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 * The Character of the// Kafir //: Domains of Evil in the // Wayang Golek Menak // of Central Java. **By Robert Petersen. __Asian Theatre Journal,__ Fall 1994. 11.2. pp 267-274.

In deconstructing the place and meaning of evil characters in Central Javanese puppet theatre, Robert Petersen reveals more about the structure of rural society than about the theatre itself. The // wayang golek menak //is a complex theatre tradition related to the wider world of // wayang //puppet theatre, but specific to the Kabumen region of south Central Java. Whereas the more popular varieties of // wayang //are based on Hindu epic tales, this particular genre tells Islamic legends centered around the adventures of Amir Hamza, the uncle of the prophet Mohammad. It is generally understood that this great Amir never existed, and is merely a surrogate for the prophet who must never be depicted. The character types in the // wayang golek menak //are based on a clear dichotomy of good and evil, refined and vulgar, // halus //and // kafir //. These two polar types are visible and understandable to the audience by strictly mandated placement on the stage; the refined characters must always remain to the left of the // dalang // (the right of the audience) and the course characters to his right. There is thus little ambiguity during the performance as to who will triumph and who will fail, although there is an understanding that all but the most evil characters will have the opportunity to be redeemed and accept Allah. In this sense it is obvious that the people of Central Java consider uprightness, faith, and respect of social roles the ultimate counter to evil and corruption. What is perhaps most interesting about this tradition is a fact that Petersen emphasizes only briefly, but with great detail. Despite the fact that these stories are well known, largely allegorical, and much loved by the viewing public, they share a very central and harsh moralizing message. It seems that the Javanese self is defined only in relation to others, essentially meaning that a person can only consider himself righteous and refined in opposition to coarseness and // kafir //. The audience is reminded of this clearly dichotomous worldview through a variety of performance techniques. The clearest case is in the most evil class of // kafir //characters, the // raksasa //. Although they are human characters, they are never permitted to move away from the left-most position on stage and announce themselves continually as “hunched over, needless, without purpose, halterwise, and broken” (page 272). This declaration is known as a // menyebut //, an involuntary but mandatory admission of self. No matter the content of the play, and despite the perceived opportunity for conversion to goodness, the audience is reminded explicitly that true evil is always possible in the absence of righteousness and purpose. Through Petersen’s descriptions the reader of this article may come to understand the complexity of Javanese society. He emphasizes adeptly the intricate layering of rural standards of “good” personhood, the artistic influence of hundreds of years of puppetry arts, and the standing popularity and importance of Islamic faith. The // kafir //’s role and performance are pre-determined, but can represent anything from religious deviance to personal selfishness. Through the art of // wayang golek menak //, these complex ideas can be clearly and forcefully represented in an aesthetically pleasing and immensely popular way.   