Unleash Your Inner Fun Side with Balinese Traditional Kites

One of the unique traditions that you can find in Bali is kite. This tradition is somewhat rarely being talked too. Balinese people love kites so much, they hold special festivals to celebrate their love to it.

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A traditional kite. via Instagram/rai_mantra

Kites tradition in Bali is thought to be started by children in an agricultural society. They play kites to spend their time in rice fields. The kite tradition in Bali is also called rare angon, the name of a character in Balinese epic story. Here are some traditional kites you can find in Bali.

Pecukan kite

A flying Pecukan. via Instagram/pecukkitefamily_

Pecuk kite, sometimes called Pecukan, is a typical Balinese kites that have a fairly simple form. This kite is shaped like a leaf, and when it flies in the air, it looks like a leaf falling from the tree. This kite is very difficult to control and requires special skills to fly it.

Pecukan in the sky. via Instagram/ yibg_team

Another interesting tidbit is that this kite is usually have Guwangan installed at its upper and lower ends. Guwangan is a kind of bow that can produce sound when the kite is flying. The size of Pecukan kite can reach up to 8 meters. The body of the kite requires a perfect balance so that it can fly stably.

Bebean kites

Flying a Bebean. via Instagram/the_barong_kerobokan

This kite is shaped like a fish. ‘Be’ in Balinese means fish. Bebean kites usually use three colors; black, white, and red. They are the tridatu color that represents three main Gods in Hinduism; Brahma, Shiva, Wisnu.

Flying a bebean. via Instagram/ balimelayangan

When flying in the air, bebean kites look like fish swimming in water. Bebean kites are also equipped with guwangan, so that it will produce sound when flying. Kites that are made for exhibitions can be up to 15 meters in length. However, kites that are manufactured for children are made in ‘normal’ size so that it can be controlled easily by children.

Janggan Kites

Need a massive effort to fly a Janggan Kite. via Instagram/stdhananjaya

This janggan kite is the most unique of all traditional Balinese kites. From its shape, you will immediately be able to judge that this kite is the result of Balinese culture. The shape of a kite resembles a dragon’s head with wood-based material that is carved and painted in detail.

Aflying gian janggan kite is a sight to behold. via Instagram/bayuuantara

What makes it unique is of course the tail of this kite. The janggan kite can have a fabric tail up to 100 meters long. The bigger the kite, the longer the tail. Just like bebean kites, Janggan kites are also dominated by white, red, and black.

Creative Kites

…and the monkey flies. via Instagram/deck_sotto

This kite is made based on the creativity of the artists. There are no special rules like traditional kites have. Therefore, creative kites comes with much more colors and shapes. Under this classification,You can see kites in the form of underwear, horse-drawn carriages, Garuda Indonesia symbols, ships, and many others.

Bali kite festival

A wonderful festival. via Instagram/pelayangbali__

The best time for you to enjoy the beauty of this tradition is when the Kite Festival is held. Usually such festivals are held on the beach area, especially Padang Galak Beach in the north of Sanur Beach. Apart from having open air space, the wind here is also strong enough to lift the kites that some can reach hundreds of meters in length.

A flying dragon. via Instagram/tirtan___

This festival is usually held in July, when Bali is in the dry season. This is a place of creativity for Balinese people who want to show off their skills in designing, making, and flying kites. The sight of hundreds of kites flying in the air is indeed very spectacular.