Malaysian shadow puppet master dies

Malaysian shadow puppet master dies

MALAYSIA: Malaysia's waning art of shadow puppetry has suffered another setback with the death of one of the last masters of the tradition, a report said on Wednesday.

Puppet master Abdullah Ibrahim died on Monday at the age of 67 in northern Kelantan state from asthma and complications related to an earlier stroke, the Star daily said.

"A very real light has passed from my life. There was so much more to learn from him," writer and artist Eddin Khoo, a former student of Abdullah's, was quoted as saying.

Known as Dollah Baju Merah -- which means in part "Red Shirt" in reference to his favorite attire -- Abdullah started performing as a puppeteer in the traditional artform at the age of 13.

Wayang kulit or "shadow play", is performed by casting shadows of elaborately detailed figures, carved on animal skin, onto a screen which separates the puppeteer from the audience.

Traditional performances tell tales from the Hindu epics -- which led to a 1990 ban on the artform in its heartland of Kelantan state, which is ruled by the ultra-conservative opposition Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party. -- AFP