A collection of wayang puppets made to resemble the country’s presidents are on display at Galeri Indonesia Kaya in Jakarta to honor the best of their legacies.

The collection of eight puppets was the creation of Museum Gubug Wayang as a way to show its appreciation for the country’s leaders while also promoting the art of traditional Indonesian puppetry.

The collection proves that the traditional art form has a place in today’s pop culture, in which miniature figures and action figures are a trend.

The puppets of the nation’s leaders are wayang golek, which is a three dimensional version of wayang puppets. They will be on display until Aug. 31.

The puppets also look different from typical wayang golek, as the faces were made to look as realistic as possible.

Cyntia Handy, the director of Museum Gubug Wayang, said that no deadline had been set for the completion of the president puppets as each was a unique work of art. Some of the puppets took months to create while others needed years.

“A lot of intuition went into the creation of these wayang, which made it impossible for them to be made to set deadlines,” Cyntia said.

The puppets were made under the supervision of Tizar Purbaya, a well-known wayang golek craftsman from the Jakarta chapter of the Gubug Wayang Studio team. Tizar passed away in 2015 and his son, Reza Purbaya, continued his work.

Cyntia said the puppets created by Tizar and Reza were meant to serve as a reminder of how Indonesia’s founding fathers and past leaders had made it possible for the nation’s people to enjoy independence.

“Their services were honorable, and in return we have to thank them. So, we represent them as wayang puppets, which symbolizes the preservation of our traditional culture as well,” Cyntia said.

The puppets are displayed in glass showcases with information provided about each president to help educate visitors who are unfamiliar with Indonesia’s history.

The puppets are displayed in order of their dates of service, beginning from Sukarno to the current President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

One puppet in particular is very special. It is of Indonesia’s first vice president, Mohammad Hatta, who is the only non-president featured in the exhibition.

Each puppet was crafted with attention to the smallest details, which really brings out each president’s unique persona.

For example, the puppet of Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, features his signature sunglasses and his famous smile, while Hatta’s puppet is equipped with his iconic thick frame glasses and slicked back hair and sports the characteristic grin he often displayed in official photos.

Side by side: A realistic puppet of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (right) sports his iconic grin and checkered shirt. Next to Jokowi’s puppet is a puppet of his predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose Democratic Party is one of the largest political parties in Indonesia.

Next to Sukarno and Hatta, in the second section of the display, are Soeharto, BJ. Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid.

Soeharto’s puppet features his iconic fatherly and friendly smile. The puppet has white hair, resembling Indonesia’s second president during his final years in office. While Soeharto’s puppet bears a warm smile, he did rule as a dictator during his 32-year stint as leader of the New Order regime.

Habibie’s puppet, placed next to Soeharto, displays his warm facial expression, complete with the glasses and cap he usually wore. Next to him is the puppet of Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid.

Gus Dur’s wayang is somewhat different, as it shows him with his eyes closed as he appears to laugh. The puppet truly captures Gus Dur’s legacy as one of the most beloved presidents in Indonesia’s history because of his humorous and humble character.

In the last section of the display, visitors can spot a major difference between the other puppets and the puppets of Megawati Soekarno Putri, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jokowi. While the puppets of the previous presidents all wear formal suits, the puppets of Indonesia’s three most recent puppets are all dressed in casual clothes.

The puppet of Megawati, the first and only woman president of Indonesia so far, wears her distinctive red kebaya (traditional blouse) as well as her glasses and iconic hairstyle.

In contrast to Megawati’s red kebaya, Yudhoyono’s wayang is dressed in a bright blue tailored suit. Yudhoyono is also portrayed in his older days, with his hair starting to gray.

Meet the leaders: A visitor passes a display of puppets made to resemble Indonesia’s former presidents Soeharto (left), BJ Habibie (center) and Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid. The three presidents led the nation through its most tumultuous period in the late 1990s to the early 2000s.

Finally, next to Yudhoyono, is the puppet of Jokowi with his iconic grin and checkered shirt. Without needing many embellishments, Jokowi’s puppet perfectly captures his humble nature.

Museum Gubug Wayang hopes that visitors to the exhibition acknowledge what each president has done for the nation. Not all of their legacies are good, particularly Soeharto’s, who left a trail of blood and numerous unresolved cases of human rights violations, but each has definitely made a few positive contributions to making Indonesia what it is today.

“As a good citizen, there is no need to compare them because they must have their own pluses and minuses, it is better for us to unite in supporting our leader, whoever they are, for they have the noble mandate from the citizens of Indonesia to make Indonesia better,” Cyntia said.

— The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post

— Photos courtesy of Image Dynamics