Introduction:
Wayang Kulit are Javanese or Balinese shadow puppets. The word
wayang means puppet and kulit means skin. Traditionally, the puppets are made
out of buffalo hide. In a shadow puppet play, the puppets are moved behind a cotton
or linen screen by a dalang, or puppetmaster. During a performance, a Javanese
orchestra of 12 to 40 instruments plays. This orchestra is called a gamelan. Historically,
this type of theater is over 1,000 years old. There are different types of puppet
characters. Humans and deities (gods), animals, and the tree of life. Stories
are acted out from the Indian texts of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Heroes and
heroines are usually slimmer and smaller than the larger ogre puppets. Good characters
enter the screen from the Dalang's right. Other characters enter from the Dalang's
left.
Materials:
8 ply railroad
board
Pencil
Newsprint
or bond paper
Scissors
Paper fasteners
Twigs
Balsa wood
sticks
3 ply chip
board cut into 15" strips markers
Colored
pencils
Glue, tape,
or string
White cotton
flat sheet
Optional:
Xacto knife
Directions:
1. Sketch an idea for your puppet on the newsprint or bond paper. Make sure you
draw your puppet's shape in sideways profile or. It will create a more interesting
shadow puppet if you design it this way. If you are old enough or have a parent
that can help you, use the Xacto knife to cut other shapes out of the puppet.
2. Draw your puppet body on the railroad board. This should include the head,
neck, torso, and legs. Draw the arms as separate units to be attached to the body
at the shoulders. Draw the arms in two sections so they can bend at the elbows.
3. Line the top part of the arm up with the shoulder. Push a paper fastener through
both parts and open it. Do this with the other upper arm. Now connect the lower
part of the arm to the arm at the elbow. Use paper fasteners to do this.
4. Attach a twig, balsa wood stick, or chip board strip to the hands of your puppet.
Use glue, tape or string to do this.
5. Attach a twig, balsa wood stick, or chip board strip to the back of the puppet
up the middle.
6. If you'd like, you can decorate your puppet with markers or colored pencils.
7. Hang a white cotton sheet and light it from behind with a lamp. Turn overhead
lights off. Move your puppet between the light and the sheet to create a puppet
show.
