Bantul — The PKM-PM Litera-Wayang team held a Wayang Kulit (puppet) performance arts and exhibition at SMKN 1 Kasihan, Bantul, marking the culmination of their community service initiative. The event showcased the students’ creative adaptation of ancient texts and provided a platform for puppetry arts students to demonstrate their talents following the program’s completion.
The showcase featured four young puppeteers from the school’s Puppetry Department performing two main plays: Bima Kutu Walang Taga and Gathotkaca Siyung. Both scripts were creatively adapted by the students from the ancient manuscript Pakem Grĕntĕng during the program.
Twelfth and eleventh-grade puppetry students supported the production as musical accompanists and stage crew. Attendees included the principal of SMKN 1 Kasihan, the head of the Puppetry Department, school members, representatives from the Bantul Regency Cultural Office, and dozens of students. School officials welcomed the initiative, noting that integrating ancient manuscript adaptation into arts education is a first for the institution.
In addition to the performance, a documentation and literacy exhibition was set up outside the indoor arena. The display highlighted the students’ creative journey through visual records and photos, covering script analysis, puppet making, and stage rehearsals. Interactive QR codes were also available, allowing visitors to explore the manuscript adaptation process.
This event marks a successful collaboration between the PKM-PM Litera-Wayang team and the school. Through this program’s outcomes, the team hopes the manuscript adaptation method will be integrated into the vocational curriculum to support cultural preservation and foster creativity among the youth.
Author: Najwa Aulya Aliff Na’im
