Traditional Brunei Puppets

Puppetry and puppets are a highly developed cultural form in many Southeast Asian countries. While this is not particularly true of Brunei, the country is incorporating some of these regional practices in the 21st century.

Identification

• Puppetry in and of itself is not closely related to Brunei's traditional culture because puppetry's expansion into Southern and Southeast Asia was closely linked with that of Hinduism as it left India. Brunei's culture is more closely tied to Islam.

Contemporary Efforts

• Brunei is now attempting to adopt traditional forms, the result of an initiative by the Association of Southeast Asian nations to promote the expression of regional culture and its art forms throughout its member states. One such form of puppetry is Wayang.

Wayang

• Wayang is an art of shadow puppetry. Unlike the conventional shadow puppetry, which uses the hand, this form of Southeast Asian puppetry uses actual puppets, typically made of leather. They are placed behind a screen onto which their shadow is projected. Wayang is a form of drama as well as social commentary. Generations of families involved in Wayang closely guard their secrets and train their children.