Teaching tolerance through traditional culture

Mon, December 30, 2019 / 04:54 pm

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Children perform a plastic puppet show using a length of fabric as the screen at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, on Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019. JP/ Aman Rochman
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The performance's director, Jumali (right), 55, sings along with traditional music during the puppet show. JP/ Aman Rochman
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Several children perform the leang leong (Chinese dragon dance). JP/ Aman Rochman
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Two children showcase their pencak silat (traditional martial art) skills during the "Wayang Wolak Walik Toleransi [tolerance puppet show]" performance. JP/ Aman Rochman
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Children watch bapang dancers perform during the event. JP/ Aman Rochman
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Shadows of plastic puppets appear on the screen. JP/ Aman Rochman
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Solidarity and mutual support were the themes of the story presented by the plastic puppet show. JP/ Aman Rochman
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An artist performs a wayang suket (grass puppet) dance. JP/ Aman Rochman

Aman Rochman

Hundreds of elementary school students and local artists participated in a tolerance-themed wayang plastik (plastic puppet) art performance called "Wayang Wolak Walik Toleransi [tolerance puppet show]" on the grounds of Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java, on Dec. 24, 2019.

Other than plastic puppets, the event – highlighting local culture and religious symbols – also featured pencak silat (traditional martial art), poetry, traditional dance and music and Islamic songs.

At 7:30 p.m., spectators flocked to the event, which also featured leang leong (Chinese dragon dance) combined with the barongan masked dance from East Java.

The children rehearsed for four days to prepare the show, which finished with a malangan masked dance performed by local artists and a 15-minute wayang plastik show by 60-year-old dalang (puppeteer) Sukarjo. (kes)