BIRDHEAD KITE
Azizi Haji Abdullah
Azizi Haji Abdullah
◦was born in Kampung Bukit Meryam, Kota Kuala Muda Kedah, on 4 April 1942 in a deeply religious family
◦educated at Sekolah Melayu Bukit Meryam and Sekolah Melayu Kota Kuala Muda, Kedah up to grade six
◦studied at Dairatul Maarif Al-Wataniah Religious School, Kepala Batas
Seberang Perai
Azizi Haji Abdullah
◦started writing while in religious school, in the 60s
◦worked as a teacher and finally retired in 1997
◦after retirement, he became the editor -in -chief of Utusan Pengguna Pulau Pinang
◦became active as a columnist in local magazines such as Dewan Pelajar, Dewan Siswa, and others
◦wrote many novels and short stories during his time
Azizi Haji Abdullah
◦won Southeast Asian Writers Award in 1988
◦won the SOUTHEAST ASIA LITERATURE PRIZE in 2005 with Sangeetha, a novel published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
◦won second place, in the same year, in the Dewan Bahasa 50 years Novel
Competition with a novel entitled Harga Sebuah Maruah
Azizi Haji Abdullah
◦his works incorporate the values and messages of Islam
◦his career as a teacher influenced his style; his writings often bring up
issues of family and society
◦combined the values of tradition with modernity through several works such as Seorang Tua Di Kaki Gunung, Senja Belum Berakhir dan Menebus Maruah
Kite - Wau
◦called ‘wau’ because the shape of its wing is similar to an Arabic letter (wow)
◦wau is a unique leisure activity that is very popular among the Malay community, particularly in the East Coast
◦wau is played not only for entertainment purposes, but also competed mainly by farmers after the harvest of rice
◦as one of the Malay arts, wau is as important as other traditional games such as gasing or sepak takraw
Kite - Wau
◦contains elements of native Malay culture
◦can be seen in the patterns and designs found on the wau
◦it requires precision production, pattern composition and kite flying skills
◦main items to make wau are bamboo, yarn, paper, glue and a knife
◦wau has four main parts, namely the head, wings, tail and waist
Kite - Wau
◦among the kites produced are moon kites (wau bulan), bird kites (wau burung),
peacock kites (wau merak), cat kites (wau kucing) and fish kites (wau ikan).
wau bulan
Birdhead Kite – Wau Kepala Burung
◦has a basic shape like the regular moon kite but has a smaller body and head shape
◦among the most popular types of birds are the peacock kite and the eagle kite
◦the peacock kite is decorated with carvings in the shape of the pattern and colour of a peacock
◦the eagle kite is shaped like an eagle with a small beaked head
Birdhead Kite – Wau Kepala Burung
peacock kite
eagle kite
THE BIRDHEAD KITE
Azizi Haji Abdullah
Point of View
◦ third person point of view
◦Mother had gone to her younger son’s home in Kulim to seek a cure for her ailments. Father was left alone at home.
◦use of third person pronouns – “he”, “she”, “they”
◦the narrator is outside of the story, an observer
◦the narrator allows insights into Father’s thoughts and
emotions – help readers to understand the character better
Setting
◦place
◦Sg Petani , Kedah – the northern state in Peninsular Malaysia
◦Mother went all the way to Kulim to seek treatment ... The doctor in Sungai Petani could not help her anymore.
◦the kampung house – in the village – the paddy fields – Bukit Meryam (Meryam Hill) – in Kota Kuala Muda
◦time
◦1970’s Malaysia
◦social environment
◦village life – traditional and communal
◦close-knit Malay family
◦physical environment
◦quiet village life reflected in Father’s loneliness
Plot
◦exposition
◦a village (kampung) in Sg. Petani Kedah , paddy fields – Father was left at home (alone ) –Mother had gone to Kulim to seek medical treatment
◦Mother left him in the capable hands of their three children and also grandchildren
◦Father was terribly lonely – seen throughout the text
◦rising action
◦Father’s decision to make a kite from scratch (a birdhead kite) – together with his grandchildren
Plot
◦climax
◦the kite flying with his grandchildren
◦the kite was stuck in the tree branches and Father climbed the tree to bring the kite down and he fell down
◦falling action
◦Father’s fall to the ground and his six grandchildren carried him back home
◦resolution
◦tragic ending – Father died due to the ill-fated accident
◦ironic – Mother was the one that was ill but Father was the one that passed away
Characters
Father
◦ protagonist
◦ old – therefore dependent on the
people around him (Mother, children, grandchildren)
◦ religious – needed at the mosque
◦ lonely especially when Mother is not around
◦ loving husband and grandfather
◦ dynamic?
Characters
◦other characters:
◦Mother - static
◦is away, and very much missed by Father
◦devoted and independent
◦their children – flat characters
◦Ramli ( breakfast for father, when Mother was not at home)
◦Limah (lunch) + tend to Mother’s chickens and ducks
◦Mat (dinner) + responsible for Father’s meals
◦grandchildren
◦to keep Father company – they bring happiness to Father with their boisterousness
Themes
◦grandfather’s unconditional love towards his grandchildren
◦the children’s company makes Father happy
◦makes a kite for the children although making one requires some effort
◦although old, he climbed the tree to retrieve the kite from the tree branches to make his grandchildren happy
◦undying love and affection that is present between a husband &
wife
◦Father misses Mother very much and keeps thinking about her even when he knows that he is going to fall
◦Mother makes sure that Father is well taken care of while she is away
Burning Issues
◦loneliness, old age and companionship
◦Father keeps on repeating that he is lonely and alone as Mother is away in Kulim – as people get older, they seem to be in need of other people’s company
◦his children provide his meals but do not really give him company that he needs
◦so he turns to the grandchildren – by making them happy, he is also happy and less lonely and alone
◦our cultural heritage seems to be forgotten – wau and wau making
◦the writer seems to appreciate the Malay cultural heritage and through his writing, readers are also inducted into wau and wau making, and wau playing
Personal Response
◦as I was reading the story I cannot help but feel something ominous is going to happen, which is proven to be true at the end of the story
◦saddened by the ending of the story – death of Father and his longing for Mother, and the fact that Mother remains ignorant of his death
◦affected by Father’s love towards his grandchildren, and his willingness to do anything for them to make them happy
◦learned about wau and wau making – realised the richness of the Malay culture and our ignorance of our traditions
References
◦Fariz, M. D. (2011). Firtz Rules.!! Permainan Tradisional Wau. Retrieved February 16, 2022, from
https://wwwmyblogfirtz.blogspot.com/2011/05/permainan-tradisional-wau.h tml
◦warkahazizi. (2016). Warkah Azizi. Azizi Hj Abdullah dan Pemikirannya.
Retrieved February 16, 2022, from
https://warkahazizi.wordpress.com/2016/04/06/azizi-hj-abdullah-dan- pemikirannya/
