Wayang Kulit Kelantan | Preserving Culture

A little bit about Wayang Kulit Kelantan yah guys.

There are few types of Wayang Kulit perfomances in Malaysia, namely Wayang Kulit Jawa, Wayang Gedek, Wayang Kulit Kelantan, Wayang Purwa and Wayang Melayu. Wayang Gedek is said to based in Kedah whereby northern dialect is being used, and obviously Wayang Kulit Kelantan uses the Kelantanese dialect. Wayang Purwa (which is new to me too) is using Javanese language and last but not least, the Wayang Melayu is performed using the Malay language (with Javanese influences). I attended and event in Kuala Selangor where they too have their own Wayang Kulit and it is using Javanese dialect as well however I’m not sure whether it is the same as Wayang Purwa. A little bit of digging is needed, Lily!

During our trip to Terrapuri, Terengganu we were brought to watch the Wayang Kulit Kelantan or Wayang Kulit Siam. It was performed to the public in conjunction of Terengganu Cultural Festival 2021, the objective is to create awareness and encourage the younger generation to be involve in sustaining our wondrous heritage. Performance are conducted in public area such as museum ground, malls and halls for easy public access.

Not many of us know that Wayang Kulit Kelantan is actively performing in Terengganu (there is not Wayang Kulit Terengganu it seems)

Wayang Kulit Kelantan is also referred to as Wayang Kulit Siam, and it is believed to originate from Cambodia and brought it to Peninsular Malaysia via Patani in Thailand. It is practiced and performed commonly in Kelantan and Terengganu. Hikayat Seri Rama or Ramayana is the epic story in Wayang Kulit Kelantan and it is performed as a form of entertainment ceremonial and official event. The leading characters involved are Rawana and Siti Dewi (protagonists), and Seri Rama (antagonist). Wayang kulit or shadow puppet theater portrays how the society feels back then, being represented in a form of art and music. Not only as a symbol of entertainment but also describe values, life, beliefs norms and heart of the locals back then.

One interesting thing that I learnt is that the dialect or language used in Wayang Kulit Kelantan is both Kelantanese and Sanskrit dialects hence making it not comprehensible to audience outside Kelantan but also to the younger generation. Thus, making preservation of this old art form even more difficult.

You can also watch the Wayang Kulit Kelantan performance in Terengganu, I suggest that you liaise with trusted local agency - Ping Anchorage and get them to arrange for you to visit and experience cultural performances and heritage sites in Terengganu. You will be overwhelmed with Terengganu rich culture and abundance of natural beauty.

 

GTN x Terrapuri Fam Trip is in collaboration with Ping Anchorage and Terrapuri and all its sponsors with #GayaTravel as media coordinator.

#GayaTravel #Terrapuri #CutiCutiMalaysia #BeautifulTerengganu #TerrapuriHeritageVillage #PingAchorage