A Comparative Study Of The Kayon In The Shadow Puppet Theatre Of Java, Bali And Kelantan: A Visual And Interpretive Understanding Of Its Symbols
Loading...
Date
2011
Authors
Kingham, Sugu P.J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The kayon of Java, known also as kakayonan in Bali, and referred to as the pohon beringin in Kelantan, is an ornate tree-or leaf-shaped puppet with which all shadow puppet theatre performances across these locations are formally opened and closed. A tree-shaped figure, with equivalent functions, does not appear in the shadow puppet theatre outside Indonesia and Malaysia. However, it appears in a disguised fashion in the Thai nang talung version of the shadow puppet theatre (the sage carries in his hand an object that resembles the kayon). The kayon of the wayang kulit purwa of Surakarta (Central Java), used by Ki Sumari; the kakayonan of the wayang kulit parwa of Tabanan (Southern Bali) used by Mangku dalang I Wayan Nardayana and the pohon beringin of the wayang kulit Kelantan, (Kota Bharu, Malaysia) used by Tok dalang Hamzah Awang Amat, have been identified as the standard type of kayon for this research.
The aim of this thesis was to find the meaning of the kayon as whole, and the different symbols that appear on it, as understood by the puppeteers and custodians of the shadow
puppet theatre of these regions. A comparative study was conducted of how the kayon functioned within the cultural and social structure of each region.
Description
Keywords
The kayon of Java as kakayonan in Bali , the pohon beringin in Kelantan an ornate tree-or leaf-shaped puppet