Wau or Kite in Malay is a uniquely designed Malaysian

Wau or Kite in Malay is a uniquely designed Malaysian kite that has flown since times past. It is called 'Wau' because the shape of its wing is similar to an Arabic letter (pronounced "wow"). It is a marvelous tradition inherent to the culture of the people, especially in the Eastern States of the Malayan Peninsula. Today, the kite is still widely found in the traditionally rich states of Kelantan and Terengganu, especially during harvest time.

One legend says that farmers used kites as a kind of flying scarecrows in the fields. The sound made by the kites lulled their children to sleep, so they could work with little interruption. Another popular belief is that coastal inhabitants once employed fishing kites made from palm leaves and fitted with a line and hook to catch fish.

There are varying regional styles of kite making and designs.

In making a wau, bamboo is used for the frame. The bamboo is split and soaked in mud for two weeks. This prevents the bamboo from being attacked by weevils as well as makes it more flexible. The bamboo splits are made into a complex but lightweight frame, tested with one layer of paper and making alterations accordingly to make sure the kite is structurally sound. Next, the patterns are meticulously cut from rice-paper and glued on piece by piece to form intricate motifs.

Apart from the performance and appearance of the Malay kite, the sound is considered important as well. The sound created or dengung as it is called, depends on the force of the wind. The higher the kite flies and the faster the wind, the higher the pitch, making the sound ... w-a-u-u-u, w-a-u-u-u. There are various types of wau such as wau kuching (cat kite), wau merak (peacock kite), and wau bulan (moon kite). Each wau also comes with a different design and size.

Wau Bulan (Crescent Kite)

Named because of its famous crescent-shaped tailpiece, this kite usually has a 2.5 metres wing span and height measuring up to 3.5 metres. This Light and versatile wau bulan is the favorite for competitions and are made from bamboo and paper. For a winning kite, a special bamboo, pokok buloh duri, is used. In a windy day, a wau bulan can reach a height of more than 450 metres. Malaysian Airline System has chosen it as its logo, to symbolise controlled flight.

Wau Sobek

Mostly used for decorations in many East Coast homes, uses bamboo and cloth. Cloth is used, as it has a nice texture and appearance but is simply too heavy to fly.

The mark of a good kite is one that rises quickly and remains flying, no matter what the whims of the wind may be.

Giant-Kite is the Wau Bulan

The most popular wau or giant-kite is the Wau Bulan or Moon Kite. It is so named because its tailpiece resembles the crescent.

Unique to the east coast state of Kelantan, these waus or giant flying kites are often as big as a man, measuring about 3.5 metres from head to tail. It is the largest kite around and is capable of soaring to great heights. Not surprisingly, kite-flying here is a sport for men as some kites require at least two grown up men to handle. Most of the patterns are based on local flora and fauna like birds, animals and flowers.

It usually fitted with a stringed bow which emits a soft, wailing sound when flown. Each kite is lavishly pasted with colorful designs and a work of art in it its own right. Kites are flown throughout the year but especially after the full moon harvest.

Indeed, so remarkable is the Wau Bulan that the national carrier, the Malaysian Airline System, has chosen it as its logo, symbolising controlled flight.

The Moon Kite Of Malaysia

Wau Bulan is the name given to the ornate Malaysian Moon Kite. We were fortunate to see the real thing at a kite festival, in our home city of Adelaide, South Australia.

It's almost funny to compare our MBK Roller designs with the magnificent Wau! They do bear a small resemblence to the Wau Bulan in that they have a large upper sail and a smaller lower sail. So far, there are 3 separate Roller designs to try, in those downloadable books over on the right...

Our Dowel Roller is just so plain to look at, in comparison. At least it is a very reliable flier, which satisfies me personally.

Now, getting back to the festival... The organizers had invited a Malaysian kite master and his wife to the event. They brought with them a couple of large and beautiful Wau kites.

In addition, the couple brought a number of smaller non-flying kites. These were available for sale as ornaments.

A word about the names.. 'Wau', pronounced 'Wow', is an Arabic letter that looks something like the kite's shape. Also, the crescent shape of the rear sail led to the name 'Moon kite' in English. Oh, one more thing - 'Wow!' does pop into the heads of English-speaking people when they see one of these impressive kites for the first time. It did for me!

After a bit of research, it's clear that the kites we saw were indeed the famous Wau Bulan. I can't remember hearing any hummers though. Perhaps it would have been drowned out by the Kite Festival sound system anyway!

Apparently, most provinces in Malaysia have a variation on the Wau. For example, the Wau Kuching or Cat Kite and the Wau Merak or Peacock Kite. The Wau Bulan is the most popular however.

I was surprised at the efficiency of the Wau Bulan, since it managed to hold higher line angles than most other festival kites in the sky! That includes large Deltas which are known for their high flying angle.

We saw the Wau get upset by a patch of rough air, which caused it to gently spear into the dunes at one stage. The kite was undamaged, and was soon re-launched.

About Wau Bulan

Wau bulan is an intricately designed Malaysian moon-kite (normally with floral motifs) that is traditionally flown by men in the Malaysian state of Kelantan. It is one of Malaysia's national symbols, some others being the kris and hibiscus. The reverse side of the fifty-cent coin of Malaysia (1989 series) features an intricately-decorated wau bulan with a hummer on top[1]. The logo of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is also based on this kite.

There are many types of wau in Malaysia, each with its own specialty. Wau kucing (cat kite) and wau merak (peacock kite) are some of the variants.

Wau bulan got its name from the crescent moon-like shape of its lower section (bulan means "moon" in Bahasa Malaysia). Given the right colour, wau bulan apparently resembles a rising crescent moon when flown.

The size of wau bulan is bigger than any other Malaysian traditional kite. The typical size is 2.5 meters in width and 3.5 meters in length. This makes the decorations painted on the kite's body to be visible when it is flown high in the air. To make it more distinctive, wau bulan is normally decorated with large, strong-coloured patterns.