Gumira, Seno (2012) Politics of Identity in the Indonesian Wayang Comics. Mudra Journal of Art and Culture, 32 (3). pp. 366-374. ISSN P-ISSN 0854-3461 E-ISSN 2541-0407

Text SGA Jurnal Mudra Seni Budaya 2017 - Politics of Identity in the Indonesian Wayang Comics.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (916kB)

Abstract

As identity become more and more important in the life of a nation-state in the age of globalization, the ideological struggle to be original, like there is an original signifier of “Indonesia”, happen as long as the history of wayang comics itself, from 1955 until today. Theoretically come from a Sanskrit source literary epic of Ramayana and Mahabharata, the first evidence of intermediation are the reliefs of Ramayana at Prambanan Temple in the 9th century, as the year 856 AD marked the official use of the temple; and only in the year of 960 an anonymous writer finished the translation of Wirataparwa, part of Mahabharata from Sastra Parwa. Long before come to the comic form, these two epics were the sites of political interest on all of the intermediations, from the Old Javanese translations of the Indian’s Sanskrit, to the shadow play and dance-drama interpretations from the literary sources. The wayang comic itself born as a way out from political repression outside, when in the 1955 comics were hunted to be seized and burn. However, as the wayang comic genre going to be an ideological choice, which the best form, style, and genre to choose is still an ongoing contestation of identity politics to represent Indonesia. Wayang comic is the site of struggle of groups in society with the interest of identity politics with an idea of Indonesia, where the discourse of the sub-ordinated groups appear as a resistance to the discourse of dominant groups.

Actions (login required)

View Item