Malay-Chinese  literature  was  examined  by  Salmon 
(1985:30).  According  to  him,  in  1852  during  the 
Netherlands  Indies there were around  1165 Chinese 
residents  aged  12  years  and  over. The  closeness  of 
the  Chinese  people  and  Malay  ethnic  group  made 
them acculturated. 
Basically, Wayang Cecak in the Riau islands was 
adapted  from  the  Chinese  puppet  show.  The 
interraction between Malay and Chinese cultures has 
been  going  on  for  a  long  time.  Salmon  (1985:30) 
quoted 
"... ada satoe njonja Tionghoa dengan anak 
prampocannja, golongan orang baek-baek tapi 
miskin, jang biasa tjari penghiopenan dengan trima 
oepah menjanji dan mendongeng. Beberapa njonja 
biasa patoengan aken ondang itoe iboe dan anak di 
salah satoe roemah boeat dengerkan rame-rame 
marika poenja dongengan dan njanjian, jang 
biasanja diberikoetkan djoega dengan taboengan 
gambang ... Banjak njonja-njonja Tionghoa jang 
pande berpantoen lantaran soedah biasa denger 
wajang tjokek jang meramekan pesta-pesta jang 
mempoenjai stock besar dari segala machem 
pantoenan..." (Claudine Salmon, 1985:30) 
 
“There was a Chinese woman with her daughter 
from  a  good  but  poor  family.  They  earned  their 
living  by  singing  and  story-telling.  Some  hostesses 
would collect some money to invite the mother and 
daughter  to  sing  songs  and  narrate  folklores  in  one 
of the houses. This occasion would be accompanied 
by  gambang  musical  instrument....  Many  Chinese 
mistresses could recite the poems  because  they  had 
been  familiar  with  the  Wayang Cecak that was 
performed  in  big  parties  with  a  lot  of  poetry 
reading….” (Claudine Salmon, 1985:30) 
Wayang Cecak  as  the  product  of  aculturation 
existed  in  the  past  and  was  developed  in  the  Riau 
regions, especially in Penyengat island. Even though 
Wayang Cecak  is  now  no  longer  performed,  its 
traces  are  still  aparent  in  the  public  memory.  The 
process  of  tracing  back  was  conducted  by 
intervieweing  several  live-show  spectators. 
According  to  Mr.  Ibrahim  and  Mr.  Adenan  from 
Daik Lingga (as conveyed by Yoan Sutrisna, 2016), 
the  puppets  were  made  of  cloth.  These  dolls  were 
small in size, about 7.8 inches or 20 cm. Cotton was 
inserted  into  the  dolls  to  shape  them  in  proportion. 
This  puppet  was  played  at  night  with  a  kerosene 
lamp and was played on a portable mini stage. This 
puppet  show  told  well-known  stories  from  the  old 
Malay  poems,  such  as  Siti Zubaidah,  Selendang 
Delima, and  the story of King Haj and the Chinese 
Captain. 
The  information  about  the  dolls  made  of  cloth 
and stuffed with cotton was justified by Mrs. Zainab, 
wife of Raja Hamzah, the owner of the Indrasakti 
Foundation  in  Penyengat  Island.  The  same 
information  was  affirmed by  Mr.  Ibrahim Jantan,  a 
cultural observer of Penyengat island. 
Another  trail  that  deserves  attention  is  the 
collection  of  around  50  puppets  in  the  Setiadarma 
Mask  House  in  Bali.  The  most  interesting 
information of the puppet show tells that the puppet 
show was originated from the Hok Kian province in 
China  with  the  name  of  Wayang Kaet or Mu Euw 
Shi.  These  puppets  have  become  the  collection  of 
the  Mask  and  Puppet  House  of  Setiadarma,  in 
Sukawati,  Gianjar,  since  2010.  Wayang  Gaek  (Mu 
Euw Shi) performs folklores that are popular among 
Chinese  descents  living  in  Tanjungpinang,  Riau 
Islands, and the surrounding areas. Those dolls were 
obtained  from  antique  dealers.  The  question  which 
follows is whether Wayang Cecak has something to 
do with Wayang Kaet. 
The  public  memory  of  the  Wayang Cecak was 
also  traced  through  four  different  works  that  might 
have  been  inspired  by  Wayang Cecak,  but  with 
different  performances.  First,  the  theatrical  puppet 
performance  of  Yoan  Sutrisna  (2013).  This  young 
artist  works  in  cooperation  with  the  Sabda  Bunian 
community and Sanggar Lembayung to make a 
puppet  show  made  of  cardboard  paper.  The  story 
played  was  taken  from  a  fragment  of  “Raja  Haji 
Fisabilillah  against  the  Dutch  collonial”  at 
Tanjungpinang City Art Council. 
Second,  the  dance  “Lenggang  Cecak” 
choreographed  by  Hasnizar  Hood.  This  dance  was 
played  by  8  people  with  a  duration  of  10  minutes. 
This  dance  was  performed  at  the  Riau  Island  Art 
Council.  Third,  the  “Senandung  Perce”  dance 
created  by  Azmi  Mahmud.  This  performance  was 
played  by  10  young  men.  According  to  the 
choreographer,  this  dance  was  created  based  on  his 
memory of the Wayang Cecak. The fourth, a novelet 
by Hasan Junus (2005) entitled “Pengantin Boneka” 
deicted  clearly  about  the  Wayang Cecak  puppet 
show. The play played “Amuk si Biring Kuning,” a 
Malay legend that tells about the origin of mermaids. 
This novelet  becomes the most complete records of 
Wayang Cecak. 
In this paper there are also some important things 
about  the  dalang  or  the  puppeters.  One  of  them  is 
Salamah who lives in a small island (Referred to as 
Penyengat  island).  Her  father  became  a  widower 
after  her  mother  passed  away  on  the  day  when  she 
was  born.  Her  father  gave  her  the  name  Salamah 
which  means  ‘female  carrier  of  peace.’  Salamah’s