Wayang Beber performance with a female puppeteer
Wayang Beber is one of the oldest forms of wayang in Indonesia, consisting of illustrated scrolls on cloth or daluang that are narrated by the puppet master by opening each scene one by one. This form of wayang has been known since prehistoric times and reached its peak during the era Majapahit–Mataram, but is now almost extinct.
Wayang Beber generally contains Panji stories, a local East Javanese tale that also appears on Majapahit temple reliefs such as those on Mount Penanggungan. The Panji figures that were once carved in stone were later transferred onto the medium… daluang, traditional paper made from the bark of the saeh tree. Its production process—now preserved by a Bandung artisan named Mufid Sururi—uses natural, chemical-free materials, allowing the colors of Wayang Beber to remain durable for centuries.
At present, only three ancient daluang Wayang Beber scrolls survive in the world: two in Indonesia (Pacitan and Gunung Kidul) and one in Volkenkunde Museum, Leiden.
