Arts and Crafts

Wayang Kulit

• Puppetry in Indonesia
• Flourished in the royal courts of Java and Bali as well in
the rural areas of Indonesia.
• Wayang is a Javanese word meaning “shadow”
• In Bahasa Indonesia its means “puppet”
• Kulit is also Javanese word meaning “leather” or skin in
reference to the material used to make the puppets.
• Puppets performed with musical accompaniments.
• Spiritual and magical significance for the Javanese and
Balinese people.
• Souls of the ancestors were brought to life as shadows
that provide advice and support.
• Made from flattened buffalo hide with buffalo rods for
supports.
• Bali and Java puppets are different
• Balinese puppets tend to be more realistic than those of
Java.
• Reflects religious differences mainly between Hindu Bali
and Muslim Java.
• Islam forbids the depiction of the human form, their
puppets are highly stylized.
• Single character will have several puppets used to show
the character doing different things.
• Clothes are changed and colors are used to signify the
character’s mood.
Gold - Harmony, Love, Beauty, and Opulence
Black - Strong, Control
Red - Anger, Violence, Evil, Danger
White - Purity, Innocence
• Lean puppets represent royalty and nobility
• Giants and monsters are depicted in huge, squarish
forms.
• Shape of the eyes and nose of the character also denote
certain qualities such as Kindness, Refinement, Strength,
and Loyalty.
• That audience of a wayang kulit performance are
protected from evil spirits while it is ongoing.
Wau

• Kite - making and flying have been part of Malaysian

culture and tradition.
• Traditional kita making and flying are now mostly found in
the East Coast of Malaysia, particularly the state of
Kelantan.
• Made up of bamboo and rice paper. The bamboo is
soaked in mud for two weeks to make it flexible and safe
from the attack of weevils.
• In designing the kite, meticulous patterns from cut rice
paper are glued piece by piece to form intricate motifs.
• The sound created called dengung, depends on the force
of the wind. The higher the kite flies and the faster the
wind, the higher the pitch made.

“There are various types of wau depending on their shape”

1. Wau Bulan or moon kite - Because of the crecent moon
shape of its lower sail, is considered as one of the national
symbols of Malaysia.
It is bigger than the other types of wau, typically 2.5 meters
wide and 3.5 meters long; and the blank space on each
side are said to be eyes that guide the kite in flight.
2. Wau Jala Budi or Woman
kite - Is said to be inspired by
the shape of the woman’s
body with her arms
outstretched to the sides.
• The shade of the tail is
similar to the budi leaf found
in Kedah, while Jala refers to
the structure of the tail.
3. Wau Barat or Leaf kite - Is
different from the others
because its design is painted
of glued colored paper.
Because of this, it is more
lightweight and could stay up
in lighter winds than the other
designs.
It is also called moring kite
sins it can fly even when the
wind is as its lightest, usually
early in the day.
4. Wau Kuching or Cat like -
It looks like a sitting cat
when vieweed from the
back. Its hummers are also
tuned to screech and yowl
like a cat does.
5. Wau Merak or peacock
kite - has a tail instead of a
lower sail. Its hummer
produces seven different
sounds.
Krathong

• Every 12th full moon of the lunar new year, Thailand

celebrates one of its most awaited and certainly its most
beautiful festival called Loi Krathong.
• Loi means to float, Krathong refers to the candle-lit
decorative arrangement that is floated on a river during
the festival.
• Is made from a slice of a banana tree trunk, decorated
with folded banana leaves and flowers in elaborate
towering designs with a candle placed in the middle.
• Thais have replaced the
banana trunk with bread
baked for the purpose, but
continue to decorate it as
before.
• Thai believe that the
krathong carries away one’s
troubles and bad fate and
carries one’s offerings of
prayers and wishes to the
goddess of water.
• Thai artistry in leaf and
flower arrangements.