Arts thrive in the hands of wayang kulit puppeteer

Preserving tradition: Sapari making wayang kulit purwo puppets, which are heavily influenced by Javanese culture, at his shop at the Johor Craft Complex in Johor Baru. — THOMAS YONG/The Star

JOHOR BARU: A third-generation craftsman is making sure that wayang kulit will continue to live on in Johor, although the art form is more commonly associated with Malaysia’s east coast and northern states.

Sapari Sukarjo said the centuries-old story-telling medium, known in Johor as wayang kulit purwo, is different in a number of ways compared to wayang kulit performances in other states such as Kedah and Kelantan.