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This is an authentic vintage wayang golek, a traditional three-dimensional wooden rod puppet from Java, Indonesia, most closely associated with Sundanese culture in the highlands of West Java. Wayang golek theater has been performed for centuries to tell stories from the great Hindu epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and in 2003 UNESCO designated wayang puppet theater (including wayang golek) a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
This particular puppet has the hand-carved wooden head, bulging eyes, open mouth with visible teeth, and dark hairy trim characteristic of a buta (ogre/demon) or emotionally uncontrolled character type — the antagonists and comic-oaf roles of classical wayang performances. True to traditional construction, the puppet has a central wooden rod running through the torso up into the neck to control the head, plus separate wooden control rods attached to each carved hand so a puppeteer (dalang) can animate the arms during performance.
The costume consists of a batik-patterned cloth top and a green plaid sarong-style skirt. The fabric shows primitive, hand-stitched construction with small natural imperfections and general wear consistent with the puppet's age — nothing that detracts from its display quality or authenticity.
A wonderful conversation piece and an authentic example of a centuries-old Indonesian performing art tradition, ready to display in any collection.
