ITS Campus, ITS News — The world of wayang (puppetry) has long been synonymous with Indonesia’s traditional cultural heritage, especially among the Javanese. However, this hasn’t deterred Chinese- Indonesian Institute of Technology (ITS) student Christopher Jason Santoso from pursuing his passion for wayang as a puppeteer. Even outside his role as a puppeteer, he actively pursues research into the culture.

This ITS Development Studies undergraduate student’s interest in the world of wayang began when he was assigned to stage a small-scale wayang performance in elementary school. Although it was only a simple performance at school, that moment sparked his love for the art of wayang. “From the very beginning, while working on that assignment, I felt it was something unique and interesting to learn,” recalled the 2022 student.

Subsequently, with the support of his family, Christopher committed to studying wayang more seriously by joining a studio in Surabaya. Unfortunately, there, the young man, born on August 26, 2004, was criticized for his rhotasism, or slurred speech. He also experienced rejection due to his ethnic differences at a very young age.

Because of this, he briefly abandoned his dream of becoming a puppeteer. However, with greater determination, he returned to self-study through social media and books, achieving numerous accomplishments. At the See You Soon 2023 event at Tower 2 ITS, he even performed a wayang story in three languages: English, Javanese, and Mandarin. “I stopped being a puppeteer for a while, but returned to learning wayang because it’s an Indonesian cultural heritage for all, regardless of differences,” said the young man, who also enjoys reading books.

His steps didn’t stop there. As a student, he frequently conducted research on the culture and social life of the community. For his undergraduate degree, he completed a final project entitled “Developing Social Inclusion in Surabaya: A Phenomenological Study of Intersectional Discrimination Against Speakers with Rhotasism,” which discussed how people with rhotasism in the city can experience social inclusion. “In fact, one of my research projects led me to be a speaker at a world-class forum, the 2024 International Symposium on Javanese Culture,” the Surabaya-born young man proudly stated.

In terms of entrepreneurship , the prospective 133rd ITS graduate in April 2026 also has an innovative beverage startup in the form of modern herbal medicine called Herbits. His startup was successfully funded by the 2023 Student Entrepreneurship Development Program (P2MW) and the 2023-2024 ITS Youth Technopreneur (IYT). “Young people rarely drink herbal medicine, so my team and I developed the Herbits innovation as a modern herbal medicine,” he said explaining the background of his startup .

Christopher’s footprint extends beyond his involvement in arts and culture. He represented ITS and Indonesia as Champion of the ASEAN Future Innovators Challenge in Malaysia. He is also frequently involved in international discussions such as the Asia Youth Sustainability Forum 2025, the Youth Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) 2023, and the Smart Ocean Summer School at Tianjin University, China.

Despite his busy studies, Christopher, who idolizes puppeteers Ki Nartosabdo, Ki Purbo Asmoro, and Ki Tristuti Rachmadi, admits he’s still frequently invited to perform as a puppeteer in wayang performances at various events. One such performance was at the TEDxITS 2024 Special Performance at Milieu Space in Surabaya.

Christopher’s journey as an aspiring researcher proves that differences are not barriers to achieving dreams. As long as there is effort and the courage to try, everyone has the opportunity to open a new path in life. This contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly point 10 on Reducing Inequality and point 4 on Quality Education. (ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Ahmad Maulana
Translator: Devinka Mutianeira