Letter from Banyumas

This field note offers a vivid account of musical life in Banyumas, Central Java, where the author collaborates with local wayang kulit performers to study the intersection of ritual, labor, and traditional arts. The article highlights the raw talent of largely self-taught musicians, their socio-economic roles as farmers, and the unique features of Banyumas wayang kulit. It also provides a brief survey of concurrent wayang research projects by American scholars across Java, emphasizing collaborative transcription, translation, and documentation efforts.