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Kite makers

Kite makers made kites for sale. Kite flying was a hobby, passion and play for many Singaporeans in the early years. Kite making was more popular with the Malay, Chinese and Indians.

History
Kite flying and kite fighting were popular sports in Malaya. The earliest written record of kite flying in Malaya is the mention of it in Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals) of 1500 AD. In the 16th century leaves and plants were tied or sewn together to make a kite. This was called the daun wau karun. The art of kite making is supposed to have come to Singapore from the Malaysian states of Kelantan and Trengganu. Kite fighting competitions were held in which kites with strings made to cut were flown against each other. The one that lasted after cutting off all other kites was declared the winner. Prizes were also given to the kite that flew the highest, had the loudest hum or was the best looking. Kites were therefore made of different colours, usually brilliant and bright with different eye catching and difficult designs. Some kites were so massive that they needed four to five people to carry them. They would run ahead with the kite, catching the wind before it was thrown up to fly.

Job scope
The kite maker first decided on the length and width of the kite to be made. This frame was made out of the buloh betong bamboo. These were sold in shops, which in the 1980s, cost about S$2 for a nine metre trunk. The bamboo was then cut to 3 mm thick for the frame and 2 mm thick for the wing and the tail sections. The elliptical wing section was called the kepak. After the skeleton was completed it was tied with raffia and filled in with paper of different types and colours to create various designs. Kite making required patience, precision and delicate craftsmanship. The most common shapes for a kite were the square and the diamond. The most popular kite however was the wau bulan or the "moon kite". The tail of a wau bulan was shaped like a crescent moon . The body of the wau bulan took various shapes over the years such as the cat, peacock, parakeet, fish, frog but most commonly the moon. Each kite usually had a name according to its design, for example, the kite shaped like a swallow was called wau burong or "bird kite". A unique feature of the wau was the hummer, also made of bamboo, which was fitted to the head of the kite. Before the invention of nylon, a leaf called daun mengkuang produced the hum. To make fighting kites, a special paste that included crushed glass was applied to the string of a kite so that it could cut other kites. More than 40 varieties of kites can be made in different shapes and sizes.

Development
Kite flying and kite making have been revived in the recent years by the Singapore Kite Association. It has over 50 members currently. The members take part in kite flying and kite making competitions locally and overseas. The Singapore Tourist Promotion Board, in association with such organisations, has organised kite festivals. The festivals are held to keep the art of kite making and kite flying alive and to ignite interest in others in this art.



Author
Naidu Ratnala Thulaja



References
Flights of fancy. (1982). Goodwood Journal, 2nd Qtr., 7, 10-11.
(Call no.: RCLOS 052 GHCGJ)

Davidson, B. (1988, December 04). Kite-fighting may be part of world kite festival next month. The Straits Times, Home News, p. 21. 

Seah, L. (1998, September 2). They've got their worlds on a string. The Straits Times, Life!, p. 2.

Singapore Kite Association. (2000). History. Retrieved January 16, 2003, from members.tripod.com/winglee/history.htm

The information in this article is valid as at 1999 and correct as far as we can ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Commerce and Industry>>Labour and Employment>>Vanishing Trades
Recreation>>Hobbies
Kites--Singapore
Sports, recreation and travel>>Indoor games>>Kites