Friday, February 06, 2015

Wau Bulan Kites



One of Malaysia's national symbols is the Wau Bulan Kite. Its name means "moon" and refers to the crescent shaped lower portion of the kit. Wau Bulan kits are constructed from a bamboo frame over which tissue is delicately stretched. Intricate floral and leaf patterns decorate the surface. Due to the rather large size of the kite, these symmetrical designs are visible even when the kite is fairly high in the sky. The kites are typically flown by men with its path being a figure eight. 
The Wau Bulan kite is depicted on Malaysia's 50-cent coin. I saw these beautiful artistic forms on display at one of Melaka's many museums - a great place to visit when it was raining a bit heavily!



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