Eerie yet strangely soothing, a high pitched lullaby floats through the dark night. It is the sound of Khleng Ek, kites with deep religious significance which have soared above Cambodia for millennia.

The manager of Phnom Penh’s Kite Museum says kite flying as a religious ceremony has had a long history in Cambodia, from before the 4th century BC. Today kite flying is still common in rural Cambodia, though city dwellers fly them only at the end of the rainy season and during full moon ceremonies. Farmers fly kites to celebrate a successful harvest, praying for good weather.

Traditionally they are made from inexpensive materials such as bamboo and bee’s wax, with a simple instrument which produces melodic tones as the kite flies.

The Khmer Kite Museum opened in 2003 and has examples of all styles. ‘We establish the Kite Museum because we want to keep tradition of Khmer Kites safe for the younger generation, it is part of our national identity’. The museum explains construction techniques, religious significance, and the history, ‘We want to teach people how to make and fly kites, sometimes we go outside to teach people if they ask’.

If you wish to visit the Kite Museum in Phnom Penh please contact Asia Adventures: info@asia-adventures.com

Edited from Cambodia Life Magazine (Aug 07)