JAKARTA - The little mastermind, John Ismail Ajen, a grade 2 elementary school student, went up on stage. The interesting matchmaking methodang is very agile with full confidence.
The chanting of Kakawen or the singing of the puppeteer in Sundanese and the sharpness of vocals was presented when John brought the play 'Let's Graduate School' for 25 minutes.
That is the culmination of the vibrant culture of the archipelago which is part of the graduation celebration of students / students of Jatiwarna State Elementary School IV Bekasi City for the 2024-2025 school year on Sunday, June 1, 2025.
This event is also a form of gratitude from the school for the implementation of holistic educational activities for a full year.
The typical voice of Pangakawan, an energetic wayang sabetan, as well as the Sundanese and Indonesian dialogue flowed smoothly from the seven-year-old boy.
"Honestly, I am touched and proud. This is extraordinary. At that age, John was able to play wayang with full appreciation, inserting deep but packaged moral messages that were funny and entertaining," said Irma proudly, one of the teachers at Jatiwarna IV Elementary School, Bekasi City, wiping tears.
In the play 'Let Go Of School Graduates', the audience is invited to dive into the values of the Pancawaluya Gate:
Cageur is physically and mentally healthy, Bageur cares for and respects each other, Bener is honest, fair, and wise,Pinter is smart and ethical,Wanter is brave, tough, and obedient to religious and state values.
Dialogues of panakawan figures such as Semar, Cepot, Dawala, and Gareng are wrapped in rhymes as a means of conveying noble values in a light and pleasant manner. At the end of the show, Cepot was declared to have graduated from school a metaphor full of hope for the future of brilliant children.
The cheers, applause, and rows of sawerans from teachers and school principals closed this cultural stage with emotion. Little mastermind John Ismail Ajen appeared not only as a performer, but as a symbol of hope and inspiration.
This cultural event is not just year-end entertainment, but is part of a major movement of preservation, development, and utilization of local culture in the educational environment. SDN Jatiwarna IV Bekasi City, West Java, has proven that education and culture are two important wings to form a strong generation of superior 'roots in its own culture, but ready to fly high in the future.
More than that, this activity is also a real implementation of the Advancement of Culture as mandated in Law Number 5 of 2017 concerning the Advancement of Culture.
Rows of children in traditional uniforms from various regions of Indonesia lined up neatly in the middle of the field, displaying Indonesian faces that were colorful, rich in meaning, and full of cultural values. The traditional clothing of Sundanese, Javanese, Betawi, Batak, Bali, Sulawesi, Maluku, Kalimantan, and Papua is worn with great pride by students, teachers, as well as the Principal of Jojo, S.Pd., MM,
We want children to grow up to know, love, and preserve their own cultural heritage. This is a small but meaningful step in instilling noble character that is in line with the philosophy of the Pancawaluya Gate of West Java Province: Cageur, Bageur, Bener, Pinterest, Wanter," said the Principal Jojo who is also known to actively raise local values in education.
SEE ALSO:
About The Little Mastermind John Ajen And The Puppet Studio Of The General
The mastermind John Ajen is the stage name of a child puppeteer named Ismail Fatih, who began learning pedalangan art since October 2023 at the Wayang Ajen Studio, Bekasi. Although still very young, John has shown extraordinary talent in wayang art, including sitting techniques and playing golek puppets, as seen in TikTok videos showing his learning process.
The Studio of Wayang Ajen itself was founded in 1999 by Ki Dalang Wawan Gunawan, known as Ki Dalang Wawan Ajen.
This studio is active in preserving wayang culture and has appeared in more than 50 countries.
They are also active on social media such as Instagram and TikTok, featuring various shows and training of young puppeteers.
If you are interested in knowing more about John Ajen or the Wayang Ajen Studio activities, you can visit their Instagram account on @wayangajen or Ki Dalang Wawanjen's personal account at @wawanajen
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
