wayangfigur, skuggspelsdocka, 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 doll’s arms, which can be bent at the shoulder and elbow, are operated by narrow wooden rods attached to each hand. According to the catalogue, the doll imagines a patih. Pathi is a title for a prime minister or military commander; a strong person who is reinstated in several genres (I Madé Bandem & deBoer, F. E. 1981. p.171). The doll possibly depicts Yuyutsu (see Hooykaas. 1973 picture 55). Yuyutsu, the son of Dastarastra and a wèsya wife, is the half-brother of the hundred Korawa brothers, but loyal to the Pandawa brothers. Clothing suit: The spiral-like hair is shaped into a crescent-like arch. The perforated pattern of hair is called util beech in Balinese. The headgear/hairstyle is called supit urang and is worn by members from the Pandawaklan. The shape of the headgear plays on the order and concentration of energy. He is dressed bulat biasa mecingcingan; an elongated piece of cloth, wastra, swept around the waist and up between the legs, some hanging down behind one leg. The bulat biasa mecingcingan is worn only by a few satriyas. The upper body is dressed, the garment is patterned with swastika motif. He is richly embellished, on the back of the headdress there is a bird’s head, garuda mungkur (or possibly the smaller variant Karang guak), which is a sign of supernatural power. He also wears rings, necklaces etc. Body and features: The eyes are narrow (bale: sumpé) and the teeth small and even, without grazing, as well as on all noble and refined characters. Equal teeth (bale: untu asat) associate to ritual purity and to a civilized person. The hands are in saro-mudra (arrow-mudra). Colors: The body color is green. The body color is an expression of the figure. The green color, like the blue, is a cool (cool) (bale: etis) color linked to water. The colour denotes inter alia intelligence, courage and skill. Color, body, look and dress are alus, i.e. stand for refinement and inner balance. A person who is alus is noble, controlled and maintains social ideals. Source: Hobart. A. 1987. The dimensions given apply with the doll’s arms folded out. (NS)