Wak is keeping the art of making kuda kepang alive
MUAR: Traditional dance Kuda Kepang may be banned in Johor due to a fatwa issued in 2009, but Shuhadak Dolah or better known as Wak is determined to keep the art of making the prop for the dance alive.
The dance, which can be traced back hundreds of years and is shrouded in mysticism, was brought to Malaysia by people from Ponogoro in East Java and is usually found where there are Javanese communities.
The older generation would like to keep it alive, even if it’s just its horse-shaped prop made from cowhide, woven bamboo or plywood.
Wak, 62, a Kuda Kepang enthusiast for over 40 years, is one of them and readily shares his knowledge on it with others.
He said the materials for making the prop depend on its usage, but the most suitable are cowhide and bamboo.
“For energetic performances, cowhide is best because it is more durable. The only downside is it has to be cleaned and sunned after use to prevent damage.
“For normal performances, a woven bamboo kuda kepang will do. It can be used for decoration, too.
“Plywood has been used as well, but rarely, because it is heavy and dangerous. People who weren’t skilled in weaving bamboo used plywood,” said Wak during a short kuda kepang-making course he held in Kampung Sungai Pulai, Parit Jawa recently.
He said he takes at least six days to finish a kuda kepang made of woven bamboo because it needs a lot of focus and patience.
There are three types of weave and, according to Wak, the most complicated is the squarepatterned basket weave (kelarai) which is used in decorative kuda kepang, while the double herringbone (langkah dua) and triple herringbone (langkah tiga) are for dancing.
“The most commonly used, however, is the double herringbone, but it needs patience otherwise the bamboo strips will break. The triple herringbone is nice-looking and compact too,” said Wak.
But you must concentrate, he stressed, “because if you make a mistake in one row and it’s not corrected, the rest will be wrong.”
The other things that are needed for making kuda kepang are a rattan frame, string to hold it together, paint to decorate and feather palm (pokok kabung) leaves for the mane.
If you’re interested in getting a kuda kepang, Wak sells them for RM40-RM250 based on the size and materials used.