The Paths between Kawula and Gusti: Wayang Kulit in the Royal Network of Karaton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat (Java, Indonesia)

This thesis makes a crucial contribution to the study of court arts and performance at the Royal Court of Yoygakarta, with a focus on wayang kulit. I have sought to answer not only how the royal court of Yogyakarta influences and impacts wayang kulit practice within Yogyakarta, but also how individual agents are involved in this process, with particular emphasis on the dhalang. I account for the unexplored interaction on a micro-level between individual agents, and the royal court as a social institution. I have analysed the processes using social network analysis, based on data I have collected during field research between 2015 and 2025 in addition to archival research.
I explore the dynamics between royal court and dhalang across four chapters. In the first chapter I have studied the structural topology of the Kraton. I suggest that the Kraton is a hierarchical network, that seeks not to exclude, but include royal subjects in its institution and goals. On a macro-level, the Kraton collaborates with other institutions. On a micro-level, royal family members often take on managerial positions. The dhalang do not only perform, but also act as intermediary between the Kraton and other institutions or communities. In the second chapter, I explored the problem of identifying court arts based on formal characteristics, which are not exclusive to the court. Instead, I argue that court arts should be defined as Kagungan Dalem (His Highness’s Possession); these performances or artefacts are owned by the Kraton and have a specific function and rank. In chapter three I discuss performance (art) styles in the royal network. I argue that small innovations emerge from artistic individuals who are well-connected, which are adapted in the region and introduced to the court by courtiers. The Kraton can influence regional style, by using its resources to establish schools which create a curriculum which is diffused to the network. Additionally, they can standardise certain practices or pakem within royal spaces. Resources of the Kraton such as royal collections can influence artists in fields where no curriculum is available yet. In chapter four, I argue that the structural topology leads to small cohesive clusters that are not tightly controlled by the royal court, which subsequently can develop distinct and conflicting discourses. Among these is the long-standing belief among literature enthusiasts that Serat Purwakandha is a source for Yogyakarta pedhalangan, while it appears to be a Purana text.
I conclude that the Kraton is not an exclusive institute; instead, it strategically collaborates with other institutions and involves both court dhalang and other dhalang to participate in its traditions.