Analysing the Interconnectedness of Cultural Values in Wayang Ukur Panakawan

Abstract

This study investigated the interconnectedness of cultural values embedded within the Panakawan figures in Wayang Ukur, a contemporary Javanese shadow puppet reinterpretation by Sigit Sukasman. While traditional wayang performances reflect philosophical and moral teachings, Wayang Ukur presents a renewed visual and conceptual framework that reconfigures those values in response to modern contexts. Employing a qualitative descriptive method with a semiotic approach, the research examined visual representations and narrative constructions of the Panakawan figures—Semar, Gareng, Petruk, and Bagong. Data were collected through literature review, visual documentation, and interpretive analysis of the artworks and performances. The findings revealed that the Panakawan characters serve as vessels for transmitting Javanese cultural wisdom, such as social harmony, humility, and spiritual resilience, while also incorporating adaptive transformations in style and meaning. These values are shown to be dynamically interconnected through both visual symbolism and dialogic function within the performance. Moreover, Wayang Ukur emphasizes aesthetic innovation through spatial composition, body fragmentation, and virtual theatricality, thus reinforcing the relevance of Panakawan figures in navigating contemporary socio-cultural issues. The study concludes that the reinterpretation of Panakawan in Wayang Ukur does not merely preserve tradition but revitalizes cultural narratives, making them resonant with modern audiences through both content and form.