Page 25 - JaKita 06th Edition 2021

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ART & CULTURE 25

Betawi
Wayang Golek
“Let’s revive our Betawi Wayang Golek Purwa
and protect it from the risk of being
extinct.”

Muhammad Yoce Adi Saputra,
owner of Sanggar Wayang Betawi Influenced by Java and Sunda cultures
Giri Wijaya.
Exists since 1920

Adapt stories of Betawinese and Javanese
plays such as Mahabarata

the current situation. He admitted that he learned to Usually accompanied with gambang and
be dalang or puppeteer from Haji Marsin, a student rebab music
of his famous grandfather Haji Usup, who is a well-
known puppeteer. He remembered the very first play he Has various types of wanda (puppets look)
conducted that time, the Kyai Gembolotan, which tells a
story of a foolish with big dreams. Use Betawi Ora language
Often performed at Betawi traditional
In doing the performances, Yoce would usually be events
accompanied with several assistants whom he calls
panjak. These panjaks will have to set the stage and
musical instruments used to accompany the plays,
since Betawi Wayang Golek shows are usually held with Infographic: Tommy K.R.
gambang or rebab music.
and to refuse or ignore dishes offered by people who
Little Yoce liked Wayang Golek so much. He was always hired him to perform.
happy when his grandfather asked him to perform one.
He began to be involved in the performances when he For Yoce, fifteen years of being puppeteer is not enough
was in third level of junior high school. At that time, to fully introduce this Betawinese art for public.
he would perform the gambang (nyaron). But he persists. This man, who owns Sanggar
With his persistence in learning music and (studio) of Wayang Betawi Giri Wijaya,
dalang techniques from his teacher Ki said he was determined to revive Betawi
Dalang Marsin, he eventually become Wayang Golek Purwa, for he was afraid
the puppeteer himself and to be next that the culture would disappear if he
generation to preserve the culture. does nothing about it.

Willing to perform rituals He reminded us as Betawi people,
along with the provincial government
There is a secret lies behind his of Jakarta, to help preserve the cultural
willingness to be puppeteer. Since he was heritage. “Let’s celebrate and revive our
so determined to be a puppeteer, he was Betawi Wayang Golek and protect it from the
willing to hold numbers of rituals such as bathing risk of being extinct,” said Yoce.
with water taken from seven different wells by walking, sya

6th EDITION 2021
6th EDITION 2021
Sarana I Sarana Informasi Pemerintah Provinsi DKI Jakartanformasi Pemerintah Provinsi DKI Jakarta