By Wallace J.A

A kite can be simply defined, in layman terms, as a device intended to fly in the wind. According to Jerome Gaw, in his discourse on kite flying, the exact origin of the kite is unknown, but many speculate that kites have their beginnings in China, as early as 200BCE, during the Han Dynasty.

Buddhist Monks from China introduced kites to Japan, and Japanese explorers and traders brought them to other parts of the world. European explorers and merchants too helped to spread the knowledge of kite flying when they returned to their homes from their journeys to the Orient.

Kites were not always used for entertainment purposes. In ancient China, for instance, kites were used for military purposes as well as for fun. In 1752, Benjamin Franklyn used the kite in one of his ingenious experiments, which led to the invention of the lightning rod. Also, drawing from the aerodynamics involved in kite flying, the famous brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright, were able to successfully design and fly the first airplane.

Kite flying is today more popular than ever in all parts of the world, even in the Caribbean, where kite flying is viewed as a fun filled activity 'associated' with the Easter calibrations. This reality may be built on the fact that the winds around this time of the year (Easter) are ideally suited for kite flying, since there is no perceivable connection or association between Christ’s death and His subsequent resurrection and kite flying.

In Grenada, kite flying is still very popular, although interest in kite making has declined somewhat over the years. Annual competitions are usually held at diverse venues throughout the tri-island state. Awards are usually given to the persons flying the biggest kite, the one flying the smallest kite, the person with the most uniquely designed kite, among other interesting categorizations.

Already, the island’s sky is decorated with beautifully colored kites, of all shapes and sizes, dancing crazily in the breeze and ‘singing songs’ that merge together in a melodious symphony.

While kite flying can be a fun filled activity, it can also be an activity fraught with danger if proper caution is not taken. This writer wishes to join the voices of other concerned Grenadians and encourage people to demonstrate good judgment by flying their kites away from electrical power lines. Kites that are tangled in electrical wires can lead to power outages in different areas, and worse yet, can result in the death of individuals.