Massihullah shares the importance of Kite Flying to Afghan Culture
Our brilliant Production Assistant for Fly With Me, Massi, tells us about all things kite flying! Read his thoughts on the ancient Afghan art form, as well his message of hope and love, below.
Why are you excited about Fly With Me?
This is one of my favourite projects and it is an amazing opportunity for me and many others to enjoy flying kites. I have not flown a kite since I left Afghanistan and to know that soon I will be doing it again is making Fly With Me so special to me. The wider the festival, the more people will attend, the more fun it will be. We’re aiming for Fly With Me to have a huge number of participants/audience all around Europe – and as an audience and team member I will be very excited to see this and cannot wait for it to happen.
Why do you think it’s important that Fly With Me is happening?
Fly With Me acts as a hope for me. It is giving people who have suffered deeply inside and outside Afghanistan something to look forward to. Kite flying is something people from Afghanistan are all familiar with and it is from their own culture, which can give them a little comfort in these sad and overwhelming times.
What is it about kite flying that you love?
The gathering of friends and family - it is a blessing to gather together and fly kites with the people you love. Sometimes we compete with strangers who have come with their own family which is very fun and that is a way of making more friends. I enjoy having fun and seeing lots of smiles around - and the little dish and snacks we used to take with us and helping each other with everything was what I loved the most. The best part was running after the lost kite that was in the air, someone would lose the competition and everyone would start running after the lost kite and in the end, no one would get it because it would get ripped before touching the ground.
What else have you been doing over the last year or so? Tell us a bit more about you!
I am Massihullah Safa from Afghanistan. I moved to England when I was 16 and half and have lived as a refugee since. I am a student, just finished studying access to higher education at Southwark College and will start my University in September. I am also an Associate Artist for Compass Collective and I work as a youth mentor for the Silver Lining Fostering Agency. I have been a volunteer for the British Red Cross since 2020 which I always have the most fun doing. I do acting from time to time and love being in front of the camera. I love playing football, reading books, watching theatre shows, walks and working with computers.
What is your top tip for someone who is learning to fly a kite?
Kite flying seems easy but it honestly is not. It can even cut one or two fingers if someone is fully new and not careful. So my top tips are all about safety!
1. To be on the safe side, roll sellotape on the middle and index finger (depending on the strength of the wind).
2. Keep kids one or two metres away unless you’re helping them to hold the string!
3. Make sure there are no rocks or steep downhill as you might trip over or fall down the hill while looking up at the kite.
4. No eating or drinking while you are holding the taar (the string).
Fly With Me is an international kite flying festival taking place on Saturday 20th August 2022. One year since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, people everywhere will remember and preserve Afghan culture through the simple, joyful act of kite flying. Together, we will commemorate an ancient art form which is once again under threat.
Read more about Fly With Me, and find out how you can take part, by following this link!
