Shadow Puppets of Kedah

Cakil, Central Javanese Shadow Puppet

Cakil is portrayed with a red face, large lower jaw, and slanted closed eyes which mark his blindness. His face and body are presented in profile, but his shoulders are positioned to allow unrestrained movement of both arms. His large face and prominent teeth mark him as an unrefined giant character despite his slim body. The cowhide puppet of Cakil is supported by a central rod of carved and heat shaped buffalo horn. This central buffalo horn rod is broken in the mid-torso area. Both of Cakil’s arms are articulated with joints at the shoulder, elbow and wrist, and controlled by rods made of carved and polished buffalo horn. There is significant use wear on this puppet and signs that it has been performed with and repaired several times. In Javanese shadow theater, the character of Cakil is understood to be a blind giant whose lower jaw juts out more prominently than his upper jaw. Although Cakil often is portrayed in conflict with the hero Arjuna, he is understood to be a comic figure rather than a serious enemy. Cakil is known for never giving up, fighting to the death, and being killed by his own dagger. Cakil is one of three central Javanese shadow puppet figures that appear in the Banks collection. These puppets were not used in performances in Kedah. Banks acquired them from a Malaysian government shop in Kuala Lumpur. Pigment on all the Javanese shadow puppets has been applied in the form of paint and does not permeate the leather. All of the shadows cast by these puppets are opaque and black in contrast to the translucent colorized shadows of the Nang Talung-Wayang Gedek puppets in the Banks collection. Dimensions: Height: 55 cm Width: 22 cm Width including left and right arm extended: 84.5cm

Malaysian government shop in Kuala Lumpur

Acquisition date 1974

Cakil

black, red, green, pink, blue, and gold pigment

Cowhide, fiber cording, and buffalo horn rods