Malaysia’s dying art: A master kite-maker shares his passion

‘I need to make kites every day, if not I can’t sleep,’ says the 69-year-old Shafie. He began making them when he was a young boy, skipping classes to entertain his flights of fancy. Photos: AFP

Shafie Jusoh loves traditional Malaysian kites so much that he can’t get a good night’s rest unless he’s been working on them daily.“I need to make kites every day, if not I can’t sleep,” said the 69-year-old. He began making them when he was a young boy, skipping classes to entertain his flights of fancy.

“If you don’t do it everyday, you will lose the technique,” he added.