Flying kites with whistles in Song An

When talking about kite flying in Thai Binh province, people often remember the tradition of kite flying in Song An commune (Vu Thu district). This is an elegant folk art that has been preserved and promoted by artisans to this day.

The people of Song An commune (Vu Thu district) are skilled at flying bamboo flute kites.

Since ancient times, the Sao Den village festival in Song An commune has been considered a major festival of Son Nam Ha district. The villagers organize the custom of flying kites with bamboo flutes from the 22nd to the 28th of March in the lunar calendar, with the main festival taking place from the 24th to the 26th of March. An inscription preserved at Sao Den records the following: The custom of flying kites with bamboo flutes is associated with the legend of Mrs. Ngoc Dao bringing Le Tu Thanh back to his hometown to escape danger. She often had her children compete in kite flying with other children in the village.

Another legend suggests that the custom of flying kites commemorates Duke Dinh Le, who instructed soldiers in making and flying kites both to motivate the troops and as a signal for command. Therefore, when he was granted land in An Lao, his descendants organized a kite-flying competition to remember his contributions, which gradually became a custom in the Sao Den festival.

The kite-flying competition is closely associated with sacred rituals and has many strict rules and rich content, such as: competitions for the largest kite, the most beautiful flute, and the best flute playing, but the most unique is the competition of flying kites with flutes over sickles. The afternoon of the 25th day of the third lunar month is the most vibrant day of the Temple Flute Festival, as the Organizing Committee performs sacred rituals including: the kite presentation ceremony, the prayer for blessings ceremony, the procession of the Holy Mother through the mountains and rivers, and the kite-flying competition over sickles.

Hoang Van Diep, Director of the Vietnam Kite Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, shared: "Throughout the country, many places organize kite-flying competitions, but the competition in Song An commune, Thai Binh province, has its own unique features. It has two parts: the first part focuses on the technique of flying kites over a sickle; the second part is a kite procession ceremony unlike anywhere else."

According to the elders in Song An commune, flying kites over the sickle-shaped hooks is difficult and unique because participants must control the kite so that when it is launched into the sky, the kite string passes over the two sharp sickle-shaped hooks without breaking. The winning kite is the one that successfully passes the hooks and flies high in the wind, with the string remaining steady and the string sag the least.

The Organizing Committee clearly stipulates the rules for the kite-flying competition: Competition kites must be at least 2.5 meters in size, tailless, and equipped with a suitable whistle. The kite string must be made of parachute cord or hemp rope, no longer than 50 meters. A single kite with a whistle requires two or more people: one to start the kite (larger kites may require two or more people to lift) and one to release it. This competition demands agility, experience, and excellent teamwork from the participants.

Kites soaring in the wind have long been an image associated with childhood and carefree days filled with laughter. These kites represent more than just a child's pastime; they showcase creativity in shape and color, the art of mastering the wind, and the vessel for soaring dreams.

Today, kite flying is gradually moving beyond being just a folk game and developing into a cultural exchange activity that embodies both traditional values ​​and modern beauty.

Kite flying in Song An will likely continue to thrive, because in addition to the joy it brings during the hot summer days, it is also a unique folk culture that the people preserve through the kites and the sounds of their whistles.

The local people are also aware that kite flying should be linked to the responsibility of protecting the safety of the power grid infrastructure and should not affect the order and daily life of the locality.

For nearly 600 years, the tradition of flying kites with whistles in Song An has held profound historical value, containing historical stories about the nation-building and defense period of the Later Le Dynasty in Son Nam Ha province in general, and the process of establishing and developing An Lao village in particular.

The love for their homeland, their country, and their lives is conveyed through the soaring kites and the melodious sound of flutes. These are moments of exhilaration for the working people, a testament to their will to overcome all hardships and challenges in pursuit of happiness, expressing their pride and yearning for a peaceful life.

The tradition of flying kites with whistles also contributes to strengthening community bonds within villages and among kite-flying communities in other localities. This is a valuable cultural product of the community, positively influencing the spiritual life of the people.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism included the tradition of flying kites with whistles in the Temple Flute Festival in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2019 due to its outstanding value. With its unique values, today's young people in Song An commune continue the tradition of generations past, preserving and developing this folk culture in harmony with contemporary life.

According to nhandan.vn

Source: https://baothaibinh.com.vn/tin-tuc/19/219691/choi-dieu-sao-o-song-an