A WAYANG kulit performance and workshop conducted by the Wak Long Music Centre in Penang recently invited people to learn about the ancient artform.

Wayang kulit or shadow play is a form of storytelling and entertainment that involves manipulating carved puppets in front of a light source to cast shadows on a screen that faces the audience.

This artform has appeared in various cultures across the world including China, Europe and Southeast Asia.

Its history on the Malay peninsula can be traced back as far as 400 years, where it grew primarily in the state of Kelantan.

However, wayang kulit is in danger of disappearing in the face of growing competition from modern forms of entertainment. There are less than ten practicing puppeteers or dalang remaining in Malaysia, according to cultural organisation Pusaka.

Some creative contemporary dalang have adapted to changing times and turned a beloved franchise like Star Wars into wayang kulit to appeal to a wider audience.

Wayang kulit in Southeast Asia typically portray tales from the ancient texts Mahabharata and Ramayana. Their narrative of good over evil lends itself well to adapting modern works of a similar theme like Star Wars.

This ability to adapt is seen as the key to wayang kulit’s future. - December 15, 2017.