Jun 7, 2007

A Meeting With the Dalang



DALANG comes from Sancrete language: JURU and UDALAN. The words “juru” means the expert, and “udalan” analogue with to tell stories. So the Dalang is a story teller. The dalang manipulates the puppets, sings and taps out signals to the orchestra. He also speaks the parts for all characters; he must be able to render the shy sweetness in the voice of a princess, the spiteful whine of a lackey, the funny of clown puppet joker, and the badness of a weird giant. A Dalang is a complete artist. It is said so because a dalang is the director and the main player of the show. Beside moving the wayang, they are also give them voice; they are comedians, and also preaching the spiritual teaching. A Dalang is also the conductor of the gamelan orchestra.

On Friday 25th May 2007 maybe at 5 pm we have some interest conversation with the Dalang Ki Warseno Slenk. He is dalang from Solo, and get the Master from University of Gadjah Mada. Actually it is an accident meeting –unplanned audition together with Professor Gun in his home at Pakualaman. In the porch –except pak Gun and ki Dalang- there is bu Nin, DR Roberto, pak Ruslan from local Social Office, myself, and Ki Dalang’s wife with her child (Ki Warseno try to make him to become the next Dalang. I call him as “the youngest dalang in the world” his age is really young -maybe 5 years old).
Ki Dalang make some analogy about “Yudhoyono and Yudistira” or “President and Puntadewa”. He claimed that they’re similar. A few hours before, Mr President by live on the television look so angry to Prof Amien Rais about issues of corruption of non-budgeter money. It happened about 2 pm that day.
The dalang say, ”This phenomenon similar with Puntadewa (or Yudhistira), the oldest son of Pandawa, the very silent man, could be the angriest man. He was really and so angry when his wife –Drupadi- is humiliated after they loss at the dice game versus Kurawa. Drupadi almost naked by Dursasana. Puntadewa angry but… cant do anything. He was just gnashing the teeth, cant do anything because he actualy has lost”.
By the way, Puntadewa on another perpective story showed of a man who unable to decide anything. Actually Puntadewa is a good boy -coz never lay to anybody- but bad manages. He can’t manage problem by the right way. Pak Dalang, it’s a close relation with the President? Hehehe, he smile. But he tell that on 1st June 2007 the Dalang will show a performance title “WERKUDORO MANEGES” in boulevard of Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta. Exactly the date 1 June is time to celebrate the born of terminology Pancasila. What is Maneges? The word “maneges” from Java language means forceful, pushy, assertive, and little bit aggressive. Or could be translated by "try to firm attitude".
Werkudoro is the younger brother of Puntadewa. He has big body but the critic on him is ‘did not have any self-confident”. He cant be the gentleman with clear, distinct, and explicit. So ki dalang which one the president similar with: Puntadewa or Werkudoro? I haven’t ask yet –coz the azan call us to pray to do shalat maghrib. Maybe the similarity on the character: cannot ManageS and couldnt be “ManegeS

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