Wayang Lemah Art in Bali

Wayang Lemah is part of the wayang kulit show in Bali. This is a sacred performing art or wali, which is closely related to the Balinese Hindu religious ceremonies. This art contains noble values and is used as a way of life as well as a source of knowledge.

The wayang lemah performance is also known as wayang gedog. Lemah in local terms means daylight. This art is performed at daylight during the ceremony. This type of puppet is included in the three sacred puppets in Bali, which include: Wayang Sapuh Leger, Wayang Sudamala, and Wayang Lemah.

All three have an important role as the ritual of ruwatan or purification. Wayang Sapuh Leger is usually used for ruwatan rituals for those born in Wuku Wayang. Wayang Sudamala is performed to purify the spirits of people who died unnaturally.

Wayang Lemah is usually to accompany religious ceremonies and the plays are performed according to the level of the ceremony. During the ceremony of "dewa yadnya" (offerings to the gods), the performances carry plays about ceremony, for example Kunti Yadnya. Meanwhile, during the ceremony of "pitra yadnya" (offerings to pitara or ancestors) the art plays about the spirit's journey to heaven, for example Bima Swarga.

Wayang Lemah are performed without an oil lamp (blencong) and without a screen (kelir). The puppet will be taken out from the "kropak" (puppet box) and leaned on a white thread (tukelan) which is tied at both ends to "dadap" twigs. The dadap twigs are plugged into the banana stem. The white thread is a symbol of the sky or akasa, while the banana stem symbolizes the earth or pertiwi.

Wayang Lemah performances are usually carried out around the place where the ceremony is held, without a special stage. The art of wayang lemah performance is also full of ancestral messages, itihasa messages (itihasa means history or real events), purification and forgiveness of sins. The wayang lemah show is even more lively with the accompaniment of the gamelan Gender Wayang.

Reference

1. google.co.id
2. wikipedia.org _ Wayang Kulit Bali _ on November 22, 2021
   https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayang_kulit_Bali

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