Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
Sosial dan Budaya https://journal.
id/index.
php/jf Embodied Transformation of Islamic Javanese Wayang Characters:
Practice-Led Reconstruction of LimbukAeCangik in Contemporary Muslim Cultural Performance Ndaru Ranuhandoko1*.
Bambang Sunarto1.
Winny Gunarti Widya Wardani2 Institut Seni Indonesia Surakarta.
Indonesia Universitas Indraprasta PGRI.
Jakarta.
Indonesia *Correspondence: ndaruranuhandoko1969@gmail.
Abstract Grounded in a constructivist paradigm and informed by phenomenological and Article History performativity-based perspectives, this study examines the embodied transformation of the Received: 04-02-2026 LimbukAeCangik characters in wayang kulit purwa as a form of cultural practice within Revised: 15-04-2026 Javanese Islam.
The research conceptualizes artistic transformation as an epistemic Accepted: 24-04-2026 process, in which the body functions as a site for the articulation and negotiation of Islamic ethical values.
Accordingly, the paper aims to analyze how such transformations Keywords:
reconfigure the moral, social, and pedagogical functions of these characters in Cultural Adaptation.
contemporary Muslim contexts.
Methodologically, the study adopts a practice-led research Embodied Transformation.
design integrated with ethnographic fieldwork, including participatory observation, in- Islamic Javanese Wayang.
depth interviews with puppeteers, digital archive analysis, and visual studies.
Data are Limbuk-Cangik.
analyzed using an interactive model of condensation, display, and verification, supported Practice-Led Research.
by triangulation across sources and methods.
This approach enables the integration of experiential knowledge derived from artistic practice with empirical cultural analysis.
The theoretical framework draws on cultural hermeneutics, embodiment theory, and theories of Islamic performativity, situating wayang as a medium through which religious values are materially and socially mediated.
The findings indicate a shift from a ritualized shadow medium to a more communicative three-dimensional embodiment, which enhances audience engagement without diminishing ethical integrity.
Rather than eroding Islamic moral values, this transformation reconstructs their social function through adaptive visual and performative strategies.
This study contributes to the development of a practice-based framework in Islamic art studies by proposing the concept of visual cultural ijtihAd, in which artistic practice operates as a mode of knowledge production.
It further demonstrates that the reconstruction of tradition enables the expansion of cultural daAowah while sustaining its moral and cultural legitimacy in contemporary Muslim society.
A 2026 Ndaru Ranuhandoko.
Bambang Sunarto.
Winny Gunarti Widya Wardani This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.
0 International License.
INTRODUCTION
Recent developments in Islamic studies in Southeast Asia show a significant shift from a normative-textual approach to an analysis of Islam as a living social and cultural practice (Azra.
In the last decade, studies on Islam Nusantara and cultural Islam have increasingly emphasized the performative, material, and visual dimensions of religion in Muslim communities (Woodward, 2.
In the period 2015Ae2017, research focused on the historicity of the Islamization of local cultures and the role of cultural da'wah in the formation of Javanese Muslim identity (Ricklefs, 2.
Entering 2018Ae2020, academic attention has shifted to the representation of Islam in public spaces, the negotiation of religious identity, and the dynamics of moral authority in urban communities (Hefner, 2.
Meanwhile, studies from 2021Ae2024 began to focus on the digitization of traditions, the transformation of performing arts in the new media ecosystem, and changes in young Muslim audiences (Slama, 2.
This recent literature confirms that Islamic traditions in Southeast Asia are no longer understood as a static heritage, but rather as an arena for the ongoing negotiation of identity, authority, and cultural expression (Feener, 2.
Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
Sosial dan Budaya DOI: https://doi.
org/10.
25217/jf.
Ndaru Ranuhandoko et al.
Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA Wayang kulit purwa occupies an important position in this context as an institution of Javanese Islamic culture.
Since the process of Islamization pioneered by the saints, especially Sunan Kalijaga, wayang has functioned as a medium for cultural da'wah, moral education, and social communication among the people (Sunyoto, 2.
The integration of the values of monotheism, social ethics, and Islamic moral teachings into the structure of the play and visual symbols shows that the Islamization of wayang is a process of epistemic transformation, not merely cosmetic adaptation (Simuh, 2.
Wayang functions as a symbolic system that transmits norms and values within the framework of Javanese-Islamic cosmology (Endraswara, 2.
Within its dramatic structure, the character Limbuk-Cangik has a strategic role as a comical figure who also acts as a moral mediator, conveyor of social criticism, and bridge of communication between the puppeteer and the Muslim audience (Nugroho, 2.
In the puppetry tradition.
Cangik is depicted as a thin old woman who symbolizes simplicity and sincerity, while the plump Limbuk represents youth with all its strong worldly desiresAia symbolization of the phases of devotion in life (Asmarani, 2.
However, contemporary dynamics present new challenges.
The digitization of performances, the commercialization of culture, and changes in urban audience preferences have influenced the representation of traditional characters (Sudibyo, 2.
All-night puppet shows are increasingly less popular among young Muslims who are accustomed to consuming fast-paced and visual digital content (Prasetyo, 2.
Field observations of wayang performances in Central Java and Yogyakarta .
2Ae2.
reveal modifications in body proportions, costumes, and the LimbukAe Cangik dialogue pattern that are more responsive to popular moral issues, hijrah, and Muslim socio-political dynamics.
Interviews with three young puppeteers (Bramantyo.
Panji Probo Asmoro.
Pulung Wicaksan.
reveal an awareness of the need to adapt characters to the religious sensibilities of today's audience without losing the element of humor .
ersonal interviews, 2.
Meanwhile, the results of a questionnaire of 60 Muslim viewers aged 18Ae35 years show that 72% of respondents consider Limbukan scenes to still be relevant as a medium for conveying Islamic moral messages, but 48% stated that traditional visualizations need to be adjusted to be more contextual.
This shift is in line with findings that contemporary wayang faces challenges to remain relevant in the era of digital disruption through narrative and visual adaptation without losing its cultural identity (Rusdy et al.
, 2.
This preliminary data reveals a gap between das Sein and das Sollen.
Normatively, wayang as an Islamic-Javanese tradition is expected to maintain its moral values and cultural da'wah function (Anggoro, 2.
Empirically, visual and performative transformations have the potential to shift embodied meaningsAinamely the body, gestures, and visual symbolsAiwhich have been the carriers of Islamic values.
Issues that arise are not merely artistic changes, but how these changes affect moral legitimacy and pedagogical functions in contemporary Muslim society.
This study argues that a practice-led research approach can bridge this gap (Smith & Dean.
Through the integration of historical analysis, studies of bodily performativity, and artistic reconstruction practices, the transformation of the LimbukAeCangik character can be understood as a form of productive cultural adaptation.
A similar approach has been applied in research on Islamic art in Indonesia, for example in the reinterpretation of traditional Acehnese music that revives Sufi values through contemporary mediums (Karina & Cufara, 2.
Embodied reconstructionAifrom a two-dimensional shadow medium to a communicative three-dimensional representation of the bodyAishould not be viewed as an erosion of values, but rather as a contextual cultural da'wah Thus, this study promises to make a conceptual contribution to the development of practice-based Islamic art studies as a form of visual cultural ijtihAd.
Compared to prior scholarship, studies on wayang and Islam have predominantly emphasized historical trajectories, textual-philological analysis, and the politics of religious identity (Azra.
Ricklefs, 2008.
Woodward, 2.
More recent works have examined wayang as a medium of cultural daAowah and ideological representation in contemporary Muslim society (Hefner, 2.
, yet these approaches largely treat wayang as a symbolic or discursive object.
While such studies Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA provide important insights into meaning, identity, and religious authority, they have paid limited attention to the embodied, visual, and performative dimensions through which these meanings are materially enacted and transformed.
In particular, the processes by which traditional characters are visually reconstructed and reperformed in response to contemporary Muslim sensibilities remain underexplored.
Existing research has not systematically addressed how bodily transformation, material reconfiguration, and performative adaptation function as sites of cultural negotiation within Islamic artistic practice.
Addressing this gap, the present study repositions visual and embodied transformation as a central analytical locus, through which moral values, social critique, and religious meaning are actively rearticulated in Southeast Asian Muslim contexts.
Rather than formulating a hypothesis, this study adopts a constructivist qualitative approach that seeks to interpret how meaning is produced and negotiated through practice.
Accordingly, the research is guided by the argument that the embodied transformation of LimbukAeCangik in contemporary media does not simply represent aesthetic change, but constitutes a process of reconfiguring their social and pedagogical functions.
Through this lens, wayang is understood as a resilient and adaptive Islamic cultural institution, continuously negotiating its relevance within the shifting dynamics of modern Muslim society.
The objectives of this study are: .
to explain the historical attachment of LimbukAeCangik in Javanese Islamic performativity.
to analyze the transformation of embodied characters in the context of contemporary Muslims.
to identify the implications of these transformations on the negotiation of identity and the function of cultural da'wah in modern Muslim society.
METHODS
This study was designed as field research that placed researchers directly in the arena of wayang kulit performance art.
Researchers did not merely observe from a distance but were actively involved in the creative process of the performance, resulting in a deep and contextual understanding (Creswell & Poth, 2.
This type of research was chosen because the object of study is a living practice that continues to evolve in the daily lives of the wayang artist community in Java, particularly in the transformation of the Limbuk-Cangik characters.
As field research, the entire data collection process was carried out by visiting performance locations, dalang studios, and artist communities who are the main actors in this transformation.
The approach used is a qualitative approach with a constructivist paradigm, which allows researchers to understand the reality of the transformation of wayang characters as a result of the social and cultural construction of contemporary Javanese Muslim society (Denzin & Lincoln, 2.
This approach emphasizes a deep understanding of the observed phenomenon, rather than simply measuring certain variables.
This type of research is ethnographic with a special emphasis on the study of Javanese ethnic As ethnographic research, its main focus is to holistically understand the practice of transforming the character of Limbuk-Cangik in the Javanese-Islamic cultural ecosystem (Spradley.
Researchers explore the ways of thinking, acting, and interpreting change carried out by puppeteers and wayang artists.
In addition, this research is also participatory in nature because it uses a practice-led research approach, in which the researcher plays a dual role as an observer and practitioner who participates in reconstructing the character of Limbuk-Cangik in contemporary performances (Smith & Dean, 2.
Thus, the results of the research are not only objective descriptions but also critical reflections on direct experiences in the process of artistic creation.
The sources of data for this study consist of primary and secondary data.
Primary data was obtained directly from key informants involved in contemporary wayang performances, including senior dalangs who are actively innovating, wayang puppet makers, gamelan musicians, and wayang performers from urban Muslim communities (Yin, 2.
Primary data also includes puppet shows featuring the characters Limbuk-Cangik with specific visual and performative Meanwhile, secondary data was sourced from digital archives of wayang performances scattered across social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, puppeteers' Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA personal documentation, photos of performances, old scripts containing stories about LimbukCangik, as well as scientific articles and books discussing wayang and Islamic cultural da'wah in Java.
This research was conducted over a period of twelve months, from January to December The research locations were determined purposively, taking into account the concentration of contemporary wayang art activities that transform punakawan and figurant characters (Flick, 2.
These locations included Surakarta and Yogyakarta as centers of classical Javanese culture, as well as several major cities in East Java, such as Surabaya and Malang, which are barometers of urban performing arts development.
In addition, the researcher also conducted observations at several art studios in Jakarta and Bandung that are known to actively stage contemporary wayang performances for urban Muslim audiences.
The data collection techniques used in this study were participatory and in-depth, in line with the characteristics of ethnographic qualitative research.
First, participatory observation was conducted by having the researcher directly involved in a number of puppets shows, both as an audience member who recorded the dynamics of the performance and as an assistant to the puppeteer in the preparation process (Atkinson & Hammersley, 2.
This observation included observing the visual changes of the Limbuk-Cangik character, the interaction between the character and the puppeteer and the audience, and the audience's response to the humor and social criticism Second, in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants using flexible interview guidelines, allowing for the emergence of unexpected information that was particularly valuable to the research (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2.
The interviews were conducted repeatedly to explore the puppeteers' understanding of the creative process, the values they uphold, and the negotiations between tradition and innovation.
Third, a documentation study was conducted by collecting recordings of performances, photographs of Limbuk-Cangik characters from various generations, as well as articles and news reports on contemporary puppet innovations (Bowen, 2009.
Krueger & Casey, 2.
The data analysis technique used in this study employs the interactive analysis model developed by Miles.
Huberman, and Saldana, which consists of three main simultaneous processes (Miles et al.
, 2.
The first process is data condensation, which is the process of selecting, focusing, simplifying, and transforming raw data obtained from the field.
The researchers sorted interview recordings, observation notes, and visual documents to focus on data directly related to the embodied transformation of the Limbuk-Cangik character.
The second stream is data presentation, in which the researchers compile the condensed data into matrices, charts, or brief descriptions that facilitate drawing conclusions.
Data presentation is carried out by grouping findings based on main themes such as visual changes, performative changes, humor ethics, and da'wah functions.
Data analysis follows an interactive and iterative model of condensation, display, and conclusion drawing, in which meaning is continuously constructed and verified throughout the research process.
Grounded in a constructivist paradigm, this study assumes that social realityAi including artistic transformationAiis not fixed but produced through cultural practice and Accordingly, analysis is directed toward understanding how meanings are embodied, negotiated, and rearticulated within the transformation of LimbukAeCangik.
The analytical process integrates thematic coding of interview data, visual analysis of performative elements, and reflective insights generated through practice-led engagement.
Verification is conducted through triangulation across data sources .
uppeteers, performances, and digital archive.
and methods .
bservation, interviews, and documentatio.
, as well as through iterative dialogue with practitioners and peer researchers to ensure interpretive validity.
Data collection and analysis proceed simultaneously until conceptual saturation is achieved.
The interpretation of findings is guided by an interdisciplinary theoretical framework.
First.
Talal AsadAos concept of Islam as a discursive tradition is employed to understand how Islamic values are continuously rearticulated through embodied cultural practices.
Second.
Homi K.
BhabhaAos notion of the Aiin-betweenAn Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA provides a lens to analyze the hybrid space in which tradition and modernity intersect within the reconstructed figures.
Third, embodiment theory (Meyer, 2.
frames the body as a site of meaning production, while cultural hermeneutics (Woodward, 2.
informs the interpretation of symbolic transformation within Javanese Islam.
Within this framework, the study does not formulate a hypothesis.
rather, it seeks to interpret how embodied transformation functions as a process of meaning-making and cultural negotiation.
This approach allows the research to position artistic reconstruction not merely as aesthetic change, but as an epistemic practice through which Islamic moral values are reconfigured in contemporary contexts.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Wayang as an Islamic Cultural Tradition Puppetry after the Islamization of Java The process of Islamization in Java since the 15th century has brought about a profound transformation in wayang kulit purwa, which has not only changed its aesthetic surface, but also resemanticized its entire symbolic system.
Analysis of primary texts such as babad and serat pedalangan, as well as cultural history studies from the period 2015Ae2023, reveal that the structure of wayang was not eliminated, but transformed through three major changes: a visual transformation from naturalistic representation to symbolic stylization, the integration of tauhid values and Islamic ethics in the interpretation of the play, and the repositioning of the social function of wayang as a medium for cultural da'wah.
These findings are in line with Azra's .
argument that Islamization in the archipelago took place through a productive, rather than destructive, mechanism of acculturation.
Sumarsam .
, in his study of gamelan and wayang, asserts that the saints, especially Sunan Kalijaga, consciously utilized the performing arts that were deeply rooted in Javanese society as instruments of da'wah, by placing gamelan near mosques and transforming wayang narratives through a Sufi perspective.
Visual archive documentation shows the consistent use of symbolic colors that are rich in ethical meaning: white or yellow symbolize wisdom and religiosity, red represents lust, while black symbolizes inner strength.
Anatomical stylizationAislanted eyes, pointed noses, unrealistic body proportionsAifunctions as a moral code, not merely a biological representation.
Koesoemadinata .
, in his study of Cirebon wayang kulit, asserts that this visual transformation reflects the acculturation of various ethnic groups (Javanese.
Chines.
and belief systems .
ocal animism.
Hindu-Buddhism.
Isla.
, proving that cross-cultural and interfaith diplomacy has been taking place peacefully through the medium of art since the early spread of Islam in Java.
Wayang, thus, becomes a AimirrorAn that reflects the success of past cultural diplomacy that remains relevant today.
Observations of 12 Islamic-themed puppet shows that took place between 2022 and 2024 show that 83% of the scenes contain explicit messages about morals, leadership, simplicity, and Muslim social ethics.
This data indicates that the function of puppet shows as a means of preaching not only survives but is actually strengthened in contemporary practice.
As argued by Lutfi .
in his study on the transformation of wayang characters in the Serat Damarwulan script, the process of cultural transformation from Hindu-Buddhist to Islam took place peacefully without radically changing the main characters, storyline, or setting, but rather by borrowing existing structures to convey new meanings.
The Wayang Kekayon Khalfah, which features the figure of Umar bin Khattab, for example, shows that the materiality of wayang not only functions as traditional entertainment that stimulates a sense of Aipleasure,An but also as a complex semiotic experience between the puppeteer and the audience through the visual signs of two-dimensional buffalo skin and its silhouette (Nuriz, 2.
The data confirms that the Islamization of wayang is a process of re-semantization of symbols, not merely aesthetic accommodation.
From the perspective of Islamic cultural adaptation theory, da'wah is not carried out through cultural purification that erases local traditions, but through symbolic inculturation that preserves the old structure while filling it with new values.
Woodward .
refers to this mechanism as Aicultural hermeneutics,An in which local texts and Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA practices are reinterpreted through an Islamic lens.
Wayang functions as an Islamic cultural institution, a space where the normative values of religion are translated into a system of signs that is familiar to Javanese society.
Thus, the structure of the MahabharataAeRamayana epic is no longer read as a Hindu narrative, but as a vessel for Islamic monotheism and ethics.
This finding reinforces the argument that Javanese Islam works through a complex and productive mechanism of cultural The debate over syncretism versus symbolic Islamization becomes less productive when empirical data shows the dominance of Islamic ethical interpretations in contemporary Simuh .
, in his study of Javanese Sufism, asserts that the mystical transformation of Java by Islam did not result in passive syncretism, but rather a creative synthesis that gave birth to a distinctive form of Islam.
What survives in wayang is not Hindu-Buddhist theological cosmology, but rather a dramatic structure as a medium for Muslim social pedagogy.
This is in line with Ricklefs' .
findings on the process of Islamization in Java, which took place gradually and adaptively, where pre-Islamic elements were not eliminated but given new meanings in line with Islamic teachings.
Wayang, therefore, serves as living proof of how Islam in Southeast Asia has never been a pure, isolated entity, but has always been in productive dialogue with the local cultural reality.
LimbukAeCangik in Muslim Social Performance LimbukAeCangik in Muslim Social Performance Limbuk and Cangik occupy a unique position in the wayang structure as representatives of a class of servants loyal to their masters, but in their performative practice they function far beyond this structural role.
Interviews with three young puppeteers reveal a strong consensus that LimbukAeCangik are understood as the most communicative Aimouthpieces of the small communityAn to Muslim congregations.
This is in line with the traditional understanding that Cangik is depicted as a mature woman with a wealth of experience, while Limbuk is a young woman who is still apprenticed and attached to worldly things (Asmarani, 2.
The philosophy behind the difference in their body shapesAiCangik is thin.
Limbuk is plumpAicontains a profound moral message: someone who serves selflessly, even if initially overweight, will naturally become thin because sincere devotion erodes material Thinness symbolizes honesty, simplicity, and a life that does not pursue material things, while Limbuk's plump body depicts a youthful phase that is still filled with worldly desires.
Observations of contemporary puppet shows indicate that themes frequently appearing in limbukan scenes include current issues relevant to urban Muslim life: excessive consumerism, the phenomenon of symbolic hijrah that prioritizes outward appearance over substance.
Islamic dress codes, and criticism of unfaithful leadership.
These findings confirm the function of LimbukAe Cangik as a vehicle for subtle yet sharp social criticism.
As noted in the literature on puppetry, puppeteers often use the dialogue between Cangik and Limbuk as a tool for preaching, educating the public, and conveying messages from parties with specific interests (Nugroho, 2.
Even when appearing in keputren scenes, the comedic dialogue between mother and child is often interspersed with various pieces of advice for girls and general criticism of the world of women.
Visually, the grotesque body forms of LimbukAeCangikAiCangik as thin and eccentric, and Limbuk as plump and seemingly nayveAihave been consistently maintained, even as their costume attributes are adapted toward more modest Muslim-Javanese aesthetics.
This continuity is significant, as these bodily forms do not merely function as aesthetic exaggerations but encode deeply rooted philosophical and ethical meanings.
In a study of raga puppet theater inspired by Surah YAsn verse 65 of the Qur'an, it is emphasized that human body partsAihands, feet, mouthAi will bear witness to human deeds in the afterlife (Wulandari & Hidayat, 2.
This perspective is reinforced through QurAoanic discourse, particularly Surah YAsn .
, which states that human body parts will bear witness to oneAos deeds in the hereafter.
Classical exegetes such as Ibn Kathr .
interpret this verse as emphasizing the total accountability of the human body, where speech, action, and physical presence are inseparable from moral responsibility.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA Similarly.
Al-abar .
explains that the silencing of the mouth and the testimony of bodily limbs signify that the body itself becomes a truthful witness beyond human denial.
Within this interpretive framework, the body in Islamic thought is never ethically neutral.
rather, it is a locus of moral inscription and spiritual meaning.
Accordingly, the preservation of grotesque bodily forms in LimbukAeCangik can be understood not as comic distortion alone, but as a performative strategy that materializes ethical commentary through the body.
The simultaneous adaptation of costume toward contemporary Muslim sensibilitiesAisuch as modest dressAi demonstrates a process of cultural negotiation in which external form evolves while the underlying moral semiotics of the body are maintained.
In this sense, embodied transformation operates as a continuity of ethical signification rather than a rupture from tradition.
The transformation of LimbukAeCangik, which retains the grotesque body shape while adjusting the clothing attributes, can be interpreted as an effort to preserve traditional philosophical messages while responding to contemporary religious sensibilities.
Structurally.
LimbukAeCangik represent the servant class in the Islamic palace social system.
However, performatively, they function as moral mediatorsAimoral intermediaries who bridge Islamic normative values with the empirical reality of society.
Humor becomes a mechanism for social correction without direct confrontation, a strategy that is in line with the principle of amar ma'ruf nahi munkar .
njoining what is good and forbidding what is evi.
in a persuasive approach.
In studies of Muslim humor, humor is understood as a mechanism of social stabilization in which criticism is conveyed without damaging social harmony (Kuipers, 2015.
Lynch, 2.
The findings of this study confirm this pattern: LimbukAeCangik conveys criticism of behavior that deviates from Islamic values through tickling jokes, not through patronizing lectures.
This is in line with Chang's .
findings on syncretic Muslim performing arts in Java and Sindh, which function as a mode of cultural resistance as well as the preservation of religious traditions.
The grotesque bodies of LimbukAeCangik do not function as aesthetic degradation, but as a strategy of depoliticizing criticism.
Visual deformation allows the aspirations of the subalternAithe voice of the little peopleAito be conveyed without posing a symbolic threat to authority.
In other words, the grotesque becomes a Aisafe languageAn in religious spaces that are sensitive to direct Puppeteers can convey messages that are actually socio-politically sharp through characters that are visually constructed as Aiclowns,An so that the messages are more easily accepted without provoking resistance.
This mechanism demonstrates local wisdom in managing social conflict through the performing arts.
Furthermore, as female figures who dominate the limbukan scene.
LimbukAeCangik expand the representation of Muslim women in public narratives.
They do not appear as passive moral objectsAiwho are only the targets of preaching or criticismAibut as active moral agents who comment on social reality from a female perspective.
This shows the gender dimension in Javanese Islamic pedagogy that has rarely been highlighted in previous studies of wayang.
Asmarani .
, in her feminist study of the CangikAeLimbuk dialogue, notes that the interaction between mother and child reflects the dynamics of women's experiences in Javanese society, including advice on women's skills, the search for a spouse, and criticism of the female world.
In the contemporary Muslim context, this expansion of representation is important because it provides space for women's voices in religious discourse, which is often dominated by male perspectives.
This is in line with Foley's .
findings on the influence of Persia and China in the Javanese coastal performance tradition, which features female figures in Islamic narratives, such as the emergence of Chinese female characters in Javanese Islamic palace lore.
Embodied Transformation and Practice-Led Reconstruction Embodiment in the Performativity of Islam Gesture analysis in wayang performances reveals consistent patterns rich in meaning: the megar AopenAo hand position as a sign of openness and acceptance, the nyeker AbareAo foot position as a symbol of populism and closeness to the common people, and hyperbolic facial expressions as Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA reinforcements of the verbal messages conveyed.
In the reconstructed hand puppet version developed through a practice-led research approach, the addition of legs and more flexible body articulation increases the capacity for movement and interaction with the audience.
This transformation is not merely a technical change, but has profound implications for the mode of communication between the puppeteer, the wayang characters, and the audience.
Figure 1.
Limbuk-Cangik Puppet in Wayang Kulit Source: Research Documentation, 2025 Figure 1 presents the classical visual configuration of LimbukAeCangik in wayang kulit purwa, highlighting their stylized anatomy, non-naturalistic proportions, and symbolic coloration.
The elongated facial structures, exaggerated noses and chins, rounded eyes, and flattened lateral orientation exemplify the aesthetic grammar of Javanese shadow puppetry, in which physical deformation does not indicate biological realism but moral and social coding.
In the theory of religious performativity, the body is understood as a locus of meaning productionAia place where abstract values are realized and communicated (Meyer, 2.
In Islamic tradition, the body is also a medium of adab: the way one sits, speaks, dresses, and moves reflects one's inner ethics.
Foley .
, in his study of wayang golek, notes that the influence of Persian and Chinese Islam on Javanese performing arts is not only evident in the narrative, but also in the techniques used to make the puppets and the style of performance.
Wayang, thus, becomes a medium that accommodates the complexity of cross-cultural influences while maintaining its spiritual function.
The transformation from two-dimensional shadow puppetry to a more communicative threedimensional representation of the body shifts the mode of communication from symbolic-ritualistic to dialogical-participatory.
In traditional shadow puppet performances, the puppets appear as silhouettes behind a screen, creating a sacred distance between the characters and the audience.
contemporary reconstructions that feature three-dimensional puppets directly, this distance narrows, allowing for more intense interaction between the characters and the audience.
However, data shows that ethical codes are maintained even though the medium has changed.
This means that a change in medium is not synonymous with a change in values.
This is in line with Lutfi's .
findings that the transformation of wayang characters in the Serat Damarwulan script occurs on the surface structure .
llustrations, visual characterizatio.
, while the internal structure .
asic characters, storyline, settin.
is preserved.
Embodiment in this context can be understood as the process of AiIslam becoming embodiedAnAithat is, the process by which normative Islamic values are translated and realized through a communicative body in accordance with the urban Muslim context.
The reconstructed LimbukAeCangik body is no longer merely a sacred two-dimensional image, but rather a threedimensional representation that is closer to the everyday reality of the audience.
However, this Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA closeness does not eliminate its moral function.
on the contrary, by becoming more communicative, the ethical messages conveyed become easier to accept and internalize.
Chang .
, in his study of Jathilan in Java, notes that syncretic Muslim performing arts function as a mode of producing sacredness as well as cultural resistance, in which the dancers' bodies become a medium of spiritual expression that transcends the boundaries of formal orthodoxy.
The reconstruction of LimbukAeCangik embodied through a practice-led research approach shows that visual and performative transformations can be productive strategies for cultural da'wah.
By maintaining its moral essence while adapting its form to better suit the sensibilities and preferences of contemporary audiences, wayang continues to function as a resilient and adaptive Islamic cultural institution.
This proves that tradition is not a static entity that must be preserved in its original form, but rather a living process that continues to evolve through creative negotiation between the past and the present, between values and form, between sacredness and As emphasized in various studies on cultural Islam in Southeast Asia, the vitality of Islamic tradition lies precisely in its ability to continue to engage in dialogue with the changing times without losing its identity (Azra, 2015.
Woodward, 2.
Practice-Led Extraction: From Wayang Purwa to Embodied Hand Puppets This project resulted in a practice-based finding in the form of a LimbukAeCangik hand puppet model extracted from the form of classical wayang kulit purwa, with reference to the iconography developed by Ki Narto Sabdo and the Central Java puppet collection as the main reference.
The extraction process was carried out through four systematic stages that integrated in-depth visual analysis with artistic engineering practices, resulting in a new form that retained the symbolic essence of the original characters while adapting them into a more communicative threedimensional medium.
The first stage is the symbolic anatomical analysis of the original wayang.
Visual analysis of classical wayang reveals the main characteristics that consistently distinguish the two characters.
The classic Cangik is depicted with a triangular face with a prominent chin, wide open round eyes, a flat nose typical of ordinary folk characters, striking red lips that emphasize his comical role, and hair tied up with a hairpin and subal as a sign of his status as a palace servant.
His body is golden yellow, which in the tradition of wayang puppetry symbolizes his status as a palace servant who has access to the royal court, even though he is socially at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Cangik wears an open kemben without a realistic anatomical representation of the chestAian important stylistic choice because it shows that wayang does not represent biological bodies, but symbolic bodies.
The cloth he wears has two motifs, signifying a distinctive visual identity.
The classic Limbuk, on the other hand, is depicted with a large face and full cheeks, a fat body, and a potbelly that is his His body is also golden yellow with a shawl and two-motif cloth.
An important finding from this analysis is that the anatomy of wayang puppets is not biological anatomy at all, but what can be called moral anatomyAiwhere deliberately deformed body proportions encode the social status and dramatic function of characters in the story structure (Florida, 2.
The second stage is the process of materialization into three-dimensional form.
The extraction from two-dimensional leather puppets to three-dimensional hand puppets is carried out through a series of meticulous technical stages.
First, a wire frame is created that not only functions as a supporting structure, but is also designed to allow for social articulationAithat is, movements that facilitate interaction with the audience.
This frame is then covered with paper and putty to form the volume of the face, which retains the grotesque character typical of LimbukAeCangik.
The painting process is carried out while maintaining traditional symbolic colors, especially white or pale yellow for the face, which symbolizes wisdom and simplicity.
The addition of Muslim-Javanese style fabric is a significant modification, including the addition of a black hijab to Cangik, replacing the traditional hairpin and subal.
This modification is not merely aesthetic, but dialogical.
Contemporary studies indicate that Muslim women who wear the hijab often experience structural challenges in professional environments, including mental Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA pressure, performance impacts, career stagnation due to non-objective assessments, and even explicit workplace restrictions prohibiting the use of the hijab in certain job positions (Siti Nur Fitasari & Fuad MasAoud, 2.
Such findings reveal that the hijab functions not only as religious attire but also as a socially contested symbol within modern institutional settings (Muhamad Agus Mushodiq et al.
, 2.
By incorporating the hijab into CangikAos reconstructed body, the practiceled process symbolically repositions the character within contemporary Muslim discourse.
The costume adaptation becomes an embodied statement that affirms visibility, dignity, and ethical In this sense, materialization operates simultaneously on aesthetic and socio-cultural levels:
the puppetAos body does not simply represent tradition, but actively engages with ongoing debates about gender, religiosity, and public space.
Thus, the reconstructed figure becomes a site where classical Islamic-Javanese symbolism intersects with contemporary realities of Muslim womenAos lived experiences.
Figure 2.
Results of Led-Research on Limbuk-Cangik Hand Puppets Source: Researcher Documentation 2025 Figure 2 presents the three-dimensional reconstruction of LimbukAeCangik developed through a practice-led research process.
Unlike the flat, profile-oriented structure of wayang kulit, the hand puppets display volumetric anatomy, frontal orientation, and articulated headAearm mobility adapted for direct audience interaction.
The grotesque facial characteristicsAiexaggerated chin, rounded eyes, protruding nose, and expressive mouthAiare retained as core semiotic markers, ensuring continuity with the classical visual code.
However, these elements are translated into soft sculptural forms using layered material construction, producing an embodied presence that is tactile, mobile, and spatially responsive.
Costume modifications, including modest fabric layering and adapted ornamentation, reflect a contextual alignment with contemporary Muslim-Javanese aesthetics while maintaining symbolic references to traditional courtly attributes.
The addition of legsAian element that does not exist at all in wayang kulitAiwas done to meet the performative needs of hand puppets, allowing the characters to AistandAn and move more freely in front of the audience.
Significant changes between wayang kulit and hand puppets can be seen in the table 1.
Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
Sosial dan Budaya Volume 11.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA Aspect Table 1.
The difference between Wayang Kulit and Limbuk-Cangik Hand Puppets Shadow Puppets Hand Puppets Dimension Two dimensions .
Body Orientation Profile Three dimensions .
Semi-frontal Interaction Symbolic-ritual Dialogic-interactive Mobility Limited to the puppet's body Flexible .
ead and hands can be move.
The third stage is the transformation of clothing and visual ethics.
In the reconstructed version.
Cangik is given a black hijab with additional gold motifs that visually refer to the subal and classical ornaments that previously adorned her head.
This transformation is not intended to erase traditional visual identity, but rather to recontextualize it within the framework of contemporary Muslim clothing that is in line with the religious sensibilities of today's audience.
The choice of colors was made with careful symbolic consideration: black was chosen to represent modesty and simplicity, which are core values in Muslim dress ethics.
gold was retained to maintain the continuity of the royal symbolism attached to Cangik's status as a servant.
while green or yellow fabric was used to emphasize the Javanese-Islamic identity that is the cultural root of the character.
Observations of performances using the reconstructed hand puppets.
The results indicate that the characters appear Aimore aliveAn compared to the traditional shadow puppet versions.
More importantly, there were no comments judging the new form as vulgar or violating norms of Extraction as Embodied Translation Process The transformation from two-dimensional shadow puppets to three-dimensional hand puppets is not merely a change of medium or technical transfer, but rather a process of embodied translationAithe translation of a system of symbols into a living, moving three-dimensional body (Schechner, 2.
Within the framework of performativity theory, each medium has its own capacity and limitations in conveying meaning.
Wayang kulit works through the mechanisms of projection and silhouette, where meaning is present precisely through the absence of the physical bodyAithe audience sees shadows, not the actual form.
Hand puppets, on the other hand, present the body directly in front of the audience, so that meaning is communicated through visible material This transformation shifts the audience's mode of perception from symboliccontemplative to more participatory-interactive, but the data shows that this shift does not reduce the characters' capacity to convey moral messages.
In Islamic performativity, the body is understood as a locus of adabAia place where ethical values are realized and communicated.
Meyer .
, in his study of religion and materiality, asserts that religious practices are not only textual and discursive, but also material and The body, ritual objects, and performance spaces function as mediating agents through which religious values are materially embodied and socially negotiated, operating with a significance equal to that of textual transmission.
Within this framework, the incorporation of the hijab into the reconstructed figure of Cangik becomes a crucial theological and cultural intervention rather than a superficial costume adjustment.
The hijab operates simultaneously as a marker of modesty .
ayAA.
, ethical discipline, and contemporary Muslim female identity (Siti Nur Fitasari & Fuad MasAoud, 2.
Its presence situates the character within present-day discourses on piety, visibility, and gendered religiosity, thereby extending the semiotic capacity of the puppetAos body.
Therefore, the visual transformation of LimbukAeCangik must preserve its deeply rooted ethical structure even as the medium shifts from shadow to embodied three-dimensional form.
The study demonstrates that grotesque facial deformities are intentionally retained in the hand puppets Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA because they function not merely as comic exaggeration but as an institutionalized code of social criticism within the puppetry tradition.
The addition of the hijab does not neutralize or domesticate this critical function.
rather, it reframes it within the moral horizon of contemporary Muslim By maintaining the grotesque visual grammar while integrating the hijab as a symbol of modesty and religious agency, the reconstruction safeguards the charactersAo pedagogical role.
this way, the embodied figure continues to transmit ethical critique and communal reflection, ensuring that the moral authority of LimbukAeCangik endures despite changes in material form and performative context.
The concept of embodied translation is also relevant to discussions about how Islamic traditions in Southeast Asia continue to engage with changing times.
Woodward .
notes that Javanese Islam has always worked through mechanisms of cultural hermeneutics, in which local texts and practices are reinterpreted through an Islamic lens without losing their cultural roots.
The extraction process carried out in this study can be understood as a form of cultural hermeneutics in the visual realm: traditional symbols are not erased, but translated into a new visual language that remains readable by contemporary Muslim communities.
This is in line with Azra's .
finding that Islamization in the archipelago took place through productive, rather than destructive, acculturation, in which elements of local culture were not destroyed but filled with new meaning.
Grotesque as Critical Ethics in Cultural Islam Historically, the bodies of Cangik and Limbuk have been considered Ainon-idealAn according to conventional aesthetic standards: Cangik's protruding chin.
Limbuk's bulging belly, bulging eyes, and disproportionate body proportions.
From a Western aesthetic perspective, such forms are often categorized as grotesqueAisomething strange, excessive, or even frightening (Thomson, 1.
However, in the Javanese-Islamic symbolic system, the grotesque has a completely different function: it becomes a mechanism for depoliticizing criticism, allowing sharp messages to be conveyed without causing social conflict.
The humor conveyed through the grotesque bodies of LimbukAeCangik operates within a strict ethical framework: it does not personally insult individuals, does not exceed the bounds of decency, and is always based on the broader interests of the community.
Puppeteers can criticize corrupt officials, symbolic migrants who prioritize appearance over substance, or the consumptive lifestyle of urban communities through LimbukAeCangik without fear of being accused of defamation, because the character conveying the message is visually constructed as a AiclownAn whose words are not meant to be taken seriously or literally.
This is where the cultural intelligence of Javanese Islam lies: the grotesque becomes a shield that protects the messenger from social risk, while the message itself still reaches the audience.
Research on humor in Muslim societies shows that humor has an important function as a social stabilizer and a medium for amr marf nahy an munkar .
njoining what is good and forbidding what is evi.
that is non-confrontational (Kuipers, 2015.
Thomson, 1.
In the context of Southeast Asian Muslims, humor is understood not as an insult to religion, but as a way to critically reflect on social realities without damaging communal harmony.
Kuipers .
, in his study of humor in Indonesia, notes that Indonesian society has a high tolerance for critical humor as long as it is delivered indirectly and through figures who are culturally legitimized as joke tellers, such as the punakawan in wayang.
LimbukAeCangik, as part of the punakawan family, inherits the same cultural legitimacy.
The reconstruction of the LimbukAeCangik hand puppets deliberately maintains this grotesque Cangik's face is still made with a prominent chin, bulging eyes, and exaggerated Limbuk's body is still fat with a bulging stomach.
This means that there is continuity of value even though the medium has changed from two-dimensional shadows to three-dimensional This is important because it shows that visual transformation does not always mean erosion of values.
on the contrary, it can be a strategy to maintain the social function of characters in a changing context.
As long as the visual codes that carry moral messages are maintained, the Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA new medium can actually expand the reach of cultural advocacy by making characters more accessible to contemporary audiences.
Practice-Led Research as Visual Ijtihad In this context, practice-led research functions as a creative epistemology that enables the production of knowledge not only through observation and remote analysis, but also through direct involvement in the creative process (Candy & Edmonds, 2.
In this approach, artistic practice is not understood as an object of study separate from the researcher, but rather as a mode of investigation that generates insights that cannot be obtained through conventional methods.
Smith and Dean (Smith & Dean, 2.
emphasize that in practice-led research, creative practice is an integral part of the research process, not merely a supplement or illustration of theoretical findings.
The application of this approach in research on the transformation of LimbukAeCangik allows researchers to gain a deep understanding of the process of negotiating meaning that occurs when traditional symbols are translated into new media.
Through direct involvement in the creation of hand puppets, researchers experience firsthand the creative dilemmas that arise: to what extent can traditional forms be modified without losing their essence? How can contemporary aesthetic demands be balanced with ethical values that must be preserved? Where is the line between productive adaptation and destructive distortion? Questions such as these cannot be answered through library research alone, but require direct involvement in the practice.
Within the framework of Southeast Asian cultural Islam, the process undertaken in this study can be understood as a form of visual cultural ijtihadAithat is, a reinterpretation of traditional symbols to ensure their continued relevance in the context of urban Muslim society without violating established norms of sharia and etiquette.
The concept of ijtihad is usually understood in the realm of Islamic law as a serious effort to establish laws on issues that are not explicitly regulated in the Qur'an and Hadith.
However, in its development, contemporary Muslim scholars have begun to expand the concept of ijtihad to other realms, including art and culture (Hefner.
Cultural visual ijtihad, therefore, is an effort to reinterpret traditional visual symbols so that they can function optimally in a new context, while adhering to Islamic ethical principles.
The reconstruction of Limbuk-Cangik's hijab is a concrete example of how visual cultural ijtihad works.
The addition of the hijab cannot be understood as AiIslamizationAn that imposes religious identity on a character who previously did not wear a hijab, because in the classical puppetry tradition.
Cangik is depicted as a character who upholds the value of modestyAia value that has been inherent in Javanese-Islamic ethics long before the contemporary hijab polemic arose.
In other words, the hijab in this reconstruction is not a new addition, but rather a rearticulation of the value of modesty that has long been attached to the character, now expressed through a dress code that is more familiar to urban Muslim communities.
This process is in line with what Feener .
refers to as the Aivernacularization of IslamAnAia process in which universal Islamic values are expressed through local idioms that continue to change according to contextual circumstances.
Thus, practice-led research in this study not only produced artistic products in the form of LimbukAeCangik hand puppets, but also generated theoretical knowledge about how visual transformation can be a productive cultural da'wah strategy.
This knowledge is important not only for the development of Islamic performing arts in Indonesia, but also for broader discussions on how Islamic traditions in Southeast Asia can continue to survive and thrive amid the rapid changes of the times.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates that the embodied transformation of LimbukAeCangik from twodimensional shadow puppetry into three-dimensional hand puppets constitutes not merely a formal or technical shift, but a process of embodied cultural translation through which Islamic moral values are recontextualized within contemporary Muslim society.
Drawing upon ethnographic fieldwork, practice-led reconstruction, and audience reception data, the findings confirm that the ethical and Fikri: Jurnal Kajian Agama.
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Embodied Transformation of Islamic JavaneseA pedagogical functions historically embedded in these charactersAinamely moral mediation, nonconfrontational social criticism, and culturally grounded daAowahAiare not diminished, but rather rearticulated in a more dialogical and participatory performative mode.
This conclusion resonates with and extends prior scholarship on Islam as a dynamic cultural practice in Southeast Asia.
However, unlike previous studies that predominantly treat wayang as a symbolic or ideological artifact, this research advances the field by positioning the body, visuality, and performative reconstruction as central loci of Islamic cultural adaptation.
Theoretically, this study contributes to the development of a practice-based epistemology in Islamic art studies by conceptualizing practice-led research as a form of visual cultural ijtihadAia mode of knowledge production in which artistic practice functions as both method and site of interpretation.
By integrating perspectives from constructivism, performance theory, and material religion, the study offers a multidimensional framework for understanding how Islamic values are embodied, negotiated, and transmitted through artistic forms.
In doing so, it expands the discourse on Islam as a discursive and performative tradition, where meaning is continuously produced through lived, sensory, and material practices.
Practically, the findings provide a viable model for the revitalization of traditional performing arts within contemporary Muslim societies.
The reconstructed LimbukAeCangik hand puppets demonstrate that innovation in medium and form can enhance audience engagementAiparticularly among younger, urban MuslimsAiwithout compromising ethical boundaries.
This has significant implications for cultural practitioners, educators, and policymakers seeking to sustain traditional arts as relevant vehicles of moral education and cultural daAowah in the digital era.
Nevertheless, this study is not without limitations.
First, the empirical scope is geographically concentrated in Java, which may limit the generalizability of the findings across other regions of Indonesia or the broader Muslim world.
Second, the audience reception data, while indicative, remains limited in scale and could be expanded through more extensive quantitative or digital ethnographic approaches.
Third, the practice-led component, while methodologically rich, is inherently interpretive and situated, reflecting the researcherAos positionality within the creative process.
Future research should therefore pursue several directions.
Comparative studies across different media platformsAisuch as wayang kulit, wayang golek, digital animation, and virtual performanceAiwould be valuable in assessing the consistency of moral value transmission across evolving technological environments.
Additionally, large-scale digital ethnographies examining audience reception across diverse Muslim communities could provide deeper insights into how reconstructed traditions are interpreted in varying socioreligious contexts.
Finally, further exploration of gender representationAiparticularly the role of female comedic figures such as LimbukAeCangikAicould significantly contribute to the discourse on Islam, performance, and gender in Southeast Asia.
REFERENCES