Traditional Malaysian shadow puppetry of the country’s Kelantan region, known as “wayang kulit Kelantan,” is a dying art, in part because it’s been suppressed by the local Muslim government. Traditionally, the performance tells the story of the Ramayana, an epic poem that serves as a foundational text of Hinduism. The last living master, or dalang, of wayang kulit Kelantan, known as Pak Dain, is trying to preserve the art by breaking tradition and training women puppeteers like Illya Sumanto. “To play Wayang, you need big movements, but traditionally, women [in Southeast Asia] were expected to be small, moving gracefully,” Sumanto told Hyperallergic. Read the full story by andy.nach at the link in bio. . . . 1 - Illya Sumanto’s original puppets of female ghosts for her performance in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in November 2024 (all photos Andrew Nachemson/Hyperallergic) 3 - A crowd watches Sumanto and her all-woman team perform in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in November 5 - Pak Dain in his...