Yes, go, fly a kite

When last did you fly a kite? It’s a favourite pasttime at this time of year. Senior writer LARA PICKFORD-GORDON chatted with a master kite-maker.

There’s a video online, ‘Giant kite struggle and eventual flight at Icacos’, in which Sailash ‘Neil’ Sookram, his son Caleb from South West Adventures, along with adults and boys from the Icacos village try to launch a ten-foot Mad Bull kite.

The video is entertaining as it captures the numerous attempts—even using a pick-up truck—to get the kite airborne. The wind was not always cooperating, and a kite tail was lost in one try: “it hooked up on a lamppost”.

The adventure started at the Icacos Recreation Ground and ended at an open field where there was jubilation when the Mad Bull eventually soared skyward and stayed. Kite-flying brought members of the Icacos community together and the video captured their enjoyment.

At Easter, Chickey Chongs and Mad Bulls in creative shapes and colourful designs soar, twirl, and dive. Competitions for kite enthusiasts are held on Easter Sunday and Monday.

Construction of a kite

Sookram recently spoke to The Catholic News about handmade kites. He described himself as born and bred in Icacos, Cedros, and was exposed to kites from boyhood. He remembered the young boys in the community looking on as their older peers made kites. They would “copy and paste” what they saw to make their own kites.

“Back in our day, initially we used cocoyea, which is the coconut branch…and then as we became a little more skilled, we started making bigger kites using bamboo.”

Bamboo’s strong, flexible, and lightweight material makes it suitable. It is prepared by cutting down the centre and stripping and shaving the sharp edges, which can cut the hands.

Sookram said, “You cut your bamboo to the required length to frame it up. When you bound the material together, the periphery of the bamboo you will attach the thread together and make sure it is taut, tight, then after you frame it.”

Sookram said the sail of the kite was made with garbage bags or kite-paper. “Back in the day, we used newspaper when you can’t afford, or brown paper we used to cover copy books with,” Sookram said. Clear plastic tape is used to secure the frame after it is placed on the paper to reinforce it. “One of the things we used to use long time was something called ‘laylay.’ Remember we didn’t have access to the glue and thing they have now. It’s a fruit. When you put it between the paper it could stick it together,” Sookram said. The fruit came from a tree in the village. A search online stated that the laylay is a wild berry, round and red which grew in bunches. The fruit (Cordia collococca- clammy cherry or Cordia sulcata-White Manjack) is called ‘bird cherry,’ ‘manjack’ and colloquially ‘old-lady snat’. Another substitute for glue was flour and water. “That used to work real good…the more fortunate kinds might have been able to purchase a bottle of glue to use,” Sookram said.

He explained ‘zingers’ were created using plastic tape attached to the thread across the bottom part of the frame. He said, “You take a piece of plastic tape, and you fold it in half, you would even cut it thinner than the width of the clear tape itself and it makes a loud zinging sound”.

Sookram said frills and other design effects are added. “Sometimes you put an eye or nose, whatever design you want to put. You might even overlay it with other coloured paper to give it the unique look you desire.”

A ‘compass’ is tied to the kite. This is known as a bridle—a system of lines attached to the kite’s frame. Sookram said: “The compass is what actually holds the kite steady in the air. It is three-point compass you make. When you tying your compass, you could either design it so the kite will pull… it will pull more than usual. There’s another compass you make where the kite will stay steady in the air”.

A string is attached to the two bottom ends of the kite to attach a tail. The kite tail was made using an old curtain, sheet, or tablecloth. “Recently we started using the discarded gill net, the discarded nylon net they used for fishing,” Sookram said.

He added: “With the tail, if you have a short tail the kite will have a tendency to make circles in the sky. If you have a nice long tail, the kite will remain more steady in the sky. After that now, you practically ready to get aloft, you out in a savannah or in an open field or beach and you test and adjust”.

He said the kite is then “good to go”. Kite duels are part of the fun. Sookram said, “We also had a method where we tied razor blades in the tail of the kite and have a kite duel. You trying to cut my tail with your tail”.

Kite competition

South West Adventures hosted a kite competition in Icacos 2024–2025. Sookram said the creativity and innovation of the young people were displayed. He said flying a kite is a healthy pastime to get children outdoors away from social media and bonding experience with other kite enthusiasts. Sookram added parents enjoyed flying kites too. “In our village, dem fellas does come out with their boys”.  Girls do participate but he observed “boys seem more inclined to kite flying”.

Venezuelan migrants who are part of the Icacos community showed their skills in competition. “They come up with some real nice kites as well, really nice designs. They were able to add that extra, in the competition, in terms of design,” Sookram said.

There is a video on South West Adventures YouTube with Sookram demonstrating the making of a Mad Bull kite.