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Stories of Vendors

Stories of Vendors

Simon King, the kite-maker

It is kite season. The southwest monsoon blows strongly across Penang in June and July. If you see painted Chinese kites being flown, chances are they are made by Simon King.

Simon King (surname Gan), aged 55, has been making kites for a living since ten years ago. 'I was always good at making kites in school but I did not choose kite-making as a profession. After undergoing surgery I lost my regular job, I started making kites full-time.'

There are five stages to making a kite. Buying the bamboo, cutting it according to length and splicing it into thin slithers. Making the kite frame by tying the bamboo slithers with string. Cutting the rice paper and sticking it on. Tracing the motif. Painting the kite.

He makes several types of kites, namely, wau biasa (tiong au), wau parit ekor panjang, wau katak, wau ikan and wau kangkang. The regular kite, the long-tailed kite, the frog kite, the fish kite, and the split-bottom kite. They usually come in two sizes, large and small. He uses Hokkien names and Malay names not only for kite types but also for various parts of the kites, such as tangan, sayap, teraju.

Among the motifs he uses are spider-man (his trademark), animals such as fish, frog and panda, the British flag, the candle, the yin-yang and geometric designs. 'It is not the close-up view that counts, it's how they look from the sky.'

Simon King:
Tel: 012-4217 175, 016-4727291
(his relative's phone, just ask for the kite-maker)
1198 Lintang Sungei Pinang, Penang.

Prices for painted kites vary from RM2-RM3.

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Written and photographed by Khoo Salma Nasution. © All rights Reserved.