The large bird-like khleng ek musical kite is an icon of Cambodian culture. Yet it almost disappeared during the repressive regime of the Khymer Rouge during their reign of terror from the early 1970's to the mid-1990's. 
It is amazing to me that the flying of kites can be seen as something that must be banned by radical governments. Most recently it was the ban on kite building and flying in Afghanistan during the rule of the religously based Taliban regime. However, before the Afghan situation there was the ban on kite flying instituted by the radical Khymer Rouge 'government' of Cambodia when they seized power in the 1970's.
Only recently has the long established tradition of flying these special Cambodian musical kites been resurrected. Since the re-establishment of a normalized government in Cambodia the traditions of making and flying kites during the harvest season has slowly been gaining strength and is growing across the nation.
Some background . . . . . . . .
During the wars that swept the South East Asian countries in the 1970's, a local Communist movement known as the Khymer Rouge emerged in Cambodia. The Khymer Rouge began a large-scale insurgency against government forces in 1970, quickly gaining control over more than two thirds of the country. The strength of the Khmer Rouge rose dramatically from around 3,000 in 1970 to more than 30,000 in 1973, enabling most of the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops who were controlling Cambodia to withdraw.
In 1975 the Kymer Rouge movement, led by Pol Pot, overthrew the Cambodian government, establishing “Democratic Kampuchea.” The new government carried out a radical program of evacuating cities, closing schools and factories, and herding the population into collective farms. Intellectuals and skilled workers were assassinated, and a total of perhaps as many as 1.5 million died, inclusive of starvation and forced marches.
The famous 1984 Hollywood movie The Killing Fields (3 Academy Awards) portrayed the frightening era in a chilling fashion by telling the story of Dr. Haing S. Nor and an American journalist played by Sam Waterston.
After a horrible period of ethnic cleansing and terror the country gradually returned to normalcy when UN brokered elections were held and much of the Khymer Rouge force defected against leader Pol Pot and allowed the nation to resume traditional life. The period from early 1970 through the early 1990's was one of inhumanity and political repression.
Now, a return to tradition and the peace loving nature of the Cambodians has resumed. Musical kites, known as khleng ek, are once again appearing in the skies at harvest time. These large bird like kites, most measuring seven feet wide and tall, are fitted with a bamboo reed that can sound up to seven tones while sailing in the wind. The tradition of the khleng ek goes back to about 400 BC. Many of the kites resemble images found on the walls of the historic temple ruins at Angkor Watt. The kites were flown as part of a prayer for rain to water their crops and to give thanks for bountiful harvests.
An excellent news article about the khleng ek has been written by Kanarith Soceat of the Associated Press is carried in today's Detroit Free Press.
Thankfully, this cultural link with the past has endured the horrors of the period of Cambodian genocide and repression. Fittingly music from the rich cultural past is once again heard on high, borne by the khleng ek!
For more information on the khleng ek I recommend the following sites:
- The Asian Reporter: features another story by Kanarith Soceat about Cambodian kite maker Reung Saret who is one of the leaders of the resurgence of the khleng ek.
- Khymer Kites History: a fascinating and detailed chronology of the khleng ek over the centuries. Includes structural information about the kite's construction as well.
- National Kite Museum of Cambodia: located in Phnom Pehn, this cultural museum is the source of some of the finest examples of khleng ek and kandaung kites in existence. Excellent photographs of the kites at this site.
- Cambodian Kites at the Drachen Foundation web site: The Drachen Foundation's site is always one of the most authoritative locations for kite information due to its extensive archives and resource collection.
- Cambodian Musical Kite Bow: this site provides an excellent overview of the khleng ek. It also provides a sound clip of the khleng ek in flight. Be sure to scroll down as the first part of the site is in the German language.
- Cambodian Kite Tour: This site has excellent pictures and text. It outlines a tour of various historical sites in Cambodia. Some amazing kite photos among the old ruins and in the countryside.