Dalang Dollah Baju Merah

Abdullah bin Ibrahim (1937-2005), or Dalang Dollah Baju Merah, was one of the most popular dalang (puppet masters) in the Wayang Kulit Siam tradition of Kelantan. He was among the last puppeteers truly representative of a formal tradition in wayang practice. Initially regarded as a dalang budak (child prodigy), he commenced formal apprenticeship in wayang tradition at the age of 15 under the tutelage of a renowned older dalang - Dol Sabok. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Dollah Baju Merah led an itinerant wayang troupe, performing in the various districts and regions of Kelantan. Frequently emerging as juara dalang (champion pupper master) in main tewas (dalang duels), he gained a reputation for being a particularly skilled, sensitive and provocative puppeteer. - Eddin Khoo (Director of Pusaka, Malaysia)