skuggspelsdocka, wayangfigur, wayang kulit

Shadow game doll of untanned leather, from cow or water buffalo. The doll is mounted in a wooden rod that is clustered about two-thirds of its length, the unhooked part of the rod serves as a handle. The one arm of the doll is movable and operated with a narrow wooden rod attached to the hand. The doll, according to the General Catalogue Somali, Minister (patih) of Rawana, who is king of Langka (Ramayana). Clothing suit: Somali is dressed in wastra, a piece of cloth swept around the body. He does not wear a headdress. He is adorned with arm rings (painted yellow). Body and features: The eyes are round (bale: dedelingan) and the teeth large and sharp. Animals, giants and demons have this kind of eyes and teeth symbolizing ritual impurity. The body and the anlet are rough. Colors: The body color is brown, which is a hot (bale: panes) color, with large red-white spots. Hot colours are associated with fire (which brings concern, mismatch and fighting), lack of self-control etc. The brown color is a combined color, unlike the base colors. When base colours are mixed, they retain the characteristics with which they are associated. The body colour is an expression of the character of the figure and the combined colours thus combine the characteristics of the base colours. Source: Hobart. A. 1987. The dimensions given apply with the doll’s arms folded out. (NS)