Wayang Figure

The article of "Figures in Wayang" aimed to help the readers to know some prominent individuals with their various behavior. In Indonesia or particularly in Java, the world of wayang is considered by many as the mirror of human life and not merely as stories. In the past (until the 1970’s), many school-teachers in Java, taught the subject on "morality" or "Good Conduct" (Budi Pekerti) by telling wayang stories in their class-rooms.

It was an interesting valuable lesson for the young pupils, not a boring one.

At home, many parents also told the topics of wayang to their small children as a bad-time stories. No wonder if many people know the wayang stories almost by heart. Since their tender age, the children could differentiate easily good and bad deed, right and wrong, honesty and trickiness etc. This "who’s who" article tries to provide a concise clear picture of those famous figures who oftenly appear in wayang performance and their way of life. Some elderly wise people (piyayi sepuh) say that a human-being should know what is his mission in life.