Wayang kulit is among the traditional heritage arts that is gradually fading, and it would not be surprising if one day this shadow theatre, once immensely popular in the east coast, northern and southern regions of the country, becomes merely a footnote in the nation’s historical records.
The final instalment of this four-part special report looks at experts’ views on how the traditional art can survive and remain relevant in the future.
The story of a Kelantan Peranakan Chinese family preserving the heritage of wayang kulit, the meticulous work of a craftsman bringing characters to life from pieces of cowhide, and the determination of a 10-year-old child to become the next generation of practitioners are proof that the traditional art is still alive.
But beyond these stories lies a crucial question: can wayang kulit remain relevant in a world increasingly driven by technology, changing lifestyles and the evolving tastes of younger generations?
Senior lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan’s (UMK) Faculty of Creative Technology and Heritage, Mohd Aswawi Isa, believes its survival depends on how far society is prepared to view wayang kulit as a cultural treasure that must be preserved, rather than merely a traditional performance.
“Wayang kulit is not merely entertainment. The performance brings together music, carving, language, storytelling and the culture of the Malay community.
“All these elements make wayang kulit a cultural repository that needs to be preserved and strengthened in line with contemporary needs,” he told Bernama.
According to him, wayang kulit performances once served as a means of bringing communities together, with villagers working collectively to build performance spaces and prepare food throughout the several days of a performance.
However, he said, that spirit of togetherness has gradually eroded as society becomes increasingly detached from traditional culture.
SOCIETY’S PERCEPTION NEEDS TO CHANGE
Mohd Aswawi said the biggest challenge facing wayang kulit was not merely the lack of young practitioners, but also negative perceptions among certain sections of society towards the traditional art.
Among the negative perceptions, he said, were the beliefs that wayang kulit had no future, was merely a waste of time and could not provide a sustainable livelihood, while some also considered the traditional art haram (forbidden under Islamic law) on religious grounds.
Such perceptions had caused some practitioners to become disheartened and eventually abandon the art, although wayang kulit was not considered haram as long as its performances were conducted in accordance with syariah principles and did not contain elements contrary to Islamic teachings, he added.
Another challenge, he said, was the growing difficulty in finding dalang (master puppeteers), capable of adapting stories to contemporary issues, in addition to a shortage of musicians and traditional musical instrument makers.
“If this situation continues, it is not impossible that one day wayang kulit will exist only as digital recordings on platforms such as YouTube,” he said.
His view was echoed by Kelantan Department of Culture and Arts (JKKN) director Rohaniza Abdullah, who described the development of wayang kulit in the state as rather bleak despite various conservation efforts being undertaken.
She said the situation was not due to a lack of efforts, but was influenced by several constraints, including limited performance opportunities, a shortage of young practitioners and the small number of wayang kulit groups that remain active.
She said wayang kulit must continue to be brought to the public through regular performances, whether on a large or small scale, to prevent the traditional art from becoming increasingly marginalised.
PRACTITIONERS CALL FOR MORE PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Sharing the same concern, Pija Titir Mas Wayang Kulit Association chairman Mohammad Hafiza Che Ya described difficulties in obtaining performance permits and a shortage of new practitioners as among the main challenges to ensuring the traditional art’s continued survival.
Better known as Pak Chu, he said that although public interest in wayang kulit remained strong, opportunities to stage performances, particularly in villages, had declined considerably compared with the past.
“In terms of audiences and those interested in it, there are still many. The challenge now is obtaining performance permits from the relevant authorities. It is definitely more difficult than before,” he said.
He said wayang kulit performances were now conducted in accordance with shariah-compliant guidelines, without the elements of ritual worship once associated with the art.
According to him, performances must also be adapted to contemporary developments without sacrificing their original identity.
“If there is a campaign or a particular programme, we incorporate the message into the dialogue and performance. We follow current issues, but present them in the form of wayang kulit,” he said.
He said only three senior dalang were currently still active around Kota Bharu, while another three young practitioners were undergoing training.
“I am worried that without continuous efforts, this art will become increasingly marginalised over the next few years, even if it may not disappear completely,” he said.
TECHNOLOGY AS A CATALYST
Meanwhile, in efforts to ensure wayang kulit remains relevant, Mohd Aswawi said UMK had introduced various innovations, including the use of a computer numerical control (CNC) laser cutter to speed up the puppet-making process.
“Previously, it could take three to four months to complete a set of puppets. With the technology, the process can be reduced to about a week without altering the original design,” he said.
UMK has also developed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to document traditional musical rhythms and translate wayang kulit dialogue from the Kelantanese dialect into standard Malay and other languages.
He said the approach was expected to broaden understanding of the traditional art among audiences from outside the state.
Besides offering courses in traditional theatre and musical instrument making, the university also collaborates with the community to produce more cultural practitioners and entrepreneurs.
EVOLVING WITHOUT LOSING ITS IDENTITY
Mohd Aswawi, however, acknowledged that wayang kulit faced major challenges in attracting younger generations.
Therefore, he said, performances needed to be adapted to contemporary developments through the use of social media, more engaging visuals and content that resonated with people’s everyday lives, without compromising the art’s original identity.
“We can introduce innovations, but the main characters, performance structure and identity of wayang kulit must be preserved.
“If everything is changed to the point that its identity is lost, society will no longer recognise the original form of wayang kulit itself,” he said.
He said social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram had become important channels for extending the reach of wayang kulit performances among younger audiences.
Rohaniza shared the view, saying efforts to attract young people required more creative and interactive approaches in keeping with changing times.
She said the use of social media, more engaging visuals and the incorporation of contemporary issues into performances could bring wayang kulit closer to younger audiences without compromising the authenticity of the traditional art.
She stressed, however, that innovations should not alter the main characters and original structure of the performance to the extent that the identity of wayang kulit was lost.
“Innovations can be introduced in line with changing times, but traditional elements must be retained so that people can still recognise the true identity of wayang kulit,” she said.
JKKN STRENGTHENS CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Rohaniza said efforts to preserve wayang kulit were being carried out comprehensively through three main pillars -- conservation, development and promotion.
She said the approach was implemented through festivals, regular performances, workshops, courses, cultural arts education programmes as well as the documentation of performances and puppet-making techniques, ensuring the heritage remained preserved and could be referred to by future generations.
According to her, the apprenticeship programme based on a mentor-mentee concept, which has been implemented since 2009, had successfully produced dalang, musicians and wayang kulit puppet makers among the younger generation under the guidance of experienced figures and practitioners.
She said JKKN also organised specialised skills workshops on wayang kulit puppet-making while encouraging schools and institutions of higher learning (IPTs) to stage performances and conduct activities related to the traditional art.
The department, she said, also worked with IPTs to conduct research, produce academic publications and provide performance platforms for practitioners, while assisting them in obtaining Cultural Sector Support Grants (GSSK) to strengthen cultural arts development.
In addition, JKKN continues to strengthen cooperation with non-governmental organisations, schools, IPTs and communities through exhibitions, workshops and performances to broaden young people’s exposure to wayang kulit.
Rohaniza said the efforts of the Sri Cindayu Wayang Kulit Association, which involved the entire family, were also worthy of emulation as they demonstrated the important role of the family institution in ensuring that knowledge and skills related to the traditional art could be passed down from one generation to another.
AUDIENCES, TOURISTS PROVE WAYANG KULIT STILL HAS A PLACE
Despite the many challenges faced by practitioners and the continued efforts by institutions to elevate wayang kulit, the traditional art continues to captivate local audiences and foreign tourists who experience its unique performances first-hand.
For civil servant Nik Mohd Azlan Nik Ahmad, 30, watching the shadows of wayang kulit puppets dance behind the screen, accompanied by the strains of the serunai and the beat of drums, never fails to move him.
“Although I am a local who grew up with this art, my admiration for wayang kulit has never faded. The ability of the dalang to bring multiple characters to life single-handedly demonstrates the immense aesthetic value of our heritage.
“This is not merely entertainment from the past, but the identity and soul of the people of Kelantan that must continue to be preserved,” he said.
For Australian tourist Chloe Grace, 45, a wayang kulit performance offers a cultural experience that is difficult to find elsewhere.
“I was truly amazed. It is extraordinary how intricately carved pieces of leather can create such a vivid story through nothing more than the interplay of light and shadow.
“The traditional music seemed to transport me to another world. This is one of the most unique cultural experiences I have ever had,” she said.
The presence of local audiences and foreign tourists demonstrates that wayang kulit can still transcend boundaries of age, culture and nationality, giving it strong potential to be further developed as a cultural tourism product capable of introducing Kelantan’s identity to the international stage.
A HERITAGE THAT STILL HAS HOPE
The four stories featured in this series demonstrate that the survival of wayang kulit does not depend on a single individual, but is built on the dedication of many parties playing their respective roles.
From the Kang Boon Ann family’s efforts to preserve the heritage across generations, the painstaking craftsmanship involved in creating each puppet from cowhide, dalang Mohammad Hafiza’s dedication to bringing every performance to life, and young apprentice Nik Imanudin Hadeef’s determination to learn the art, to the efforts of UMK and JKKN to strengthen conservation through education, research, innovation and talent development -- together, these efforts form a mutually supportive ecosystem.
Although the art faces various challenges, including public perceptions, a shortage of young practitioners, fewer active groups and increasingly limited performance opportunities, all those interviewed by Bernama agreed that efforts to preserve wayang kulit must continue relentlessly to ensure the heritage does not fade with time.
Public support, the enthusiasm of local audiences and the interest shown by foreign tourists are also signs that wayang kulit still has a place in the modern world, provided it continues to be preserved and strengthened in keeping with the times.
As long as there are dalangs willing to share their knowledge, craftsmen dedicated to creating each character, families committed to passing their skills on to the next generation, institutions continuing to strengthen conservation efforts, and communities that never tire of appreciating every performance, Kelantan’s wayang kulit will continue to live on as a cultural heritage that transcends generations rather than becoming merely a relic of history.
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