9/18/2023 0 Comments Afghan kite fighting![]() ![]() The Middle East through India and Pakistan, finally reaching Afghanistan several centuries ago. Similarly, the practice of kite running also spread toward Way out of China and down the Southeast Asian peninsula and eventually ![]() Where did it all start? Many historians believe that kites made their The enthusiasm doesn't seem related to the size of kite either I've seen some really tiny fighters darting around on thin thread! Just to add some balance back into this little spiel, I must say that some of the most joyful and skillful single-line flyers seen at festivals are from the countries just mentioned-in particular, Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. An Asian flyer got a little carried away and even cut one of the strings of a multi-liner 8-| Oh my goodness (and I hope you liked the goggle-eyed emoticon). Some guy quickly learns that freeing someone else's kite in that manner is terribly anti-social here in the West.Įven in our local association, I've overheard at least one story. I've read of string-cutting incidents in other articles. It's what kites are for, isn't it, the thinking goes. From a very young age, it's just been the thing to do. You better look out, if you have a kite in the sky! -) The notion of cutting down other kites is very much ingrained in the minds of many men from some Asian nations. On a more positive note, all these free-floating kites present an opportunity for the very poorest people to claim, own, and fly some expertly constructed fighter kites! So there's that, in addition to the emotional highs of success in the kite-running quest. Tightly strung across a narrow alley, barely visible to approaching Road rage either! This has actually happened when glass-coated flying line ended up To nearly lose his head in these situations. Life for a piece of tissue and bamboo, however nicely made andĭecorated. There is a reward for these death-defying antics you get to keep the kite! I'm not sure that I would risk my Time from accidental falls to the ground while attempting a retrieve. Apparently, kite running gets people killed from time to Runners might find that it's up a tree or jammed in the gutter ![]() To imagine how dangerous this is, for those who happen to be crossing aīusy street at the time! The danger doesn't end when the kite is downĮither. I've been talking about scrambling with your eyes on the sky. There's plenty of this in Japan and the USA. The alternative method is simply to drag down or tip other kites off balance, in order to be the last one flying. However, the practice of actually parting other people's lines is biggest by far in western and central Asia. Kite fighting as such is known in quite a few countries around the world. Yes, it's a male-dominated activity in these countries. Sometimes, it's the flyer himself who runs after his free-flying kite. The fighter kites in these two countries are somewhat smaller than the Afghan ones, which average around 1 meter (3 feet) in width and height. However, the runners in those countries have a much more urban environment to deal with, as they scramble after tissue and bamboo drifting in defeat. Pakistan and India also use the term kite running. The old method was to coat cotton string with a paste of glue and crushed glass-all the better to slice one's opponent's flying line with! These days, imported line is nylon. An exception is the importing of flying line, which has overtaken local traditional production. Interestingly, even in the 21st century, the sport in this country remains largely untouched by officialdom and marketing. In fact, Afghanistan has a long and rich kite-fighting history going back centuries. That country is probably the most strongly associated with kite fighting and running, due to the very popular book The Kite Runner and the movie that followed. The practice of having someone else chase after your kite is not limited to Afghanistan. The Big MBK E-book Bundle is a collection of downloads- printable PDF files which provide step-by-step instructions for many kites large and small. Want to know the most convenient way of using it all? On this site, there's more kite-making info than you can poke a stick at :-) ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |