Young Malaysian craftsman revives shadow puppetry tradition

In Kelantan, Malaysia, 19-year-old Airell began making wayang kulit puppets after watching his uncle create the traditional leather figures.

He started taking orders at 15, crafting characters based on customer requests and pictures. Airell carefully selects leather, cowhide for strong characters and goat hide for gentler ones, and painstakingly carves each puppet, attaching bamboo rods for manipulation during performances. The process involves drying and preparing the leather, tracing designs, carving, and detailed painting on both sides of the puppet.

He uses a set of 20 specialized punches to create decorative patterns, and completing a single puppet can take from two days to a week. Popular characters like Seri Rama and Wok Long sell for between RM150 to RM700. Beyond crafting the puppets, Airell is also learning to be a tok dalang, the puppeteer and storyteller, and plays the serunai flute. He performs at cultural events, demonstrating skill in both the creation and performance of wayang kulit.

Airell hopes to expand his business internationally and inspire younger generations to embrace this traditional art form, ensuring it doesn’t disappear.