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

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 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, 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, 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. For a Kelantan performing art facing a much heavier question of preservation, read wayang kulit. For the state context behind both, start with Kelantan.