| by Sarah Wong |
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a bunch of kites flying in the sky!
Welcome to the return of the annual Borneo International Kite Festival (BIKF). This year saw the 16th edition of the BIKF come back stronger than ever, with colourful pieces of artwork flown into the air to showcase kite lovers’ creativity and enthusiasm. Held at the Bintulu Old Airport grounds, visitors from all over the world and from Borneo came together for this unique celebration of arts and culture.
This was the first BIKF since the pandemic, which has halted any festivals from 2020 to 2022. BIKF 2023 was celebrated with much gusto as kite-flyers from 41 countries joined in the fun, and throngs of the Bintulu community gathers at the venue site, to witness hundreds of kites built to all shapes and sizes dotting the skyline. Kite-making workshops were also held featuring the massive Malaysian ‘Wau’ kite, which is considered a work of art.
A storytelling session depicting “the Wind Story” was another program that enthralled visitors at the festival. Various dance performances were held by the BLF Dance Group, from modern dance to a traditional dance that showcased Malaysian culture. Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) Deputy Chairman, Dato Haidar Khan Asghar Khan, said that “The last five days of this year’s event have been wonderful; a festival enjoyed not only by the entire community in Bintulu but the whole of Sarawak.”
www.borneokites.com
