Friday July 8, 2005
Biggest kite takes to the sky
By HASNAH HARIRI
Photos by SAZUKI EMBONG
ALMOST 400 traditional kites or wau of different types from all over Malaysia provided a visual spectacle in the sky at Pantai Sri Tujuh in Kelantan at the end of a Wau Festival on Sunday.
The festival saw veteran kite maker Shafie Ismail, 55, from Kampung Badang near Pantai Cahaya Bulan break the Malaysian record for flying the biggest wau measuring 6m by 9m.
It took him one week to complete the kite and he had no practice run as the days had been without wind.
The master wau maker has 30 years of experience in the craft.
Shafie (left) and his son Anuar, 27, getting their giant Wau Puyuh ready to fly. He said it cost him about RM200 for the raw materials and many hours of careful planning to ensure all the elements blended properly.
This was to ensure that, despite weighing over 20kg, the kites would defy gravity, he added.
"Many before me have tried, but not one has succeeded," he said, beaming with joy after breaking the record.
With confidence, Shafie said he had no doubt that his kite would fly. What he was worried about was whether there would be enough wind to lift it to the skies.
"In the wau game, no money, no problem. But no wind, real problem," he said in broken English.
In the last couple of months, he had been busy making various kites such as the wau bulan (moon kite), wau merak (peacock kite), wau kucing (cat kite) and wau jala budi for the festival.
The three-day festival saw 60 participants from all over Malaysia competing for various titles.
