SHAH ALAM – In an age where almost everything can be learned online, traditional arts practitioners say cultural heritage like Wayang Kulit cannot simply be copied from videos or short tutorials.
Experts stressed that mastering the centuries-old art form requires years of discipline, deep philosophical understanding and guidance from a teacher, warning that social media-era learning risks stripping traditional performance of its meaning and soul.
Senior lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Centre for the Arts and active traditional performing arts researcher Dr Fara Dayana Mohd Jufry said respect for teachers and the traditional learning process remained central in preserving the authenticity of Wayang Kulit.
She said while performers today could imitate movements by watching online videos, they would miss the deeper philosophy embedded within each gesture, rhythm and performance tradition.
“You can copy the movements from YouTube and perform them, but you will not understand the philosophy behind them.
“Only a guru can explain the meaning behind every movement because each gesture carries its own story and philosophy,” she said.
Fara said the traditional learning process was not limited to puppetry alone, as students were also required to understand music, songs, storytelling and performance etiquette. She explained that trainees needed to memorise dozens of songs and understand how movements synchronised with music before progressing further in their training.
“It is not just about learning movements. Students must understand the music by heart because every movement is connected to rhythm and song,” she said.
Fara added that becoming a traditional Dalang could take years, with some practitioners undergoing decades of learning before being fully recognised by the community.
At the same time, she said efforts should be made to expose younger generations to Wayang Kulit through education and the arts ecosystem.
“We need to bring children closer to Wayang Kulit so appreciation for traditional arts can grow from a young age.
“Wayang Kulit is not just about puppetry. It involves music, acting, craftsmanship and storytelling. The ecosystem is very rich,” she said.
She also highlighted the economic and creative potential of traditional arts, saying Malaysia possessed unique artistic skills that could be promoted internationally.
“There are many skills within traditional arts that we can develop and even market overseas,” she added.
Meanwhile, Malaysian theatre producer and puppeteer Illya Sumanto said modern performers often navigate a different path from traditional practitioners, but understanding the foundations of the art remained crucial.
Illya said her journey in Wayang Kulit was less formal and blended contemporary elements such as electronic music and multicultural storytelling, though it was still rooted in traditional teachings.
“Our approach is very different from traditional Wayang Kulit, but understanding the fundamentals from a guru is still important.
“It teaches discipline, patience and respect, especially in a time when everything feels instant,” she said.
She acknowledged that traditional learning methods could take many years, but said contemporary performers were also finding new ways to keep the art form alive and relevant.
Illya said aspiring performers must first understand each character, its background and the accompanying musical structure before attempting to perform.
“Music is extremely important because every movement follows rhythm and tempo.
“Only after going through the learning process and being accepted by the community can someone truly be recognised as a Dalang in the traditional sense,” she said.