Wayang

Wayang is Indonesia's classical puppet theatre. In wayang kulit, flat leather puppets cast shadows on a white screen lit by a lamp, while a single puppeteer — the dalang — voices every character, directs the gamelan and tells the story, often from evening until dawn.

Stories come from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, adapted into Javanese philosophy, humour and commentary on everyday life. Wayang was recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003.

Other forms include wayang golek, with carved three-dimensional wooden puppets popular in West Java, and wayang orang, performed by human dancers.