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Lombok’s First Puppets Appease Rebel Princes
FOR Lombok’s indigenous Sasak people, the tradition of Wayang puppetry provides philosophies for life as well as a dramatic spectacle.
It is not widely known that the seaside village of Kuranji, about 15 kilometres south of Mataram city and below Mount Pengsong, is the birthplace of the legend that is central to Sasak Wayang puppetry.
Pengsong is known to tourists for its mischievous little macaque monkeys, its historic graveyard and its attractive beach. Sometimes Pengsong is crowded with people coming to both pray at the cemetery and enjoy leisure time at the beach.
Kuranji, though, claims to be the original home of Sasak Wayang puppetry whose traditional performances are extremely popular on Lombok where the artform differs widely from puppetry in Java and Bali.
Sasak puppetry has a distinctive form, different characters and singular stories.
Some Kuranji village elders say the Sasak Wayang tradition started around 1718, when the Kingdom of Mataram had been established by expansionist leaders of Bali’s Kingdom of Karang Asem.
Led by King Anak Agung Ngurah Sakti, the resilient Mataram kingdom succeeded in crippling the powers of the kingdoms of Pejanggik in Central Lombok and Selaparang in East Lombok.
After defeating Selaparang, King Anak Agung founded the small Kingdom of Pemaot, just east of Mayura Park in the district that became Cakranegara.
By legend, three princely brothers named Masjati, Masjeni and Separse came to Lombok from the Javanese Kingdom of Majapahit, intent on creating a new kingdom. To make their mission easier, they changed their names to Unggah, Unggawa and Garbe.
The brothers first lived in the East Lombok village of Suradadi where people’s welfare improved as a result of the brothers’ special talents. Unggah was adept in the area of governance, Unggawa was accomplished in arts and Garbe was knowledgeable about agriculture and economics.
King Anak Agung in Mataram learned of the brothers’ talents and wanted their help to make his kingdom prosper. Soon, the trio of Javanese princes became royal courtiers in Mataram.
After their appointment, however, the brothers became controversial by questioning the laws of Anak Agung and further offended him with arrogant and disrespectful behaviour.
The king’s anger was so intense that he decided to decapitate the three. The brothers were arrested and caged at the town square to await their punishment for insulting the king.
“It [the place of internment] is today right at the intersection of four NTB government offices,” said Kuranji elder Jaelani.
On what was to be their last night of existence, the siblings tried to console themselves by singing hymns through the night. Those who heard the singing were unnerved, and it is said the hymns were heard all the way to the palace in Java’s Majapahit Kingdom.
On learning this, King Anak Agung began to change his attitude and decided to make amends by producing and presenting the brothers with valuable Wayang puppets created by the Balinese puppet carver Lebangkara.
The king’s men brought Lebangkara from Karang Asem to Mataram where he was immediately put to work. Unfortunately the craftsman disappointed the king by presenting him with paintings of four puppets rather than complete carvings.
The Wayang artisan, who was later executed for his perceived inadequacy, created the four puppets – Wong Menak (King), Muni Garim (Queen Consort), Umar Maye (Prime Minister) and Purus (Soldier or Messenger) – which the King of Mataram gave to the three brothers, who nevertheless were banished to the Kuranji forest as punishment for their own offences.
“The Wayang puppetry relics of the three brothers still exist in our village as a matter of history,” said Jaelani.
Wayang puppets are believed to have sacred powers to combat disease. At Kuranji, it is understood the four historic puppets, which are damaged, will only be taken from storage if the village is struck by disease for which there is no other solution.
Jaelani said the remains of the puppets were stored in a special berugak, or traditional Sasak structure, which had been named for Anak Agung.
Wayang puppetry is an important and popular part of the cultural development of Lombok’s Sasak people. Hundreds invariably gather at performances which feature at wedding ceremonies and on Islamic occasions such as the Birthday of The Prophet.
Sasak Wayang puppetry draws its stories from the Persian-Arabic-Malacca Malay saga of Amir Hamzah, translated into the language of the Islamic Kingdom of Mataram. Over time, poets contributed to the legend.
Through characters such as Jayang Rana, Umar Maya, Maktal, Selandir and Taptanus, writers have used the saga of Amir Hamzah to reflect and promote concepts which have become typical values within Sasak society.
The standard story in Sasak puppetry promotes Islam, while Javanese stories generally include the Mahabharata War and Balinese performances focus on Hindu religious concepts and ceremonies.
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