A Visual Analysis of the Hanuman Kera Putih Puppet in Wayang Kulit Kelantan

Abstract

This article focuses on Hanuman as one of the most important and interesting characters from the Ramayana as performed in Wayang Kulit Kelantan, the principal form of Malaysian shadow play, in which tradition he is renamed Hanuman Kera Putih. From the very beginning of his life and career as a character in local versions of the Ramayana such as Hikayat Seri Rama and Hikayat Maharaja Wana, to the form of a skin puppet, Hanuman Kera Putih has developed in intriguing ways. This article traces some of his critical adventures and, more particularly, those elements that have gone into the design of the puppet representing him, in relation to regional as well as local aesthetic principles.