Wayang In Javanese Mythology: Cultural Communication Through Surakarta Wayang Wong Sriwedari (WWS) Community on Social Media

Abstract

Wayang Wong is a culture which continues to live and thrive in Sriwedari Park, Surakarta,
for 107 years. It’s a culture which was born in 2011 and survives and grows in the
society because it has philosophical, artistic and moral values, so that it doesn’t only
provide entertainment but also lessons for people. Wayang orang is an adaptation of shadow
puppet which emerged earlier in the society and was even considered religion by Javanese
people. Wayang orang performance is an art performance which combines dance, theatre,
literature, voice and pentatonic music harmoniously and is filed by aesthetic values
(edi-peni) and moral philosophical lessons (adi-luhung). There are four analysis units used
in this paper, which are puppets as mythology, character, story, puppet master and
directing. Cultural communication by Wayang Wong Sriwedari (WWS) community on
Facebook is done by a group of volunteers who are considered successful in
contributing in increasing the number of audience and attention of public policymakers in
the preservation of wayang orang as a part of the national cultural wealth.
Keywords: Wayang Orang, Cultural Communication, Cultural Value and Social Media.