Lakon Karangan: The legacy of Ki Nartosabdho in Banumas, central Java

The changes in wayang kulit purwa, shadow puppetry of Central Java, have be en significant since independence was declared in 1945. Ki Nartosabdho was one of the most important performers in the last quarter of the twentieth c entury. This article explores Nartosabdho's impact and, by examining Sugino , a dalang who has followed Nartosabdho's lead, the author gives a sense of the debate of tradition versus modernity that rages in the world of wayang .