Short Performance and Talk: Wayang Thithi—Multiculturalism and Musealisation of the Javanese Shadow Puppet

Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 7:30pm
World Music Hall

FREE!

A new genre of shadow puppet art, Wayang Thithi, emerged in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in the 1880s from sincere acculturation between Javanese and Chinese cultures. These precious collections will remain as cultural material in gallery and museum showcases until the musealisation of tangible and intangible heritage brings these collections alive in a defined program of multiculturalism and living heritage. Two esteemed Indonesian scholars, Daniel Haryono of the Ullen Sentalu Museum and Dwi Woro Retno Mastuti of Universitas Indonesia, discuss the history of Wayang Thithi. Skilled puppeteer Ki Aneng Kiswantoro of Yogyakarta will also present a brief performance of this rarely seen form of Javanese-Chinese hybrid puppetry, accompanied by the Wesleyan Gamelan Ensemble. Moderated by Winslow-Kaplan Professor of Music Sumarsam.

Sponsored by the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Technology, Ullen Sentalu Museum in Yogyakarta, and Wesleyan University’s Music Department.