09/10/2026
SUMARDI’S TOUR KICKS OFF ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND!
Master dalang Sumardi has arrived on Christmas Island, marking the beginning of his 13th Australian tour with Cultural Infusion.
Following his time on Christmas Island, Sumardi will travel to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands for a particularly significant chapter of the tour: reconnecting the community with Wayang Kulit, the ancient Javanese tradition of shadow puppetry.
Wayang Kulit has a remarkable history on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, dating back to the Javanese labourers who brought the tradition with them in the 19th century. One of the islands’ celebrated dalang was Nek Ichang, who lived there from around 1920 until his death in 1949. His puppets remain part of the islands’ cultural heritage.
More than 75 years later, Wayang Kulit is returning to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Importantly, this is not simply about bringing a performance to the islands. The tour was initiated by the local community and represents cultural reconnection in action.
It is a powerful example of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage: not simply preserving cultural objects in museums, but ensuring the knowledge, stories, skills and traditions they represent remain living, evolving and meaningful across generations.
For more than two decades, Cultural Infusion has worked with Sumardi to share Indonesian culture and Wayang Kulit with communities and schools across Australia. We are incredibly pleased that his 13th Australian tour will help reconnect this living tradition with a community where it once flourished.
Would you like Sumardi to visit your school or community?
Sumardi will be touring Australia following his Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands programs. Schools, councils, festivals and community organisations interested in hosting a Wayang Kulit performance, workshop or cultural program are invited to get in touch.
📩 Message Cultural Infusion to enquire about bringing Sumardi and this extraordinary living tradition to your community.
