Once a vibrant form of entertainment on the peninsula’s east coast and northern and southern regions, ‘wayang kulit’ is now fighting to keep its shadows alive as changing times and dwindling interest threaten to consign the traditional shadow puppetry to the pages of history.
In a four-part special report published over two consecutive weeks, Bernama explores Kelantan’s ‘wayang kulit’ heritage, highlighting efforts by practitioners to preserve the centuries-old art form, including initiatives to nurture interest among younger generations. This is the second part.
As the lights dim, the white screen becomes the centre of attention, its surface slowly coming alive with shadows.
Behind it, the tok dalang (puppeteer) moves the intricately carved puppets with remarkable precision, making them glide, bow, fight or dance as their silhouettes unfold against the screen, known as kelir in Javanese.
The rhythmic beat of the traditional Malay orchestra rises and falls with the unfolding story, punctuated by the voices of the tok dalang and the occasional laughter of the audience.
To the audience, the colourful puppets remain hidden from view; only their sharply defined shadows appear to bring stories such as ‘Hikayat Seri Rama’ or local tales to life.
The puppets used in wayang kulit performances are no mere “toys” – each of them is meticulously crafted and detailed by artisans who are often tok dalang themselves.
“The main characters (puppets) feature intricate floral motifs and delicate patterns, but of course audiences cannot see them. Making each puppet is not only time-consuming but also painstaking. As the Kelantanese would say, ‘boleh keluar putih mata’, because the work is intricate and requires intense concentration,” said Kelantan wayang kulit practitioner Kang Boon Ann, better known as Che Ann.
Che Ann, a Peranakan Chinese, is among the few people in Kelantan who remain actively involved in preserving wayang kulit, a traditional shadow puppet theatre more closely associated with the Malay community.
His wife and two children are also involved in staging wayang kulit performances, under the banner of the Sri Cindayu Wayang Kulit Association.
HANDMADE
Falling in love with wayang kulit puppets at the age of seven, Che Ann, 58, has devoted more than three decades to making the puppets while also serving as tok dalang of the Sri Cindayu Wayang Kulit Association.
Speaking to Bernama at his workshop in Kok Lanas here, Che Ann described the puppets as the “soul” of every wayang kulit performance.
On how the puppets are made, he said they are made from cowhide, which must undergo several processes before it can be used.
“We use cowhide because it is soft and its natural characteristics make it most suitable for making wayang kulit puppets, particularly the main characters. Goat hide is too thin and is only suitable for making smaller supporting characters, while buffalo hide is too thick,” he explained.
According to Che Ann, the cowhide, preferably still fresh, must first be dried naturally under the sun until it is completely dry.
“If the weather is really hot, it takes about a month for the hide to dry up completely. Only then is the hair removed manually before an image of the character is sketched onto the surface of the hide,” he said.
Once the sketch is complete, the most demanding stage, requiring precision and patience, begins.
Using nothing more than nails of various sizes and a metal hammer, Che Ann carefully punches thousands of holes in the cured cowhide, creating intricate patterns through precisely placed perforations.
These perforated patterns allow light to pass through, projecting stunning details of the puppet, such as its facial features, garment and accessories, onto the white screen.
The tools used may be simple, but every strike must be carefully executed as even a small mistake can affect the entire carved pattern.
“Modern machines can speed up the punching process, but the aesthetics are not the same. Hand carving has its own value and precision that cannot be replicated by machines,” he said.
Che Ann said the time required to complete a character depends on its level of complexity.
He can complete three simple characters, such as those of ordinary villagers or attendants, in a day. However, main characters such as Seri Rama, or complex elements such as the banyan tree and palace structures, can take up to a week to complete.
“These main characters have many floral carvings and intricate patterns, so they require complete concentration,” he said.
OWN IDENTITY, PHILOSOPHY
For Che Ann, preserving the Kelantan wayang kulit art form’s tradition means adhering to the original “rules” established by the earlier generations of tok dalang.
“Every character (portrayed by the puppets) has its own identity and philosophy. We cannot violate these aspects. For example, the puppet portraying Seri Rama must be green in colour, while it is red for his younger brother Laksamana.
“If we simply change the colours, audiences or other practitioners will say that we have strayed from the characters’ original essence,” he said, adding that there are more than 100 characters in the world of wayang kulit.
“This art form is a reflection of human life. There are rulers and ordinary people, the elderly and the young, as well as protagonists and antagonists,” he said.
For puppets portraying secondary characters, however, Che Ann has greater freedom to experiment with colours.
“Even then, we must respect traditional motifs to ensure that the identity of Kelantan wayang kulit remains intact,” he said.
While demand for wayang kulit performances has been slow, the market for the puppets tells a different story.
Through consistent publicity, including live demonstrations of puppet-making on his digital platforms, Che Ann receives a steady stream of orders for his wayang kulit puppets.
The best-sellers are those portraying the Seri Rama, Sita Dewi, Hanuman Kera Putih and Rawana characters.
“Most people buy them for their personal collections or as exclusive decorations for their homes or galleries. They appreciate the artistic value of the carvings on each character,” he said.
Interestingly, orders have not only come from the domestic market but also from Singapore and Switzerland.
The large and intricately structured pieces are sold at about RM600 each, while the prices of others range from RM300 to RM550 apiece.
Although Che Ann is aware that his handcrafted puppets could fetch more than RM1,000 each if sold in places like Central Market in Kuala Lumpur, he prefers to keep his prices affordable so that the heritage art remains accessible to people from all walks of life.
RAW MATERIALS
Despite continued demand for puppets, Che Ann said fulfilling orders has become increasingly challenging due to difficulties in sourcing the main raw material – cowhide.
“Cattle today are mostly fed commercial feed. As a result, their hides are too fatty, less firm and not as bright in colour when dried. The fatty texture also makes it more difficult to punch holes in the hide and affects the even absorption of paint.
“Cows, in the past, grazed naturally on the grass. Their hides were cleaner, brighter and much more suitable for carving,” he said.
Adding to the challenge, hides from local cattle breeds are becoming increasingly difficult to source as the market is now dominated by larger imported breeds such as Charolais, whose hides are excessively thick.
“Local cowhide is now very precious. Sometimes, it takes a month just to obtain a single piece,” he said.
Despite being made without preservatives, wayang kulit puppets can last for decades, provided they are strictly protected from moisture.
“The biggest enemies are moisture and damp spaces. When the monsoon season arrives, all the puppets have to be taken out of storage and aired or dried again to prevent mould, which can damage the hide’s texture,” he said.
For Che Ann, his three decades of dedication to preserving the wayang kulit tradition would be in vain if the skill of carving puppets were to die with him.
Recognising this, he actively conducts puppet-making workshops at schools and universities, as well as at programmes organised by cultural agencies such as the National Department for Culture and Arts.
Thanks to these efforts, more people are beginning to understand that wayang kulit is not merely about puppets moving behind a cloth screen, but a highly skilled heritage craft that demands discipline, patience and painstaking work.
“As we say, you cannot love what you do not know. My task now is to give people the opportunity to ‘know’ the craft by showing them how the puppets are made.
“Once they have tried hammering the nails themselves, they begin to appreciate and love this art form,” he said.
As long as his hands remain strong enough to wield a metal hammer and his eyes sharp enough to guide each strike, Che Ann is determined to keep carving.
Every hole he punches into a piece of cowhide is a small assurance that Kelantan’s wayang kulit heritage will continue to live on for generations to come.