
he dalang (Javanese: dhalang) is the puppeteer in an Indonesian wayang performance.
In a performance of wayang kulit, the dalang sits behind a screen (kelir) made of white cotton stretched on a wooden frame. Above his head, hanging from beams attached to the top of the screen, is the lamp (blencong), which projects the shadows onto the screen. In front of the dalang is a stage (debog), traditionally made from the trunk of a banana tree, into which the sharpened control rods of the puppets can be pushed to keep them in position during the performance. To his left is the puppet chest (kotak), and to his right is the puppet chest's lid, on which the puppets sit ready for use.
In addition to moving the puppets and speaking their lines, the dalang is also responsible for giving cues to the gamelan. This is done principally by playing the kepyak, a metal plate or set of plates played with his foot, or by rapping on the puppet chest (kotak) with a wooden mallet held in the left hand.


centuries, the Indonesian archipelago has been visited by traders from many corners of the world who came to buy spices and other agricultural riches. Indonesian cultural diversity benefited by the many peoples who passed through the archipelago, due to Indonesia's location along the primary trade route between Europe and Asia.

