Acculturation of the Hindu Muslim Identity in the Figure Puppet Krucil

Abstract

The history of the puppet Krucil in East Java cannot be separated from the attack of the Demak on the Majapahit palace in the 15th century when Girindrawardhana ruled as the last king of Majapahit, in the Dhaha (Kediri) region. The fall of Dhaha is the starting point of the Hindu kingdom’s move into the hands of Islamic rulers, also marking the broader transition from Hindu culture to Muslim culture in the area of Majapahit. This included the Sunan Kudus policy that prohibits cow slaughter, which is widely perceived as the stimulus for the shift fron cowhide puppets into wood. The spirit of acculturation between Hindu and Muslim is embodied by the puppet figure Krucil. This article considers how Puppet Krucil become the acculturative Hindu Muslim representative, and discusses various elements including the figures, performances, narrative, and religious undertones and inflections. Keywords: Acculturation, hindu, muslim, puppet krucil