“It was so beautiful, it reminded me of a bird,” the 41-year-old, who had been in primary school then, told FMT Lifestyle.
Interest piqued, he was thrilled when his grandfather took him under his wing and taught him the tricks of the trade, from selecting the best bamboo to carving it into the desired shape and dimensions.
His grandfather, Haniff revealed, had been a stern, no-nonsense man: once, he’d even broken a wau Haniff had made as it hadn’t been up to mark.
Nevertheless, under his tutelage, the Kelantan lad kept improving, and his hard work eventually paid off when he saw his own wau soar in the sky.
“I felt proud, happy and excited, and I can still remember it until today. It’s not easy to make a wau that can successfully fly,” said Haniff, who lives in Kota Bharu.
Today, Haniff continues his late grandfather’s legacy. The automotive sales consultant by day also runs a business, Basawa, handcrafting stunning kites alongside three other wau makers.
He is among the youngest wau makers actively producing and selling the kites in Kelantan, with customers from as far away as South Korea and the United States.
The father of three devotes evenings and weekends to his craft and, although it can be tiring at times, the memory of his very first wau keeps him going.
He is also passionate about sharing his knowledge with others: “I hope to spark an interest, especially in the younger population outside of Kelantan who aren’t exposed to the wau,” he said.
To do this, he has had to get creative by posting entertaining and informative content on TikTok, hoping to create a “wow” – or “wau” – factor. And it has worked – with over 11,000 followers, his videos about the traditional kite have reached viewers all across the country, young and old alike!
So, how IS a wau made? First, he explained, the frame of the kite is bound together using a string. He then creates the motif with coloured paper, using small cut-outs with a copious amount of glue.
Next, Haniff dries the wau under the sun before taking it out for a test flight to see if it can withstand strong winds while remaining light enough to glide across the sky.
The entire process, he outlined, can take anywhere from a week to three months, depending on its complexity.
Haniff also organises workshops for tourists and locals, including students, to educate them about the intricacies of wau making. “If we don’t take the time to educate others, they may not even know about the existence of this art form,” he pointed out.
“In the same way that the older generation has passed this knowledge to me, I feel a sense of responsibility to share my culture with others, too.”
Beyond keeping this dying art form alive, Haniff said his craft – whether he’s creating a kite from scratch or sharing his knowhow with others – is a way for him to remember his grandfather.
“I can’t help but think of him, because he has passed down knowledge that has become very, very valuable to me,” he concluded.
Follow Mohd Haniff Salleh on TikTok.