Admiring Wayang as Local Wisdom and the Charm of the Archipelago

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) inscribed Indonesian wayang on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This international recognition can enhance the positive image and dignity of the Indonesian nation and foster pride in and love for Indonesian wayang. That wayang was officially designated an intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia by UNESCO 19 years ago is a proud achievement and appreciation, because Indonesian Wayang has been recognised by the world.

The art of wayang is a cultural art inherited from the nation's ancestors. Wayang is the shadow of human life: not merely overshadowing it, but able to hold it and create an atmosphere that becomes a reflection in responding to and facing the times. Wayang is not merely a work of art but also the identity of the Indonesian nation. Wayang is one form of Indonesia's cultural diplomacy, the product of our ancestors' wisdom, which has been able to survive amid the harshness of the various currents of change over time.

Wayang is an art form that combines various artistic elements, including dance, carving, painting, music, drama, and many other elements, packaged into one whole within a single performance. Wayang, which is the shadow of human life, tells narratives of heroism and struggle packaged in beautiful Indonesian culture. Every character, whatever they may be, has a meaning and role just like the role of humans in the real world. The stories, forms, and musical accompaniment all have their own meanings and values. Wayang, a masterpiece of intangible world heritage that carries noble values for humanity, is not something archaic but evidence of a human civilisation that is reflective, philosophical, and adaptive to the onslaught of digitalisation.

Wayang has long been recognised by UNESCO as a great cultural heritage, so why does wayang still receive so little attention in its own homeland? The development of the times, which increasingly erodes local culture, means that we, as the nation's next generation, have to start again from the beginning to understand and learn about wayang. When we were small, wayang had already begun to be eroded by comic books; as teenagers, cinema screenings came in; and now the existence of wayang is increasingly cornered by the presence of digital applications and the like. In the hands of the millennial generation, wayang should be able to become an extraordinary work in the digital era. Technology is truly not a threat; what matters is how humans build the course of a developing civilisation, rather than being swept away in the uproar of the times.

https://matabanua.co.id/2022/12/22/mengagumi-wayang-sebagai-kearifan-lokal-dan-pesona-nusantara/