BE WOWED BY “WAU” “Ewa Bule, Ewa Bule.. Ewa Bule teraju tigo

BE WOWED BY “WAU”
“Ewa Bule, Ewa Bule..
Ewa Bule teraju tigo…
Ini male samo-samo…
Samo-samo bersuko rio…”
(In English Translation)
“Wau Bulan” is a specially shaped kite
Teraju Tiga” describes the 3 strings attached to the body of the
kite, joined to a single string for flying
Tonight, all of us together
Together, we all have a good time
“Wau” or kite, a very popular traditional game in Malaysia existed
since time immemorial. This game is mostly played in the East
Coast of the country. “Wau” is so popular that there is a folk song
dedicated to “wau” called “Ewa Bule” which is normally sung in
“Dikir Barat” style.
The song depicts “wau” as a rich cultural
heritage of the Malay community and together both “wau” and the
art of “Dikir Barat” music are steeped in Malay tradition.
They may look like a kite but the creation of “wau” is much more
complicated and delicate. Complementing the song, “teraju tiga” or
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the three joined strings to each edge on the kite are synonymous
with the “Wau Bulan” or moon-shaped kite which magnificently flies
through the open sky.
Origin of “Wau”
“Wau” is known as kite of the West Coast states of Malaysia and is
also favoured and played in other areas such as Terengganu,
Kedah, Perlis and Johor. Kites were played by the Malays from the
common people to the royal families since the 15 th Century. “Wau” is
believed to bring the spirit of wind and sky beyond time.
The word "Wau" itself, however, was derived from the Thailand word
and since then, the states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis a nd
Kedah adopted this word. Nevertheless, most of the other states in
Malaysia use the word, “kite” to refer to the “wau” game. Even so,
the character of the kite remains the same .
Just like kite, “wau” is usually played by two people at a time. One
will hold the kite while another one called "juru anjung" or the
controller will hold the rope. At the time when the wind blows , the
"juru anjung" will be pulling the strings against the wind by means of
stretching and pulling the rope until the ki te was successfully flown.
“Wau” looks fascinating when its colourful surface sparkles against
the sun‟s rays.
Types of Wau
“Wau Bulan” is the most popular and favourite type of “wau” in the
Malay community. The upper side of the “wau” looks like a crescent
while the tail is shaped like a semi-circle. The other reason why it is
referred to as “Wau Bulan” by the society is its appearance like the
moon flying high and its size which is definitely larger than other
kites. Apart from that, the popularity of “Wau Kucing” is comparable
to “Wau Bulan”. Obviously, it has got its nickname through the
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resemblance of the kite with cat. The bow will be mounted on top of
“Wau Kucing” so that it will release a loud humming sound like a cat
when it flies in the air. According to the myth, “Wau Kucing” is
believed to have the power to scare away evil spirits and it could
predict the weather forecast for the next day.
“Wau Jala Budi” on the other hand, is much popular in the state of
Kedah. The uniqueness of this kite is by the name itself, “Wau Jala
Budi” which was named after a leaf found in Kedah called „Budi‟
leaf. The upper part of the “wau” is similar to “Budi” leaf and the
word “Jala” or net refers to the structure of the tail, the lower part of
the “Wau Jala Budi”. However, the basic shape of this “wau” was
inspired by the shape of a woman‟s body viewed from the back. The
“Jala Budi” produces a medium buzzing and humming drone where
the bow is located at the head of the kite.
“Wau Merak” is somehow different from Wau Helang. “Wau Merak”
has a longer tail and it was named after the peacock. This “wau” is
popular among the Bugis community in Malaysia and believed to be
originated from Sulawesi and known as “Layang-Layang Kipas” in
Indonesia. “Wau Merak” is special due to its bow that will release a
high-pitched sound like a peacock. Interestingly, it was originally
played at night and produced varied rhythm or seven sounds. “Wau
Seri Bulan” is another famous wau that has been played for
generations in the state of Perak. There are many similarities
between “Wau Seri Bulan” with “Wau Bulan” except for its size that
much smaller compared to “Wau Bulan”, which is the biggest “wau”
among all. Another popular “wau” in Kelantan is “Wau Kangkang”.
“Wau Kangkang” looks similar to “Wau Jala Budi” except for its tail
which seems more divergent.
Although “wau” comes in all size and shape, the motifs and de signs
are adaptable to one another. The “wau” creator brings out the
variety of patterns and bright colors concept through the use of flora
and fauna motifs that would definitely amaze anyone who sees it.
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Wau Activities
There are various types of “wau” activities that have been created
for Wau Helang, Wau Pari, Wau Katak, Wau Lenggang Kebayan,
Wau Sewah and the popular, Wau Bulan.
Nowadays, “wau” activities are not just being played by the local
community but also by visitors to Malaysia who love and appreciate
the culture and tradition of Malaysia. In fact, “wau” has spread its
wings to the international stage. Competitions are held annually
such as The World Kite Festival in Pasir Gudang, Johor, and the
Kelantan
International
Kite
Festival .
The
judging
of
the
kite
competition will be based on the beauty of the “wau”, the height of
the “wau” when flown in the sky, the musical sounds it produces and
the way it is played.
A Valuable Heritage
Malaysia is rich in heritage and traditional values. Traditional games
like Wau, Sepak Raga, Congkak, Gasing, and Batu Seremban have
become hereditary games for centuries. With renewed efforts to
promote the traditional games, Malaysia will continue to keep the
fascination of “wau” alive. Make this Visit Malaysia Year 2014 the
perfect time to be “wowed” by “wau” during your holiday here in
Malaysia.
- end –
For more information or enquiries, please contact Visit Malaysia Year 2014
Secretariat at 03-8891 7000 or log on to www.vmy2014.com
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