# Wau: The Kite That Sounds by Itself, and Why Wau Bulan Became a National Symbol

> A wau is a traditional bamboo-framed, paper-skinned kite designed not just to fly, but to sound. Wau Bulan from Kelantan — the largest and best known — has moved from the paddy fields to become one of Malaysia's most widely used images.

- Category: arts-culture
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-07-24
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/arts-culture/wau

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Before you see a wau, you hear it. A properly made traditional wau hums the whole time it is in the air — not the sound of the wind, but a note deliberately built into its construction.

Kraftangan Malaysia's record for Encik Shafie bin Jusoh, Master Craftsman of Traditional Wau from Kelantan (awarded in 2006), states it precisely: every type of wau he produces can make sound except Wau Barat. Wau Merak produces seven notes. Wau Bulan, three.

That is the fundamental difference between a wau and an ordinary kite. One is a plaything; the other is an object built to be seen *and* heard.

## Bamboo, paper, and five steps

The Dewan Dictionary (Kamus Dewan) defines wau simply — a kite made of paper and bamboo. The list of equipment on JKKN's Cultural Map is just as simple: bamboo, knife, paper, pencil, scissors, glue and string.

It is that simplicity of materials that makes the craftsmanship matter. JKKN describes five stages of making:

| Stage | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| Shaving the bamboo | The bamboo is split and shaved fine so it is balanced left to right |
| Forming the frame | The frame is tied according to the chosen wau shape |
| Applying the base layer | Paper is pasted onto the frame as the wau's body |
| Decorating | Coloured, gold and silver paper is cut to floral motif patterns and pasted on in layers |
| Finishing | Final inspection and balancing before flying |

The bamboo itself is chosen with care. Kraftangan Malaysia's record for Samat bin Man — "Pak Non" from Perlis, Master Craftsman 2018, who began making wau in 1972 — notes that he takes bamboo from mature stalks so that it bends easily, then dries it before shaping.

The decorative layer, meanwhile, can be a maker's signature. Pak Non uses five layers of carved floral motifs compared with the three layers most other wau makers use.

## Names of motifs, names of states

Wau motifs come from the same Malay decorative vocabulary as wood carving and textiles — awan larat, lada hitam, ketam guri, daun kacang, daun jarak, daun kangkung and daun jawa, according to Kraftangan Malaysia's records. Anyone who has looked at [batik](/en/arts-culture/batik) will recognise the design logic: flowers and leaves, not figures.

The type of wau, in turn, usually carries a state's name:

- **Wau Bulan** — Kelantan
- **Wau Burung** — Terengganu
- **Wau Jalabudi** — Kedah

JKKN's Cultural Map also notes that wau are found across Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor. A single Master Craftsman can produce several types: Encik Shafie produces Wau Bulan, Wau Merak, Wau Puyuh and Wau Barat.

## Why Wau Bulan wins

Wau Bulan is not just one type among many. The National Security Council's portal describes it as the most popular, with a large size and a shape resembling a crescent moon — and those two traits explain everything.

The crescent shape is instantly recognisable even when simplified to a single line. It functioned as an emblem before it had a chance to function as a picture. Malaysia Airlines' own publication, *Going Places*, states that the national airline's logo was inspired by the wau bulan.

That connection is not merely graphic. Kraftangan Malaysia records that Malaysia Airlines appointed Encik Shafie as a brand ambassador and sponsored his wau demonstrations in Australia, Germany, the Maldives and Japan; Pak Non's commissions, meanwhile, have come from the Arau Palace in Perlis and from Malaysia Airlines.

In [Kelantan](/en/states/kelantan), wau remains a traditional game very close to the community, and MKN records that it continues to be popularised and contested on the East Coast. JKKN states its goal directly: the way wau is played and made needs to be preserved so that it becomes a lasting identity for the state of Kelantan.

Its scale is now far larger than the paddy fields. In [Johor](/en/states/johor), the 28th edition of the Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival on 7 February 2026 received a Malaysia Book of Records certificate of recognition for the achievement of *Most Countries Participating in a Wau Flying Event*.

## Common mistakes

- **Assuming wau belongs only to Kelantan.** Kelantan is its centre, but Kedah, Terengganu, Perlis, Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor all have wau traditions.
- **Equating "wau" with "wau bulan".** Wau is the category; Wau Bulan is one type within it.
- **Judging a wau by its shape alone.** Sound is part of the specification, not a side effect.
- **Repeating unverified claims.** The two claims that circulate most often — that Wau Bulan appears on the 50-sen coin, and that the Malaysia Airlines logo is actually a wau kucing — we could not confirm against official sources, so neither is stated here as fact.

A Malay proverb gives wau its final meaning: *bagai wau putus teraju* — like a kite with its bridle string cut, hope broken and left to fate. A beautiful thing stays beautiful only for as long as a hand holds its string.

## What's next

For an east coast craft that shares the same store of motifs, read [batik](/en/arts-culture/batik). For a Kelantan performing art facing a much heavier question of preservation, read [wayang kulit](/en/arts-culture/wayang-kulit). For the state context behind both, start with [Kelantan](/en/states/kelantan).

## Sources

- Permainan Tradisional Wau — Maklumat Seni Budaya — https://pemetaanbudaya.jkkn.gov.my/senibudaya/detail/696 (Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara (JKKN))
- Adiguru Kraf: Encik Shafie bin Jusoh (Wau Tradisional, 2006) — https://kraftangan.gov.my/info/adiguru-kraf/encik-shafie-bin-jusoh (Perbadanan Kemajuan Kraftangan Malaysia)
- Adiguru Kraf: Samat bin Man (Wau, 2018) — https://kraftangan.gov.my/en/info/master-craftsmen/samat-bin-man (Perbadanan Kemajuan Kraftangan Malaysia)
- #SantaiSelasa: Wau Bulan Kelantan — https://www.mkn.gov.my/web/ms/2024/09/24/santaiselasa-wau-bulan-kelantan/ (Majlis Keselamatan Negara)
- Wau — Kamus Dewan Edisi Keempat — https://prpm.dbp.gov.my/cari1?keyword=wau (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka)
- Festival Layang-Layang Sedunia Pasir Gudang 2026 Diiktiraf Malaysia Book of Records — https://www.mbpg.gov.my/ms/mbpg/pusat-media/berita/festival-layang-layang-sedunia-pasir-gudang-2026-diktiraf-malaysia-book (Majlis Bandaraya Pasir Gudang)
- Things You Didn't Know About The Malaysian National Symbols — https://goingplaces.malaysiaairlines.com/things-you-didnt-know-about-the-malaysian-national-symbols/ (Going Places, Malaysia Airlines)

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Source of truth: https://github.com/negaraku-md/NegaraKu.md
License: CC BY-SA 4.0