1,000 paintings fly at int'l kite festival

JAKARTA (JP): One thousand paintings by school children were joined together and launched like a long kite to enliven the opening of the Jakarta International Kite Festival yesterday.

The flying of the colorful kite, called Seribu Karya di Udara, by Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro, was one of the attractions at yesterday's opening of the annual kite festival.

Held at the National Monument square, Central Jakarta, the festival will run till July 2. About 150 local and foreign kite flyers are participating; 20 from Indonesia, 15 from Malaysia and about 80 from another eight countries.

Organizing chairwoman Sari Madjid said 10 countries were taking part in the kite festival, including Indonesia, Australia, Austria, Brunei Darussalam, France, Japan, the Netherlands, the Philippines and Singapore.

"Malaysia came as the largest (foreign) group with 19 kite flyers," Sari said.

She said each country had turned up with an average of 10 kites for the fifth festival held in Jakarta.

For the festival's opening, Sari said a fighting kite competition for local kite flyers would also be held.

There are three categories for the contest: ornamental kites, traditional kites and fighting kites.

In his address, Wardiman said he hoped the festival "could intensify the country's tradition in flying kites" besides being a venue for innovation. Sari said the festival was intended to nurture Indonesia's kite tradition among domestic and foreign kite lovers.

"It is also an annual meeting arena for national and international kite flyers here," she said.

Roddy Williams from Australia said this year was the fourth time he had taken part in the festival here.

"This time I hope I can win," he said.

Marja van Beek of the Netherlands said she had participated in international kite festivals several times in other countries, but she and members of her team were participating in Indonesia for the first time.

"We have prepared 10 big kites for the festival," van Beek said.

Besides for playing, kites have long been part of ritual processions in Bali, according to a short history of kites prepared by organizers. (03)