Fighter kites are kites used for the sport of kite fighting. Traditionally, most are small, unstable single-line flat kites where line tension alone is used for control, at least part of which is manja, typically glass-coated cotton strands, to cut down the line of others.
In most traditional fighter kite manufacture, the skins of kites are made from a lightweight thin paper and the spars are usually made from a lightweight and flexible wood, usually bamboo.
In modern American fighters, the kite skins are made from a variety of synthetic materials – mylar, aircraft insulation (orcon or insulfab), nylon, and polyester sheeting. The spine may still be bamboo, but often along with the bow is constructed of fiberglass or carbon fibre.
Historically, for most Asian type fighters, a thin cotton or hemp line is coated with a mixture of finely crushed glass and rice glue. In recent years, synthetic line has been coated with a variety of abrasives and stronger glue. Also, there have been some reports of metallic line being used. Some cultures use line that has metal knives attached to hook and cut the opponent's line.
Traditionally, players use a paste of some sort to toughen their line. The primary components of this include glue and crushed glass, but depending on personal preference other materials are added to improve the properties of the line.
In line touch competition, synthetic braided fishing line, 15 to 20lb test, is used due to its low stretch and high strength for the line diameter and weight. Waxed cotton, linen line or Latex can also be used.
Key equipment names
from west to east
Spectra – A brand of fishing line used for American kite fighting.
Power Pro – A very thin [0.25mm diameter] braided fishing line used for American kite fighting.
Hilo de competencia (o Hilo Curado) – The cutting line used in Chile.
Cerol – The cutting line /thread used in Brazil
In Afghanistan:
Tar – cutting line
In South Asia:
Manjha – cutting line of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan (but manjho in Rajasthan).
In and around greater Punjab:
Dore – cutting line.
Pench/paycha/paych – fighting to cut a kite down.
Kai Po Chhe – the winner says this to proclaim victory.
Elsewhere in Asia
Gelasan – The cutting line thread used in Indonesia
Bridle, tuning and flight
Bridle position, curve, centre of gravity, and balance of tension on the spars all play a role in how the kite spins and tracks. Afghan and Indian fighter kites and their variants have their bridles attached in two places on the kite's spine. The first place is at the crossing of the bow and the spine. The second attachment is three-quarters to two-thirds of the total length of the spine from the nose of the kite. The length of the top line to the tow point is the length between the two bridle to spine connection points. The length of the bottom bridle to the tow point is between 1⁄2 and 2 inches (13 and 51mm) longer than the length of the two spine connections. The spine of the kite has a slight convex curve toward the face of the kite. To make the kite spin more, the upper bridle line is shortened: to make the kite spin less, the lower bridle line is shortened.
Left and right tracking are adjusted by either placing weight on the tip of a wing, or by weakening the bow on the side that the flier wants the kite to track towards. The design of the kite plays a role in the tendency for the kite to spin and pull, and how much wind the kite can handle. Bridling and tuning are only effective when the kite chosen is able to handle the amount of wind that it is being flown in. If the wind is so strong that the spine and bow are severely distorted, no amount of bridle tuning will help with making the kite controllable. A crude method of making a kite flyable in over-strong wind, used in India where the kites are cheap and regarded as disposable, is to burn small holes in the flying surface, typically using a cigarette.
When the kite is flown with the line taut, the kite is deformed by the wind pressure, giving it a degree of stability. When the line tension is reduced, either by letting out more line or by the flyer moving into wind, the kite will begin to become unstable and begin to rock from side to side, or in extreme cases even spin. By reapplying tension at the right moment, the kite will move in the direction that the flyer requires.
Although a spool that allows rapid winding and release of line is used, often the flyer will fly the kite by holding the line instead of the spool, with one or more assistants to help manage the slack line between the flyer and the spool.
Kite fighting
Many of these kites are flown with a typically very sharp, abrasive coated line (manja). Most are flown with a set length of this at the kite end. To avoid getting hand injuries ordinary string (sadda) is used for the ground end. Some lines have thin blades attached to the tail, line, or kite. Competition rules vary by region. Two or more contestants fly their kites. The person who cuts the opponent's line wins the fight. In multiple kite matches, the person with the last kite in the air is the winner.
The two most common types of cutting are done with abrasive coated line – release cutting or pull cutting. To release cut, once lines are in contact, both parties reel out their lines until one is cut. In pull cutting, the flier quickly pulls in the line. Winning factors include the skill of the kite flyer, size of the kite, its speed, agility and durability, the quality of the line, its sharpness, the quality and size of the spool, the spool mechanism, initial contact and wind conditions.
Kite runners on rooftops in Afghanistan
Competitors try to capture their opponents kite and bring it to the ground. Expert kite fighters are able to cut their opponent's line and then encircle the trailing line (lubjow) of the cut kite. Once secured, the winner can then fly both kites and pull in the prize. If the cut kite is not captured, then the kite belongs to no-one, and "kite runners" - typically younger children - will attempt to pursue and claim it.
Most contests are informal neighbourhood affairs. Organised competitions do exist, such as since 2015 the "Red Bull Kite Fight" each year in a series of cities in North India.[1]
By country
Various countries where fighter kites are flown all have their own specific styles of kites, rules for fighting, and traditions. In many cases there is a "season" or a special occasion particularly associated with kite flying.
Afghanistan
Kites used range from 0.5 to 1.5 meters across. The usual name for the sport is gudiparan bazi and for the cutting line tar, first described in an article online in 2001.[2] As elsewhere, the line is traditionally made with a cotton line and coated with a mixture of crushed glass and rice glue.[3] However, nylon string with stronger glue is now the more preferred line. Kites can fly up to 3,500 meters in height, depending on the size.[citation needed]
As part of the Shakrain festival, people mostly from south Dhaka city engage in kite fighting. They fly kites mostly from the rooftops. The festival is held in the last day of the Poush month.
Brazil
In Brazil, kite fighting is a very popular leisure activity for children, teenagers and even young adults, particularly boys and men.[4] As in other countries with similar traditions, injuries are common and motorcyclists in particular need to take precautions.[5] The traditional kite (or "pipa"), has pentagonal shape, but simple diamonds similar to fighter kites elsewhere are also very common.[6][7]
Caribbean
Most Caribbean kites are hexagonal, flown with a tail, and instead of cutting with glass-coated line, use sharp objects (generally razor blades) attached to the tails to koule (Creole for "drop") other kites.[8][9]
The usual kite of this type is known as a Volatín[es; fr]. They are roughly square, and made with light paper and bamboo sticks. Unlike other square fighter kites of the world, the Chilean volantín uses 3 support threads (two at the top and one at the bottom) for easier, more stable manoeuvre. Used for decoration or to highlight a celebratory motif such as the national flag, a trailing tail is left out for competitive matches. The Chilean volantín ranges from ñecla, the smallest size available, to pavo, the largest. However, for fighting medio pavo, those of mid-size are most popular due to their more balanced performance in terms of speed, strength, and accuracy. Practitioners of this activity usually begin fighting in September, when the spring winds buffet the coast. Clubs and professional associations prefer to host tournaments throughout the drier summer months when the commercial kite season is over.
Chilean kite fighting practice include the use of a large reel, (carrete), for the manipulation and storage of the abrasive thread, and the use of wooden sticks for the manipulation of the carrete in turn. Thus a skilled kite fighter will likely complete a match without ever touching the thread with their hands, having mastered these rods. Since the mid-2000s, they have spread across Latin America and Europe. Their convenience, durability and safety results in equipment exports and tourism.
Fighter kites are known as patang in India.[14][15] In many others, kite flying takes place mainly during specific festivals particularly the spring festival known as Basant, during Makar Sankranti and more recently on Indian Independence Day.[16]
Japan
The Nagasaki Hata is similar to the Indian Patang, and it believed to have been introduced into Japan, from Indonesia, by Dutch traders. It is highly manoeuvrable and fought with glass coated line in line cutting contests in a similar way to kite fighting in many other countries.
A quite different type of kite fighting in Japan uses very large kites requiring teams. In these contests cutting line is not used, but instead kites are forced down. The festivals occur at Shirone[17] and Hamamatsu.[18] The Rokkaku is a smaller 1-2m high hexagonal kite, but also fought with teams of players flying each kite. Both the Rokkaku and the smaller rectangular Buka have been adopted and further developed by western kite enthusiasts.
Korea
The bang-pae yeon[19] is a rectangular, bowed "shield" kite with a hole in the middle of the sail. The frame uses five bamboo spars—one each across the top and the "waist" of the kite, a "spine," and two diagonals.
Although cutting line and fights are similar to other Asian fighter kites, a large spool is always used.[20][21]
Nepal
Kite fighting in Nepal, called Changa Chait, is especially popular around the festivals of Dashain and Tihar in September/October and October/November, respectively. The skies are filled with colourful kites called changa, made from Nepali lokta paper and cutting lines coated in crushed glass. When a line is cut, the team with their kite still flying shouts "chet" to signal victory over the opposing team.
Pakistan
Kite fighting is common all over Pakistan, but mainly concentrated in cities of Punjab and Sindh region including Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Karachi, Islamabad, with Lahore considered a major centre in South Asia. In the past, kite battling had a status of a sport in the city, with kite fliers termed Khilari ("sportsman").
Kites manufactured specifically for fighting are very different from conventional kites, as the former have features and capabilities made for competitions. The MughalEmperorAkbar, who lived in Lahore from 1584 to 1598, enclosed the city in brick walls with twelve gates of considerable height and strength. Of these, the Moochi Darwaza ("Cobbler Gateway") is the most popular site in the city to buy and sell kite supplies and fireworks. Some fighting kite types include the Kup, Patang, Guda, Nakhlaoo, Pan, Tukal, Muchal, and Farfarata, all varying in balance, weight, and speed.
Kite flying is currently banned in some regions of Pakistan as some coat their lines with glass or shards of metal, leading to injuries and deaths. Threads for fighting kite lines are made with special glues, chemicals, and crushed glass, then numbered based on ability to cut other lines and load-bearing capacity. Kite flying is often a social event in Pakistan held once a year.[22][23]
Bassant in Lahore
Lahore is famous for its Bassant or Spring Festival, with people from both Pakistan and India attending the two-day festival on the last weekend of February or in March. It begins on a Saturday night with battles of white-coloured kites, as people hold parties and play loud music on their rooftops until morning. Duels are punctuated with cries of "paich" (signalling the manja or cutting lines are entangled and cutting each other down with fighters pulling and releasing), and victory cries of "wo kaataa". Wins are often celebrated with Punjabi-style Bhangra dancing to the beat of traditional drums.
United States
The Korean shield kite (pangp'aeyon), the Japanese rokkaku and Nagasaki Hata, the Brazilian piao, and Chilean fighter kites have been used for demonstration purposes at various large kite festivals throughout the country. Kite fighting styles and designs also differ by region and state. In the Pacific Northwest, enthusiasts prefer smaller, more maneuverable kites popularized by names such as Bruce Lambert. The North American Kite Fighting Association (NAFKA) has held events in the past few years in the states of Washington and Oregon. In Southern California, many different kites are flown, with the San Diego kite club having organised a New Year's Day kite fight for the past three decades. Many famous West Coast kite fighters such as Victor Heredia have attended such competitions and offered prizes for beating them. On the East Coast, many different kite fighting customs have come with immigrants, and fights are scheduled with many different kite clubs holding both traditional as well as “line-touch” fights. The vast majority of all kite fights in the western United States are one-on-one battles.[citation needed]
Kite fighters in the United States use a variety of innovative kites from a wide range of designs and materials for "line touch" and skills competitions. Fighter or "single line maneuverable" kites can be found flying throughout the country at many kite festivals. A championship competition occurs at the annual convention of the American Kitefliers Association.
Problems
Accidents
In India, Pakistan, Brazil and Chile, there have been reported accidents [when?] involving the abrasive coated cutting line.[citation needed] These accidents range in severity from small cuts on the fighter's fingers to a few reported deaths from contact with the line while riding motorcycles.[24] In recent years, the fighting lines have evolved from the traditional cotton, rice and glass line to nylon or synthetic line coated with metallic or chemical abrasive compounds.[25] To prevent further injury, many[which?] countries have implemented restrictions or bans on the use of cutting line.[26] Some[who?] have set limits on the materials used to make the line, others have mandated safety devices on motorcycles when riding during kite festivals. People have been injured while fixated on capturing a cut kite. Other injuries have been due to not paying attention to one's actions while watching battles. Most of these accidents are preventable when fighting is strictly controlled to a specific arena and proper safety gear is worn by the fighters. Other accidents have occurred due to the masses of people present during large kite festivals for which kite fighting has taken the blame.
Environmental difficulties
The kite strings left around after the fight can become stuck in tall trees and can stay there for long periods, impacting the natural aesthetic of parks and wilderness areas, thus degrading the experience of other park users from the trash that is left about.
The sharpened kite strings are a particular hazard for flying birds, as the strings easily cut through muscle and bone. Even with proper medical care, the birds take many weeks to recover. Stray animals have also been known to get trapped and injured on kite lines that have fallen closer to the ground.[citation needed]
List of types
Afghan Fighter Kite (Afghanistan)
American Fighter Kite ((United States and Canada)
Benang Gelasan (Indonesia)
Do Akkhal (Pakistan)
Do Pana (Pakistan)
Farfarata (Pakistan)
Gulair (Pakistan)
Gum Pana (Pakistan)
Indian Fighter Kite (also Patang) (India)
Kashti (Pakistan)
Kupp (Pakistan)
Layangan Aduan (rest of Indonesia)
Layangan Palembang (Palembang, Indonesia)
Lokta Changa (Nepal)
Macchar (Pakistan)
Pakistani Fighter Kite (also Patang) (Pakistan)
Piyala (Pakistan)
Salara (Pakistan)
Shistru (Pakistan)
Suit (Pakistan)
Teera (Pakistan)
Tukkal (Pakistan and India)
Hata (Japan)
Rokkaku (Japan)
Shield Kite (Korea)
Chula and Pakpao (Thailand)
Pipas (Brazil)
Volantines (Chile)
See also
Kite running, the practice of running after and catching kites drifting in the sky which have been cut loose in battle with other kites.
Manja or Manjha, Hindi/Urdu for the abrasive coated fighting line as used in Pakistan and India.
Basant Panchami, Spring festival of Hindus celebrated with kite-flying in India.
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