Resiliensi and Mediatization Wayang Kulit in the Lakon Banjaran Cakil Performance by Ki Purbo Asmoro on YouTube

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted cultural practices in Indonesia and accelerated digitalization across various sectors. Traditional artists are forced to seek alternative platforms to survive and continue their work. This study examines the practice of wayang kulit performances by Ki Purbo Asmoro in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period as an effort to accommodate online audiences in response to post-pandemic socio-cultural changes. The object of analysis in this research is the performance of “Pakeliran Padat Lakon Banjaran Cakil” by Ki Purbo Asmoro, which was live-streamed for four hours on May 14, 2020, via Purbo Asmoro’s official YouTube channel. This article analyzes the Lakon Banjaran Cakil, which features marginalized figures as its central narrative, as well as the involvement of online audiences, employing a Cultural Studies approach informed by the theories of Resilience and Mediatization. This article argues that Purbo Asmoro's creativity in virtual wayang performances can rearticulate cultural sustainability in response to major changes in the modern era. The research findings demonstrate that traditional Indonesian arts can survive and transform in the digital age, provided they are supported by creative adaptation and the use of media technology.