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'Wayang uwuh': Using trash to preserve tradition and save the planet
A Yogyakarta craftsman has given life to his dual passion of cultural and environmental conservation in wayang uwuh: shadow puppets he makes out of recycled materials.
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Puppet maker Iskandar Hardjodimulyo shows one of his 'wayang uwuh' made from recycled materials and painted in striking colors. (JP/A. Kurniawan Ulung)
Wayang means the world to puppet maker Iskandar Hardjodimulyo. It is what helped shape his moral sense.
The legend of Rama Tundung in the Ramayana epic, for example, taught him that people should walk the talk, especially political leaders. Iskandar explained that the Javanese term bawa laksana referred to the principle of backing up words with action.
"Wayang stories are unique because they are a reflection of our behavior," said the 60-year-old craftsman who grew up in Yogyakarta, the heart of Javanese culture.
Iskandar has dubbed the puppets he makes out of recycled materials "wayang uwuh", with “uwuh” the Javanese word for trash. The materials make his puppets stand out from the usual ones made from goatskin or buffalo hide.
It's not just about wayang; Iskandar is passionate about saving the environment. For the last eight years, he has been creating wayang uwuh by recycling various discarded and used items, from food containers to plastic bottles and to cardboard boxes.
The idea of turning waste into wayang came to mind in 2013 during one of the country's most significant flooding disasters, when Iskandar saw the massive amount of garbage floating on the Ciliwung River.
The 119-kilometer river has its source at Mount Pangrango, Bogor, traverses northwestern Java and runs through the nation’s capital to its mouth in Jakarta Bay. It is one of the most polluted rivers in the world.
