01 : Kite Making Part 1

Tanjung Karang is mainly covered by the huge paddy field and so the weather there is either very hot or very windy. It is very suitable for flying a kite. And this have make the kite making activity become a must for all the visitors.

The skeleton or the frame of the kite is made from bamboo. Our main tutor cutting down the big bamboo into several smaller part so that it can be thinning easier later.

Our main tutor still cutting the big bamboo
 by his barong knife.

First, for making a good and durable kite, the skeletons is very important. The skeletons of the kite control the flying and lifespan of the kite just as human. It must be chosen carefully even before the thinning process start. A kite consists of two skeleton, the back bone and the wing. Both have to be measure well and must be equal length. The length of these two skeleton is measure from the center. The center part of two bamboo segments need to be align to the center part.

Tutor still choosing the suitable skeleton for the kite.

Then, the chosen skeleton need to be thinning down until it become as small as the twig. The difficult part is that both of the skeleton need to be thinning into equal size and both must be balance.

Thinning down the bamboo until both of the skeleton
 are equal and balance.

Everyone is listen and observe carefully to learn about 
how to make the kite.

You see how thin the bamboo need to be thinned.

Keep thinning and thinning.

The skeletons of kite is measure by curving both skeletons together. It is a very special measure way that I never know - measure in curve. When both of the backbone and wing skeleton are curved together, if it is unbalance, the one which are no so curvy are chosen for thinning again. It is because it is stronger and not so elastic, that's why the circumference of it is not so curvy. The most perfect skeletons is that both of the backbone and wing can be thinned until totally balance. Even if one of the skeleton is invert, but they still can produce the same curve.

Our tutor is very particular to the size and shape of the skeleton of the kite. He say that, if the skeleton of the kite is just simply thinning down with not balancing, the shape and alignment of the kite cannot only persist up to 3 days. But, if the skeletons are made well and measure well, it could be last for 3 months or more than that.

He measure it by curving both skeleton together.

Finally, the thinning process done and it can be
 jointed by  thread and form the shape of kite.

The skeleton of the kite is finally done and 
the frame is also shaped well.

There goes the lucky person who get the
 frame of the kite from our tutor.

You see how happy he is !