With the theme of the 2022 Cape Town International Kite Festival “Fly Your Dreams” Cape Mental Health held an Edukite competition which consisted of kite-decorating and kite-making, for primary school learners in Zandvlei on Saturday 29 October.
Dr Ingrid Daniels, CEO of Cape Mental Health, said access to emotional support for children was vital.
“Failure to ensure that every child and adolescent has access to emotional support and mental health services will be a failure of our society to prevent this generation from being resilient adults with good mental health.”
And what could be more encouraging than having expert kite makers on hand to showcase their kites?
Mari Ware-Lane, who has been making and flying kites since 2001, battled with strong winds to showcase her kites.
“I have quite a few kites today like nemo and pink panther, a frog, crocodiles and so forth but the wind is not that good to actually display them so we are trying them one at a time.
“The wind is all over the show, it is not stable at all but I think the wind comes from the back of the mountain, for small kites it is fine but not the larger ones.”
She added that the kites are made of nylon and ropes but can be created using various materials.
“We use nylon for material and then the ropes for different strengths.
“There’s quite a variety of products you can use to create a kite, whatever you can get your hands on.”
Ware-Lane says her love for kites developed after she was invited to a kite festival in 2003 where she met many international kiters.
“We started off in 2003 when we got invited to our first Cape Mental Health International Kite Festival and that was amazing to see the creations from international kiters and so forth, so that’s where we started.
“But first in 2001 we started with my son, we thought we wanted to do a family event, something we could do as a family and then from there it just multiplied in the kites we were making.”
For many of the kites, the plans are drawn from designs online, she adds.
“We draw plans for the kites from the internet then draw it on the material, cut it out and start sewing. “Some of the kites, like the pink panther, there are only two in the world being flown as far as I know.
“You wouldn’t have a plan and instructions on how to sew that, so you just got to go with the flow and see what works for you.”
The mom from Brackenfell says it normally takes more than one person to fly the larger kites.
“It always takes more than one person to fly the kite. I was in Bulgaria not so long ago and the wind there was so stable and it was amazing, you put the kite up and walk around, you go and have lunch and when you come back the kite is still in the same spot.
“South Africa it is of course very challenging, we have the South Easter that comes from all over and we have to try and keep the kites in the air as long as we can and you need someone to hold the rope and for someone to lift the kite at the same time because the wind is so unpredictable and that’s just to get the kite in the air.”
She added that it can be dangerous if children do not stay clear of the kites, especially on a windy day.
“We also wear gloves because the rope can cut you to pieces, you have to stay clear, especially the young kids.
“It is very dangerous to come close because it can cut them if it gets stuck around their hands or faces.”
Saturday concluded the activities for the 28th annual Cape Town International Kite Festival which started at Melkbosstrand Beach on Saturday 9 October
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