Mesmerising: Pak Cu taking his audience on a journey of rich storytelling.
One of my favourite Muzium Negara exhibits as a child was the flat-as-pancakes wayang kulit puppets depicting dramatic characters.
Watching the puppeteer bring each of them to life, flying across a silk screen that separated these elaborate, lace-like puppets from us on the other side of the stage, fascinated me to no end.
This traditional art form, with its deep cultural and historical significance, combines storytelling and music with movements of light and shadow.
Adapted from the Hindu epic Ramayana and rich with Javanese influences, these stories have, over time, been interwoven with local myths and beliefs. I love how they often include lessons on morality, ethics, and the dynamics of good versus evil.
The art of hand-crafting the puppets and storytelling is passed down orally from one generation to the next and must be preserved.
The soul of the show is the Tok Dalang, the master puppeteer who is not only adept at controlling the puppets and manipulating light and shadow, but also at voicing each character and narrating the story.
Most wayang kulit performances are in the Kelantanese dialect, or Kecek Kelate, although there is also wayang kulit from other states, such as Johor, Kedah and Perlis.
While the core of wayang kulit is rooted in tradition, some puppet masters have moved with the times to ensure the art form remains relevant and accessible to younger audiences by incorporating contemporary themes and technology.
I am told there is even a Star Wars-inspired wayang kulit – Peperangan Bintang, which is a fusion of traditional art with pop culture by Fusion Wayang Kulit.
I recently had the privilege of a front-row seat to watch my favourite wayang kulit shows during a two-day festival that brought together 42 traditional practitioners and artisans of different generations from Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur.
The festival, held at our Sunway University campus, was supported by Arts for All Seasons, Yayasan Hasanah and the Finance Ministry to raise awareness of wayang kulit, especially among the younger generation. Among the audience were young children and students, many of whom were witnessing a wayang kulit performance for the first time.
It helped that the Tok Dalang from one of the troupes was a 10-year-old boy who started training at age four. Tok Dalang Pyu, as he is known, is Malaysia’s youngest master puppeteer.
The children were clearly enchanted by his skills, laughing as the storyteller took them on an adventure.
Pak Cu, the only Chinese Tok Dalang, was another favourite. It was heartening to note that he is passing on his skills to his grandson.
The aim of the festival was not only to educate but also to encourage a deeper appreciation and understanding of this art form, and to do our part in helping to preserve the culture for future generations.
Keeping traditions like wayang kulit alive is crucial as it is more than just entertainment; it is a storytelling tradition that connects generations and brings communities together while providing valuable insights into ritual, history and mythology.
The late Prof Datuk Ghulam Sarwar Yousof, an internationally acclaimed scholar of South-East Asian and Malaysian traditional performing and visual arts, dedicated his life to researching his passion.
Thanks to his family, the late professor’s personal collection of books, writings and publications, as well as traditional musical instruments and even a few wayang kulit puppets, are now being used for teaching and research at our School of Arts. We are very grateful to his family for their generosity in honouring his legacy by ensuring that this traditional art form continues to thrive.
In a country such as ours, preserving and promoting wayang kulit and other traditional performances encourage respect and understanding among different communities, and help foster a greater appreciation for cultural differences as well as a shared heritage. Wayang kulit and other traditional performing arts are living museums that connect the past to the present.
Prof Datuk Dr Elizabeth Lee is the chief executive officer at Sunway Education Group. A veteran in the field of private higher education, Prof Lee is also an advocate for women in leadership.
She has been recognised both locally and internationally for her contributions to the field of education.
The views expressed here are the writer’s own.
