Tara

I am a teacher and puppet artist. It was a powerful experience to work with master artisan Mohd Jufry learning step by step the creating of Wayang Kulit in an unbroken lineage from past generations. I have never traveled to Malaysia, and thoroughly enjoyed both the travel and enriching experiences within such a culturally and religiously diverse country. This VAAWA experience will continue to enrich my life and future work personally and professionally. I am truly grateful for the experience. Learning the process of making a Wayang Kulit puppet from from Mohd Jufry, a traditional Dalang, opens the door into an ancient and sumiltaneously vital and evolving art form. I am hoping this initial work will lead to a deeper relationship with learning about Wayang Kulit performance, the polyphonic weaving of gamelon instruments , and the breathing of life into ancient Hindu stories of the Ramayana and Mahabarata. I look forward to further practice and study of Wayang Kulit.