EASTER is an auspicious festival in the Christian Calendar. It marks the Crucifixion, burial and Resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, as is beautifully narrated in the New Testament of the Holy Bible.In Guyana, the joyous festival cuts across race, religion, political affiliation and creed to bring all together in a joyous atmosphere. People assemble in the parks, at the sea wall and on beaches to fly their kites of all colours, sizes and shapes in various scenes of family togetherness and festivity.

But kite flying begins days before Easter. Years ago, it used to begin with caddy-ole-punches — kites made from leaves of exercise books and pointers from brooms.

Approaching the end of the Easter Term in school, many exercise books used to get very thin; and if you forgot your book in class, you might be lucky to find the cover the next day! Those caddy-ole-punches even used to be flown through school windows!

A caddy-ole-punch was made from a single leaf of an exercise book, with pointers from a broom running diagonally across both its sides to keep it firm. The pointers were then strapped to the book leaf with sewing thread to ensure that they do not fall out when the kite is airborne and experiences the pressure of the wind. Time there was when a school boy would earn instant prestige if he could fly his caddy-ole-punch the highest among its peers, and keep it in that position for a considerable time.

As it gets even closer to Easter, caddy-ole-punches are ditched and the focus is shifted on the making of more ‘serious’ kites. Nowadays, many buy their kites, but about 20 years ago, the majority used to make their kites, and kite-making used to be a big thing in practically every home.
Gamma Cherry
In fact, around that time, to own a “Gamma Cherry” Tree was a big thing and usually a profitable business. Scores of children used to scour their communities looking for Gamma Cherry to paste the kite papers onto the frames of the kites since paper glue was costly.

The top kites not so long ago were the ‘star points’, and a big star point was like a big hit. This was the finished product, but the assembling of the kite was a carefully planned task.

As long as a child decides which type of kite he/she wants, be it a box, bird or star point, careful work begins to make it. Thin strips of wood might be acquired from a nearby sawmill, and further planed with a plane saw or knife, depending on its thickness, before being cut to the size of the kite the owner wanted.

In assembling the kite, careful attention has to be given to the design, ‘tongue’, loop and tail. The design makes the kite stand out, while the loop and tail hold the kite up in the sky. Depending on the size and paper used for the tongue, the kite would sing much or little, and its song would be pleasant or irritating. A big tongue would create a noisy kite, while a small tongue would cause the opposite in sound.

The kite’s loop is an important mechanism, and there are two kinds of loops: the pulling loop and the mounting loop. The pulling loop is formed by a polyethylene tied to both sides of the top of the frame of the kite, with a short length connecting the centre. When hit by wind, pressure is exerted on the face of the kite, causing it to give a strong pull as it ascends.

The mounting loop is the opposite, and enables the wind to lift the kite into the dotted Easter Day sky.
KITE-FIGHTING
The tail is as important as the loop. It determines the balance of the kite in the sky. A short tail would see a wobbly kite, while a long tail would make for a stationary kite. The trick in having a successful kite is to strike a balance between the two tail sizes. Some creative persons add razor blades to the tails of their kites to engage in a bit of kite-fighting.

It is usually sheer laughter to see a kite slashed by a razor blade in another kite’s tail come spinning down to the ground, or disappear like a big punctured helium balloon from a distance of about 300 feet, falling from the sky.

On Easter Day, from the plastic kites to those covered in coloured paper, in all shapes, sizes and forms, kites will create a kaleidoscope in the sky. Some would be as small as a match box, while others would have to be transported by open back Pick Up vehicles or even full-fledged lorries; but the fun is raising it into the sky and watching it go as high as it possibly could.

Importantly, it is always safe for persons to fly their kites in open spaces, to avoid the kites getting into contact with power lines, as this can cause electrocution and put a severe damper on an exciting celebration.

So, fly your kites in open fields, away from power lines; and do have a memorable Easter 2015!
By Tajeram Mohabir