Kelantan kitemaker keeps a soaring tradition alive

In Kota Bharu, a 45-year-old kitemaker named Norazizi Mustapha is dedicated to preserving Kelantan's traditional kite-making craft. Before the kite can soar, a complex process begins on the ground. Bamboo must be carefully selected, split, dried, and shaped into a frame that allows wind to flow properly. If the frame is too rigid or weak, the kite will struggle to maintain its form.

Norazizi has mastered the art of making 15 different types of traditional kites, including the wau bulan, wau kucing, wau puyuh, jala budi, and peacock kite. For the upcoming Merdeka Mega Kite Competition at Pantai Cherang Laut, Norazizi and his team are preparing two giant kites, a moon kite and a cat kite, each measuring between 3.4m and 3.6m long and adorned with Jalur Gemilang colors.

It took around two weeks and RM500 to complete these intricate kites with the help of his friends. Norazizi's passion for kites began during his school days when he watched his friend's father create traditional designs. His initial attempts at making kites were not successful, but he persevered and spent a year learning the craft, mastering everything from bamboo selection and frame shaping to tying and decorating the kites.

The process is painstaking, and the most challenging part is forming the frame. If the frame is too strong, the kite will have difficulty flying. To launch a mega kite successfully, at least eight people are needed - four to lift and release the kite, and four more to manage the line and keep it stable. This combination of craft, timing, and teamwork has drawn Norazizi deeper into the tradition, especially as local mega kite competitions have gained momentum over the past five years.

For Norazizi, the competition is just one aspect of his involvement in keeping Kelantan's traditional kite-making alive. The wau bulan, wau puyuh, and wau kucing are particularly significant as they are closely associated with Kelantan's cultural identity. By preserving these designs and the skills required to make them fly, Norazizi hopes to inspire younger Malaysians to take an interest in both watching and making these traditional kites, valuing the patient work that goes into shaping bamboo and balancing frames as much as the sight of the finished kites soaring in the sky.