From the LA Times; "Life was terrible under the Taliban. When they ran out of legitimate things to object to, they started on innocent behaviors like kite flying," recalled Shukor, whose father founded Kabul's most famous kite-making workshop more than 40 years ago. "It was ridiculous. How could sending a colorful paper bird into the winds be an insult to God?"
It is true that the Taliban banned kite flying. It may seem that the ban by the Taliban on kite flying was a ban on fun. The ban was put in place by the Ministry to promote virtue and prevent vice. They banned some music, some t.v., and some movies, so why not kites. They did so under pretense of religion and safety. Religion because of, like many sports world over, betting would go on. Safety, because the Afghan children, trying to get the best vantage points would clime on roof tops and hillsides. If you are looking up to concentrate on the fight at hand, you are not looking down. Hundreds of children each year were injured from falls and many fell to their deaths. Kites it seems have been the bane of many societies including the U.S. Kite flying was banned in China because as people were looking and flew their kites they would tromp into rice patties and destroy them. In some areas of the U.S. kite flying was banned in the 19th century because kites spooked horses and cattle. It is currently banned on some public beaches as a public nuisance. If you are looking up flying your kite you are not looking down on whom you are about to step on or trip over. Kike flying is also currently banned in Pakistan for public safety. A ban that has even sparked riots in Pakistan.
In the U.S. you see kites being flown at public parks, beaches, everywhere you can get a good wind. However, it not as prevalent as in Kabul and other Eastern and Asian countries, Where kite flying developed not to just a hobby but to an art form.
According to Wikipedia, the kite was invented almost 3000 years ago in China where silk and other lightweight materials and wood are readily found. Wiki also says that kite historians claim that kites were invented even earlier. These historians believe that kites were invented around the 5th century B.C. and quote sources that say kites were used for all sorts of purposes at the time.
From China kites spread throughout Asia including the western part, Afghanistan. Eventually kites even made it to the American continent. Remember Benjamin Franklin? Kite fighting exists in the U.S. but not as prevalent as in Asia and especially Afghanistan. Kites and kite fighting are a big deal. As you can see from the LA Times article there are shops that actually specialize in it. The object of kite fighting is to disable your opponents kite either by damaging the kite but more prevalently by cutting the string or wire.
In Afghanistan kite flying or Gudiparan (which literally means flying doll) bazi (flying) is a well crafted team sport which evolved to an art form. Kite fighting is accomplished in teams made up of at least two persons. One person is the kite flyer, the leader, the other manages the spool of string or wire (tar), the charka gir.
The charka gir takes his name from the charka whish is the spool that holds the string. It is his job to take up and to let out the wire. The wire is named such as it is much more than the average kite string you or I in the U.S. grew up with. The wire is string coated is actually sharp. It is a cotton or hemp string coated in finely ground glass that is held with a form of rice based glue. Obviously this makes the wire sharp in order to cut the opponents wire. So sharp in fact it could cut the leader, especially, or charka gir to the bone. Therefore each wear protective leather covers on their index fingers called kilkak.
It is true that the Taliban banned kite flying. It may seem that the ban by the Taliban on kite flying was a ban on fun. The ban was put in place by the Ministry to promote virtue and prevent vice. They banned some music, some t.v., and some movies, so why not kites. They did so under pretense of religion and safety. Religion because of, like many sports world over, betting would go on. Safety, because the Afghan children, trying to get the best vantage points would clime on roof tops and hillsides. If you are looking up to concentrate on the fight at hand, you are not looking down. Hundreds of children each year were injured from falls and many fell to their deaths. Kites it seems have been the bane of many societies including the U.S. Kite flying was banned in China because as people were looking and flew their kites they would tromp into rice patties and destroy them. In some areas of the U.S. kite flying was banned in the 19th century because kites spooked horses and cattle. It is currently banned on some public beaches as a public nuisance. If you are looking up flying your kite you are not looking down on whom you are about to step on or trip over. Kike flying is also currently banned in Pakistan for public safety. A ban that has even sparked riots in Pakistan.
In the U.S. you see kites being flown at public parks, beaches, everywhere you can get a good wind. However, it not as prevalent as in Kabul and other Eastern and Asian countries, Where kite flying developed not to just a hobby but to an art form.
According to Wikipedia, the kite was invented almost 3000 years ago in China where silk and other lightweight materials and wood are readily found. Wiki also says that kite historians claim that kites were invented even earlier. These historians believe that kites were invented around the 5th century B.C. and quote sources that say kites were used for all sorts of purposes at the time.
From China kites spread throughout Asia including the western part, Afghanistan. Eventually kites even made it to the American continent. Remember Benjamin Franklin? Kite fighting exists in the U.S. but not as prevalent as in Asia and especially Afghanistan. Kites and kite fighting are a big deal. As you can see from the LA Times article there are shops that actually specialize in it. The object of kite fighting is to disable your opponents kite either by damaging the kite but more prevalently by cutting the string or wire.
In Afghanistan kite flying or Gudiparan (which literally means flying doll) bazi (flying) is a well crafted team sport which evolved to an art form. Kite fighting is accomplished in teams made up of at least two persons. One person is the kite flyer, the leader, the other manages the spool of string or wire (tar), the charka gir.
The charka gir takes his name from the charka whish is the spool that holds the string. It is his job to take up and to let out the wire. The wire is named such as it is much more than the average kite string you or I in the U.S. grew up with. The wire is string coated is actually sharp. It is a cotton or hemp string coated in finely ground glass that is held with a form of rice based glue. Obviously this makes the wire sharp in order to cut the opponents wire. So sharp in fact it could cut the leader, especially, or charka gir to the bone. Therefore each wear protective leather covers on their index fingers called kilkak.
In order to have a fight, of course, two kites must be around the same height in the air and at a close proximity. When one kite’s wire touches the other the fight or jang is on. The winner is the one who cuts the others kite loose or set the kite loose with the wind azadi rawast. This is where the kite runners come in. Runners chase down the kite and the one who catches it keeps it.
Most kochagi (neighborhoods) have a sharti or kite flying champion. It is a big deal to be the kochagi sharti. Shartis are not only the champions but they have have a style that entertains and captures the fans.
With the ousting of the Taliban in 2001 the kites soon took to the skies again. Today when the winds come from the mountains surrounding Kabul kites literally dot the sky and the jang is once again on for the Afghans.
Sources:
http://www.afghana.com/Entertainment/Gudiparanbazi.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kite
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kite_fighting
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-121701festive,0,3892175.story
http://www.afghanrelief.org/about-afghanistan/afghan-kite-flying-101
http://www.afghanrelief.org/about-afghanistan/afghan-kite-flying-101
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