This is Ba Duong Noi, a village long known for its beautifully crafted kites made in the shapes of crescent moons or boats and attached with small flutes that play soft melodies as the wind passes through their wooden bodies. Dating back to the Dinh dynasty in the 10th century, the village has a reputation as one of Vietnam's kite flying centers.
To local villagers, Ba kites are not only the pride of the village but also a means for villagers to send their prayers for warm weather and abundant crops into the sky. Kites symbolize good luck and if kites fly higher and higher, the harvest will be better.
Bathed in the glistening rays of the sunset in a peaceful countryside, layers and layers of Ba kites soar and swing over the Nhi Ha river, and under them, kids, young couples and families lie on the embankments of immense green rice fields and enjoy the sweet melodies and rhythms in harmony with the whispers and laughs of the people, sometimes.
Taking us on a winding road to the village, Dinh Van Truong, a local officer of Hong Ha commune, Dan Phuong district, said, "We believe the kite is a symbol of yin and yang, connecting heaven and earth. The sound from the flutes of the kites can drive away miasma and epidemics."
The kites are also means for weather forecast, he added.
Whatever meanings they may have, Ba kites are the passion of most local villagers. Unlike Hue kites, which are colorful and have many shapes, Ba kites' shapes are simple without tails but the flutes are delicate, filled with emotions and feelings, rhythms, carrying artisans' hearts.
In Ba Duong Noi village, kites seem to be stamped on the minds of each child. The passion is handed down from generation to generation. "I'm excited to fly kites after a working day, especially under a full-moon with twinkling stars, I can find peace and escape the bustling noise of daily life," said Nguyen Van Quyet, a local kite lover. "To me, whenever I have problems, I often fly kites to seek tranquility for my soul," said another enthusiast of kites.
Nguyen Huu Kiem, a chairman of the Ba Giang traditional kite club, said, "Kites have lived with us for thousands of years, and the club is aimed at preserving the passion, soul and cultural heritage of the village handed down by our forefathers. The club is attracting more and more players at all ages."
Dinh Van Tuong said villagers were keen on the kite flying festival early next year to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi. The village also intends to hold a kite flying festival on the embankment of the Nhi Ha river next month to celebrate the mid-autumn festival.
VietNamNet/SGT
(Source: VietNamNet/SGT, http://english.vietnamnet.vn/lifestyle/2009/09/868858/)
