The Existence and Change of Wayang Potehi in Gudo, Jombang

Abstract

Wayang Potehi is a traditional puppet show art performance originating from Southern China. Performing arts in the form of Chinese puppets that entered the archipelago along with Chinese ethnic immigration from mainland China. There are estimates that the roots of Wayang Potehi have evolved more than 3000 years. Stronger historical evidence showing the existence of the Wayang Potehi in China has existed since the Jin dynasty (265-420 AD). Wayang Potehi in Indonesia at the time had experienced the glory and helped colour the cultural diversity that existed in Indonesia. The political phenomenon of 1965, namely China or communist ideology, was associated with the tragedy of the G30 S / PKI. Governmental policies that forbid everything that smells of Tioghoa also contributed to the existence of Wayang Potehi in Indonesia. Wayang Potehi has been suspended because of this political policy. The reformation era in 1998 with the lifting of the ban on all things Chinese, opened a new faucet for the revival of cultural arts including Wayang Potehi. An exciting development also occurred in Wayang Potehi in Gudo, Jombang, East Java. Wayang Potehi is essentially an example of a work that is equated with a traditional drama. Based on its essence, Wayang Potehi is basically a puppet show, because the performance and structure of the show can be said to be almost the same as puppet performance art in general. Some phenomena and indicators in the Wayang Potehi performance art that show this include: (1) using puppet puppets; (2) played by the dalang as a narrator or storyteller; (3) accompanied by music; (4) performed or displayed in a particular place, (5) has a clear duration of performance; (5) presenting certain stories or stories; (6) has a bangesresem aesthetics which includes jokes, nges, gregret and sem as well as the aesthetics that exist in wayang kulit purwa in Java. The existence or existence of Wayang Potehi in Indonesia, is part of the performing arts that is transformed so that this art can still exist and be part of the performing arts in the archipelago. The application of the principle of adaptation in terms of the plays played, the place and time of the performance of the show is one of the strategies for the continuity of the Wayang Potehi performance art to be re-accepted by the wider community. This will certainly support the understanding of multiculturalism which in general can be used to prevent national desintegration.