual, lesson, and entertainment.
Lacy shadow images are projected on a taught linen screen with a coconut oil lamp or electric light. The Dalang, or shadow artist, manipulates carved leather figures between the lamp and the screen to bring the shadows to life.
The Stories
Most shadow play is based on two epic stories from India. The Mahabarata and it's sister work, the Ramayana, elegantly depict eastern philosophies which have inspired many cultures. The Balinese and Javanese have combined the Hindu stories with Buddhist and Muslim ideas and their own folk lore. Usually, these stories are divided into many different episodes. Some episodes are purely Indonesian creations based on the epics.
*we will learn more about the Mahabarata and the Ramayana later in the unit!
Instructions: after completing the bubble diagram 'what we already know', you will find and list the definitions of each of the words in bold. You will then re-write the above text neatly in your books in your own words and prepare to share with the class.
What is 'Wayang Kulit'?
The ancient Indonesian art of shadow play or "Wayang Kulit" is a unique combination of ritual, lesson, and entertainment.
Lacy shadow images are projected on a taught linen screen with a coconut oil lamp or electric light. The Dalang, or shadow artist, manipulates carved leather figures between the lamp and the screen to bring the shadows to life.
The Stories
Most shadow play is based on two epic stories from India. The Mahabarata and it's sister work, the Ramayana, elegantly depict eastern philosophies which have inspired many cultures. The Balinese and Javanese have combined the Hindu stories with Buddhist and Muslim ideas and their own folk lore. Usually, these stories are divided into many different episodes. Some episodes are purely Indonesian creations based on the epics.
*we will learn more about the Mahabarata and the Ramayana later in the unit!
Instructions: after completing the bubble diagram 'what we already know', you will find and list the definitions of each of the words in bold. You will then re-write the above text neatly in your books in your own words and prepare to share with the class.
The History of 'Wayang' (part 1)
“There are people who weep, are sad and aroused watching the puppets, though they know they are merely carved pieces of leather manipulated and made to speak. These people are like men who live in a world of illusion; they do not realize the magic hallucinations they see are not real.”
WAYANG - Bringing the puppet to life!
Dear Students (G6 C and D)
Here is the schedule for the remaining weeks of this term:
May 2 – 6 (5 and 6 are holidays)
May 9 – 13
May 16 – 20
These 3 (three) weeks you will continue with your contemporary Wayang practice performances. When the performances are complete, you will use class time to work on your assessments (due on or before 27th May)
ON or BEFORE means the deadline is 27th May (Friday) you may submit before then or on that day.
May 23 – 27 This week we can combine all classes together and have students perform the Wayang shows (total 6 groups).
Monday we gather together and discuss.
Wednesday we perform.
Friday we reflect (and hand in final assessments)
YEAH!!!
The term for puppetry, wayang, comes from the Indonesian word for shadow bayang.
Wayang kulit, shadow puppetry using figures made from leather, is considered to be the oldest puppet form; the earliest references to it date from the 800s (that is 1,200 years ago!)
A court poet during the reign of King Airlangga (1035–1049) wrote:
It has been debated whether or not puppetry is indigenous to Indonesia or was introduced from India or China. But scholars believe that the puppets represent Indonesian spirits.
Even today in some areas of Indonesia, carvings, puppets, and gongs are considered by some to be objects that ancestral spirits can temporarily inhabit. Performances of puppetry are still held once a year at cemeteries where the founders of each village are buried. Ancestors are believed to have particular favorite stories. There is evidence that local animism has been a source of the puppet arts. In times past, if the harvest was threatened by various pests, the story of the Indonesian rice goddess, Sri, might be performed to ward off the attack. Today, such ritual stories are performed infrequently, but they remain a part of the history of the art.
Even today in some areas of Indonesia, carvings, puppets, and gongs are considered by some to be objects that ancestral spirits can temporarily inhabit. Performances of puppetry are still held once a year at cemeteries where the founders of each village are buried. Ancestors are believed to have particular favorite stories. There is evidence that local animism has been a source of the puppet arts. In times past, if the harvest was threatened by various pests, the story of the Indonesian rice goddess, Sri, might be performed to ward off the attack. Today, such ritual stories are performed infrequently, but they remain a part of the history of the art.
WAYANG - Bringing the puppet to life!
Students look into the characteristics of Wayang and consider
how a puppet can ‘come to life’ because of it having a convincing character
profile.
Students work on creating 2 characters and each one is given a
profile consisting of: Biography (history and geography), character traits,
likes/dislikes, etc. The visual style of these character is traditional
and based on characters found through student research and modified to allow
for student creativity and expression.
Students write a short story set in ‘traditional/historic
times’. This story takes account of the characters’ biographies and
character traits. This story is written from the perspective of a
narrator, and it will be read by a narrator at a later time. Students
work on dialogue to bring their characters to life.
This dialogue must
take into account the characters’ personality traits. The story will be
presented when the students have transformed their character sketches into
Wayang puppets (in Visual Arts)
PERFORMANCE
When Rama’s father wanted to stand down from the throne and hand the reign over to his eldest son Rama, he was reminded of two promises he had made to his second wife. He had promised her that their son Barata would succeed as king and that Rama was to be sent into exile into the forest for fourteen years.
To help his father to make this difficult decision, Rama gave up the throne and willingly left going into the forest with his wife Sinta and his half brother Laksmana. Sadly, stricken with grief, Rama’s father died. Rama’s half brother Barata refused to take the throne and went into the forest to look for Rama. Rama insisted on staying in the forest to lead a simple life so Barata returned to rule on behalf of Rama. One day whilst in battle, a female giant fell in love with Rama. To punish the giant, Laksmana (Rama’s half brother) cut off one of her ears and the tip of her nose. Upset and humiliated by this, the giant turned to her brother, Rahwana (the ten headed giant king) for help.
Rahwana decided to kidnap Rama’s beautiful wife Sinta in revenge. Rama went in search of his wife Sinta and on the way met the king of the monkeys. The monkey king’s wife had been seized from him by his own brother, so Rama came to an agreement with the king of monkeys. This agreement was that if he helped the king get his kingdom and wife back, the king would help Rama. The monkey kingdom was attacked, the king’s brother was defeated and the monkey king was reunited with his wife. To keep his promise the monkey king agreed to help Rama.
The monkey king sent his minister Hanuman, who had magic powers, to search Rahwana’s land for Sinta. To prove he was helping Rama, Hanuman took Rama’s ring. Hanuman found Sinta on the island of Lanka and told her that Rama was coming to save her. At first Sinta did not believe Hanuman thinking he was a demon in disguise. Hanuman was able to prove he was telling the truth as he showed Sinta Rama’s ring. Sinta was very happy, but the demon Rahwana caught Hanuman and set his tail on fire! In the end, Hanuman managed to escape and went back to the forest to get Rama and Laksmana.
They returned with the whole monkey army to attack the island of Lanka. The monkeys made a bridge over to the island and a terrible battle took place. Finally Rama killed the demon Rahwana and was able to rescue his wife Sinta!
When Rama found Sinta, he was worried that she may no longer love him. He thought she might have fallen in love with Rahwana while she was his prisoner. Rama made Sinta walk through fire to show that she still really loved him.
Finally Rama and Sinta, happy to be together again, returned to Rama’s land with Laksmana. When they got there they were greeted by Rama’s brother Barata who immediately handed the throne back to Rama.
(POSTED ON 25TH MAY, 2016)
PERFORMANCE
Working in groups of 3 we now have 3 (three) stories to practice.
These stories are set in traditional times, using traditional style of puppets.
The next step is a regrouping of students and this new group creates new characters, new profiles, new narratives and new dialogue.
This 1(one) new story is set in contemporary times and can use contemporary themed puppets and props.
The final performance will focus on a group of 7 (seven) students, which will adapt the story of Rama and Sinta (below). This will be performed at the end of the unit.
Total 3 groups per class. The group will design characters, write a narrative and dialogue and perform.
Ramayana
The epic story of the Ramayana involves prince Rama who was
married to a princess called Sinta
When Rama’s father wanted to stand down from the throne and hand the reign over to his eldest son Rama, he was reminded of two promises he had made to his second wife. He had promised her that their son Barata would succeed as king and that Rama was to be sent into exile into the forest for fourteen years.
To help his father to make this difficult decision, Rama gave up the throne and willingly left going into the forest with his wife Sinta and his half brother Laksmana. Sadly, stricken with grief, Rama’s father died. Rama’s half brother Barata refused to take the throne and went into the forest to look for Rama. Rama insisted on staying in the forest to lead a simple life so Barata returned to rule on behalf of Rama. One day whilst in battle, a female giant fell in love with Rama. To punish the giant, Laksmana (Rama’s half brother) cut off one of her ears and the tip of her nose. Upset and humiliated by this, the giant turned to her brother, Rahwana (the ten headed giant king) for help.
Rahwana decided to kidnap Rama’s beautiful wife Sinta in revenge. Rama went in search of his wife Sinta and on the way met the king of the monkeys. The monkey king’s wife had been seized from him by his own brother, so Rama came to an agreement with the king of monkeys. This agreement was that if he helped the king get his kingdom and wife back, the king would help Rama. The monkey kingdom was attacked, the king’s brother was defeated and the monkey king was reunited with his wife. To keep his promise the monkey king agreed to help Rama.
The monkey king sent his minister Hanuman, who had magic powers, to search Rahwana’s land for Sinta. To prove he was helping Rama, Hanuman took Rama’s ring. Hanuman found Sinta on the island of Lanka and told her that Rama was coming to save her. At first Sinta did not believe Hanuman thinking he was a demon in disguise. Hanuman was able to prove he was telling the truth as he showed Sinta Rama’s ring. Sinta was very happy, but the demon Rahwana caught Hanuman and set his tail on fire! In the end, Hanuman managed to escape and went back to the forest to get Rama and Laksmana.
They returned with the whole monkey army to attack the island of Lanka. The monkeys made a bridge over to the island and a terrible battle took place. Finally Rama killed the demon Rahwana and was able to rescue his wife Sinta!
When Rama found Sinta, he was worried that she may no longer love him. He thought she might have fallen in love with Rahwana while she was his prisoner. Rama made Sinta walk through fire to show that she still really loved him.
Finally Rama and Sinta, happy to be together again, returned to Rama’s land with Laksmana. When they got there they were greeted by Rama’s brother Barata who immediately handed the throne back to Rama.
(POSTED ON 25TH MAY, 2016)
Dear Students (G6 C and D)
Here is the schedule for the remaining weeks of this term:
May 2 – 6 (5 and 6 are holidays)
May 9 – 13
May 16 – 20
These 3 (three) weeks you will continue with your contemporary Wayang practice performances. When the performances are complete, you will use class time to work on your assessments (due on or before 27th May)
ON or BEFORE means the deadline is 27th May (Friday) you may submit before then or on that day.
May 23 – 27 This week we can combine all classes together and have students perform the Wayang shows (total 6 groups).
Monday we gather together and discuss.
Wednesday we perform.
Friday we reflect (and hand in final assessments)
YEAH!!!
Assessment:
A Storytelling Art Form (Grade 6 C/D)
Individuals
& Societies and Visual Arts
"Traditional storytelling through theatrical puppet
performances preserves Indonesian heritage"
Global Context:
Personal and cultural expression
Key Concept: Culture
(Humanities) and Visual Culture (Visual Art)
Related Concepts:
Form, Communication, Creativity, Narrative, Presentation &
Interpretation
TASK
Students
will create a book.
The book may be in the form of a simple binder or may be created by the
student, using any material of choice.
The
portfolio will contain:
1.
A
contents page
2.
The
book should be decorated in the theme of the unit
3.
A
sketch of a traditional wayang puppet design (student created)
4.
A
sketch of a contemporary wayang puppet design (student created)
5.
Both
designs will be accompanied by character profiles: Physical description,
personality characteristics, history (when) and geography (where) background
6.
A
short non-fiction text: ‘The History of Wayang’ (300-400 words)
7.
The
Ramayana summary in student’s own words
8.
The
Ramayana Today a modern day adaptation of the story in student’s own words
9.
A
reflection section that explains: A. How the statement of inquiry connects to
the unit you have just completed & B. What you found challenging about this
unit and assessment and how you overcame these challenges
10. A correctly formatted (MLA
format) bibliography
The portfolio should be
submitted with the physical puppet(s) made in visual arts
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