Kite festival brings back childhood memories

By Irawati Wisnumurti

JAKARTA (JP): What is so fascinating about kites? Why do people of all ages never tire of these flying objects?

You would have found out had you gone to the Jakarta International Kite Festival at Monas park earlier this week. There, you would have seen a colorful array of material flapping in the wind. People stood staring at the sky with spools of yarn in their hands.

You might wonder what the big deal was. Why do people come from miles away from other provinces or even countries to fly kites? Some might vaguely remember their childhood days when they flew small kites near their homes. This may now be just a dim memory. Yet, if you stood and watched a while, you would have realized that there was so much more to a kite, and everyone has their own perception and reasons for finding kites so intriguing.

"I still fly a kite because it is exciting. In Southeast Sulawesi, kite-flying is for recreation, sport, and also to keep animals away from the fields and gardens because kites are built with strings weaving all over them which make humming noises that scare away the animals. Thus, kites have many purposes," said Laode Kadjibu, a 48-year-old father of two, at the festival.

Laode, a Kendari Tourism Agency official, has participated in many kite festivals in Indonesia and in France. His children also love kites, and his older son often enters competitions with him.

Traditional kites from Laode's area in Muna subdistrict are made out of natural materials and are not painted. These kaghati kites are made from dried, creeping, edible, tuber leaves, the frames are rattan and the string used to sew the leaves together is made from finely-cut bamboo. The kite's yarn is made from pineapple fibers, which has been peeled carefully and dried.

Laode Ongga, a 52-year-old local from Muna, believes that kites also have spiritual meaning.

"There is a belief in our area, that flying a kite will provide an umbrella which protects us from the heat of the sun in the afterworld. The afterworld is high up, close to the sun. This is one of the old animistic beliefs which prevailed before Islam came to our area. Today, some of the beliefs have mingled with Islamic values, and thus, some rituals have remained," Laode Ongga said.

"The kite is flown for seven days and seven nights, and it can even withstand the rain," he said.

Kompas reported on Sept. 25, 1993, that kite-makers were told to fast while kites were being made, which usually took one or two days. If the fast was broken before the kite was finished, locals believed that the kite would not fly very high.

In another part of Southeast Sulawesi, in Buton regency, Wanci subdistrict, kites are made from the stems of banana trees. Similar kites are found in West Nusa Tenggara, the province's goang kites are flown after harvests when local kite competitions take place. Locals there believe that flying goang kites before harvests is forbidden because it would stop rice crops ripening.

Bali

Bali has many types of traditional kite, such as the jangga which is built by an entire banjar (neighborhood) of about 30 people. These kites are massive and require several people to carry them. The kites are considered spiritual, and must be handled carefully. Prayers and religious ceremonies are performed before one of the kites is flown.

Another kite, the bebean, from Bali has 10 sides, symbolizing the ten points of the compass, according to local belief.

In Lampung, kites have a different function. They are for fishing. Basically, a fisherman places a wire with a ring at the tip in the water by the boat above the water level. A small fish is placed in the ring and a kite is attached near the ring so that as the boat floats on the water and the kite flies in the sky the ring will bob up and down. The large local condro fish then try to jump out of the water to catch the small fish in the ring. The condro's head is too large for the ring and it gets stuck, so the fisherman makes his catch!

"Indeed, kites have many functions. And the presence of these traditional kites show that kites have been very much part of our culture and history for a long, long time. There are experts on kites who share the view that kites may have originated from Indonesia," said Eka Janwarsih, a member of the festival's organizing committee.

Modern

Besides traditional kites, there were many modern kites on show. They have elaborate designs and come in all shapes, colors and sizes.

Dodi Dharmadi, a creative, energetic daredevil in a bandana and black heavy-metal T-shirt, said: "I love the challenges of kite flying."

He has been involved with kites for four years, and has attended many kite festivals in Indonesia and abroad. And he has learned from many overseas kite enthusiasts, whose passion for kites has rubbed off on him.

There are many types of kites created and designed in Europe, Japan and the United States. These kites are more performance- oriented, such as stunt kites which are known for their speed. Not everyone can handle a stunt kite, for it could seriously hurt someone as it makes 90 degree turns and sharp maneuvers.

Another kite is the revolution, which is now Dodi's favorite. It has four reigns, and is very difficult to maneuver. It took him a month of practicing four to five hours a day to master.

During the festival, Dodi broke the Indonesian record for flying a kite non-stop for six hours, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. "I wanted to prove that I am still strong enough," the 30-year-old said.

Dodi, who designs kites and T-shirts for a company in Bandung, plans to master riding a boogie (three-wheel motorbike) while maneuvering a quadrifoil parachute (a parachute-like kite). A virtually impossible feat.

Lily, a sixteen-year-old volunteer who helped festival contestants, said: "I love their colorfulness. And it is a lot of fun."

Her views were shared by Radityo Puspoyo, one of the youngest contestants, representing Jakarta. The seven year-old, who handles a stunt kite like a professional, said that he had been flying kites for two years.

"Flying kites is indeed for all ages. I happen to know someone who is 78 years old, and he is still flying kites!" said Arjan Rooyens, a 22-year-old student on the Netherlands team at the festival.

The annual kite festival, organized by the Jakarta tourism agency, had contestants from 17 provinces and 10 countries: Australia, Austria, the Netherlands, France, Japan, Malaysia, Brunai Darussalam, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines. All these countries exhibited kites.

The festival opened again in Pangandaran yesterday and will close today. It will continue in Bali from July 12 to July 13.