Topic summary
Shadow puppet
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Shadow play.
Indonesia
Shadow puppet theatre is called wayang in Indonesia, wherein a dramatic story is told through shadows thrown by puppets and sometimes combined with human characters. Wayang is an ancient form of storytelling that renowned for its elaborate puppets and complex musical styles. The earliest evidence is from the late 1st millennium CE, in medieval-era texts and archeological sites. Around 860 CE an Old Javanese charter issued by Maharaja Sri Lokapala mentions three sorts of performers: atapukan, aringgit, and abanol. Ringgit is described in an 11th-century Javanese poem as a leather shadow figure. Unlike India's shadow plays that incorporated little to no musical performance, Indonesia wayang includes music played by a gamelan ensemble.