Wayang kulit expert Che Mohd Nasir Yusoff said every character in Kelantan wayang kulit is crafted with purpose, each one representing a facet of human behaviour rooted in everyday life.

“These characters are not merely there to bring stories to life. They explore wisdom, arrogance, weakness and the conflicts we experience daily,” he said.

He was speaking to Bernama after the Animation Character Design Masterclass: Reimagining Kelantan Wayang Kulit Characters, held in conjunction with the Titih Pusaka Festival 2026 organised by the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) here.

Better known as Pak Nasir, he said the narrative structure of Kelantan wayang kulit is built around key characters such as Sri Rama, Siti Dewi, Laksamana and Rawana – figures that form the backbone of the storytelling.

He added that the arrangement of these characters helps ensure the story is conveyed clearly to the audience.

“This structure keeps the narrative balanced. It helps the storyteller deliver conflicts and messages without needing direct explanations,” he said.

Pak Nasir, who is also a lecturer and Wayang Kulit Adiguru at ASWARA’s Centre for Traditional Performing Arts, said these portrayals allow audiences to grasp a wide range of emotions and human traits throughout a performance.

“Audiences learn to understand emotions such as anger, patience, greed or compassion through the characters. It is a form of subtle education,” said Pak Nasir, who was introduced to traditional Malay arts from a young age.

He added that the role of the dalang (puppet master) goes beyond manipulating puppets and delivering dialogue, extending to shaping the storyline and conveying its messages.

“The dalang is not merely an entertainer. He arranges the story and offers advice, but in a relaxed manner so that audiences reflect without feeling pressured,” he said.

A former student of National Arts Laureate the late Hamzah Awang Hamat, Pak Nasir said wayang kulit has long served as entertainment that also delivers moral lessons to society – teaching without preaching.

Addressing current challenges, he said the art form risks losing valuable knowledge if it continues to rely solely on memorisation and oral transmission, without being recorded systematically.

“If it is not recorded and organised, much knowledge can be lost. That is why knowledge transfer must be done systematically,” said Pak Nasir, who has performed in China, Spain, Indonesia, US, Singapore, Geneva, Japan, Canada, Germany and Australia.

He said efforts to document wayang kulit knowledge are vital to ensure the art form continues, rather than fading away with the older generation of dalang.

At the same time, Pak Nasir noted that wayang kulit can still remain relevant through adaptation into modern mediums such as animation and visual design – but stressed that younger generations must first understand its foundations.

“When the fundamentals are strong, any innovation will be meaningful and will not erase the original spirit of the performing art,” he said.