Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge and pay respect to the Gulidjan and Gadubanud peoples; the Traditional Owners and Elders of the land on which COPACC operates.
We acknowledge their connection to creative practice on these lands and extend our respect to First Nations people throughout our communities.

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INDONESIAN SHADOW PUPPETRY WITH DALANG SUMARDI

Next date: Saturday, 12 April 2025 | 01:00 PM to 02:50 PM

Join us at COPACC to Celebrate Indonesian Culture with this special school holiday program!

supported by Cultural Infusion - building cultural harmony

Returning to Australia by popular demand, Cultural Infusion is once again proud to present the Dalang (Master) Shadow Puppeteer Sumardi!

Hailing from Sragen, Central Java, Sumardi has been deeply rooted in Indonesian culture since childhood. At just eleven years old, he embarked on an intensive nine-year journey to become a Master Puppeteer, a title earned through dedication and skill. Sumardi’s puppets, made from tortoise shells (before tortoise hunting was made illegal), are more than 100 years old and were inherited from his grandmother, who was once the only practicing female Dalang in Java.

Wayang Kulit (shadow puppetry) is not just a performance for Sumardi; it’s a way of life and an integral part of Javanese culture. His exceptional talent in puppetry, dance, and vocal performance has taken Sumardi across the globe, from South Korea and Spain to the Netherlands and Australia, where audiences are captivated by his artistry. His theatrical storytelling brings to life the ancestral spirits said to swell inside the puppets. The climactic scenes are based on Hindu epics, such as the Mahabaratah and Ramayana cycles.

A truly magical experience!

The performance will follow pre-show entertainment by Phil Gray, (Indonesian teacher at Elliminyt Primary School) and his students who will be performing:

“Bagian Badan” - a song about Body Parts. The actions help students to remember the vocabulary.

“Percakapan” - a song about Conversation. The phrases mentioned in the song are reinforced in English and with appropriate actions.

“Hutan Hujan” - a song about some of the animals that live in an Indonesian rainforest. The animals in the rainforest depend on their environment to survive. The rainforest is their home and source of food. Unfortunately, their lives are being threatened by logging and poaching.

We are also proud to present Eki, an Indonesian performer from Warrnambool, who will be performing a traditional Indonesian Dance.

Pre-show entertainment starts at 1pm.