TAB Event - Special Exhibition "Wayang - Indonesian Shadow Play Puppets"

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At Tokyo National Museum
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These puppets, representing characters from the epic Indian poem the Mahabharata, are used in Wayang Kulit, a form of shadow puppetry from Indonesia. Wayang Kulit has evolved naturally over the years, adding new and original stories for example, or giving the characters more Indonesian-sounding names (such as changing Krishna to Kresna.)

The puppets are made from buffalo leather and the rods used to support them made from buffalo horn. The puppet's exquisite shape is first chiseled out using very fine tools and then painted. The dalang (puppeteer) brings the puppets to life with his skillful improvised performance and narration, keeping the audience spellbound all night long.

While listening to this narration and the accompanying music of the gamelan (an Indonesian musical ensemble), the audience can enjoy watching the puppets' silhouettes and can even go behind the screen to watch the dalang himself in action.

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