HISTORY WAYANG PUCUNG


                Karangasem is located in the village hamlet Wukirsari, Imogiri Bantul, Yogyakarta has now been known as a regional craft carving decoration. Crafts carving decoration is manufacturing craft using a chisel technique and skin coloring. This craft can be formed not only the puppets, but other products such as souvenirs such as fans, key chains, tissue holder, and bookmarks. There is also the crafts that can be used to decorate homes such as wall decoration in the form of calligraphy or painting a certain figure as well as a room divider. The popularity of the craft even this is now not just interested in the nation alone had even got out of the country. However, to achieve this result through the process that certainly can not be separated from the origin of the emergence of kerajianan carving decoration in the hamlet of Karangasem. 

This process starts from the village of Karangasem was named Pucung. In the past people Pucung not have livelihood as a craftsman. Pucung community work initially as a farmer with a very minimal income. Pucung even once been known as an area of ​​the nest of criminals. Due to its geographical location which is surrounded by hills that make Pucung suitable to serve as a safe refuge for criminals. 

However, citizens themselves feel uncomfortable with the presence of the fugitive criminals. This led to the Head Lurah Pucung at that time decided to hold a contest to expel criminals in Pucung. 

In 1917, champion or champion Atmo Glemboh Karyo come to pucung to participate in the contest. Mbah Glemboh is a relative of the palace Solo who disagree with the policies that favor Solo Palace Netherlands who decided to run to Jogja and stay against the Netherlands. Having heard the contest, Mbah Pucung Glembohpun come to join the competition in order to expel criminals. Long story short, Mbah Glemboh won the contest by negotiating with the criminals. The way it managed to resuscitate the criminals who are in Karangasem to live life as a good person. Because of its success is unparalleled defeat the criminals without violence, Mbah Glemboh later appointed as constable. Constable is a term for the head of the village administration in antiquity. 

Sepeninggalannya Lurah Pucung then, Mbah Glemboh appointed to replace the position. When it is to be headman must receive training from panewon or that now is the district. While panewon is directly related to the palace and supervised directly by the sultan himself, who at that time was the time of Sultan HB VII. In other words Mbah Glembohpun into the palace courtiers. 

Because of its proximity to the Sultan, Mbah Glemboh then was assigned to care and maintain the palace and its puppet bekelnya. Then in 1918, due to continuous care for puppets, Mbah Glemboh interested in making their own puppets. Finally at home he studied sculpture or sculpt puppets. Assisted by four neighbors namely, Mbah Reso Mbulu, Mbah Cermo, Mbah Karyo, and Mbah Sumo. Five of the shoulder menbahu puppet making. Once completed, the puppet brought to the palace to show the Sultan. It means that the Sultan can provide an assessment of the puppet. 

But when mbah Glemboh bring results wayangnya it to the palace, amid the Netherlands saw the works and buy it all. It was not only the Dutch are keen to buy the craft, one of the batik shop owner who happened to see him carrying a puppet and the puppet bought and displayed in his shop called Clark Suharto. Puppet is a lot to attract customers in the store Cokro Suharto, so that the puppet failed to come to the sultan. Although Likewise mbah Gembloh and his friends still make puppets which meant that the Sultan can still give judgment. 

Until 1930, Mbah Glemboh still make puppets, assisted by four of his friends along with their children. Sarinah until 1970 to come to Yogyakarta and attracted also by the results of their work. The flavors are interested Sarinah bring in new customers, and keep the buyer Sarianah be puppets of their work to date. The development effort puppet making their livelihood, encouraging other neighbors to join explore this puppet-making business. 

Previous residents can only menbuat pucung craft from the skin in the form of puppets, have not been able to turn it into goods or other souvenirs. Until the end of the 1980s, when Soeharto, President of the Republic of Indonesia to the 2nd open the non-oil and gas expo they got a chance to show off their work puppets. When that many domestic and international visitors who are interested in and ask them to create a new craft designs and it rose promised by them. Since then, residents pucung started to produce leather with new designs such as the above mentioned earlier.