Presidents as <i>Punakawan</i>: Portrayal of National Leaders as Clown-Servants in Central Javanese <i>Wayang</i>

Abstract

The trend to portray Indonesian presidents as punakawan (clown servants) in wayang (shadow puppetry) was started under the former President Soeharto. Whereas Soeharto chose to be conveyed as Semar, a clown but also a former god, greater artistic freedom post-Soeharto led to a more farcical depiction of Habibie and Gus Dur as Semar's sons, Gareng and Bagong.