Page 4 - Fifty-fifty Sep 2021

Ki Joko Susilo

New Zealand’s unique dhalang
by Nick Lambrechtsen

NZIA has been very fortunate to attract the famous
dhalang Dr Joko Susilo to Wellington for the performance
of the wayang kulit play “Ciptaning” on Tuesday 28
September in the Parliament Theatrette, if Covid-19
allows the performance to go ahead. Dr Joko is known as
Ki Joko Susilo, an eighth-generation dhalang.

Dr Joko trained at the very renowned Indonesian Arts
Academy of Surakarta [Akademi Seni Karawitan
Indonesia, Surakarta (Solo)] and graduated in 1986,
specialising in puppetry [Pedalangan]. This academy also
trains people in gamelan. In 1992, he came to New
Zealand and instructed gamelan at Victoria University,
Wellington, in 1994. He also did a diploma at the
University of Otago where he has been a lecturer ever
since. He lives with his family in Dunedin. In 1996, he
obtained an M.A. in Music with distinction at the
University of Otago, where in 2000 he obtained a Ph.D.
in ethnomusicology and anthropology.

His skills as a dhalang [dalang], puppeteer of the
Javanese shadow puppet plays “wayang kulit”, has
made him a very sought-after performer in New
Zealand, but also in many overseas countries, such
as the USA, Australia, Scotland, and the
Netherlands. He was a Fulbright Scholar at the
Department of Music Bates College, Lewiston,
Maine, USA, in 2003-2004, where he published a
most comprehensive catalogue of the “Eisler
Shadow Puppet Collection”. He has produced many
other publications and DVDs on gamelan and
wayang kulit.

But in his spare time, Dr Joko is also a very skilled
lawn-bowler, which he attributes to his mentor, his
father-in-law, Doug Knox. Dr Joko was a member of
Doug Knox's four when he first played in the
Festival Fours in 1996. He won his Bowls Dunedin
title in the open singles in 2009. He says the
demands of his job mean he is not able to play as
much bowls as he would like. In 2015, he said ''I
enjoy playing bowls. The game helps me to relax
and is also challenging. It is a game of strategy and
you need to do a lot of thinking to win games.
Consistency is the most important element”.

Programme notes on the Ciptaning Story will be
provided on 28 September. (/NL)

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