When I was a young boy the only way I enjoyed flying my kite was to make it from scratch. Mind you, most of the materials used in some cases were purchased — paper frame and polythene twine.

The paste was 99 per cent of the time readily available in the form of a small fruit commonly called ‘gamma cherry’ and in the case where the frame was not purchased the ‘ite (pronounced eetay) pointer’ was used.

‘Gamma cherry’ is a fruit which amazingly around Easter time is either ripe or green enough (depending on your perspective) to glue the paper used and ‘ite pointer’ came from the stripped leaves of the ‘ite’ palm.

I got the Easter feeling at least a week and a half before the actual day given that I grew up close to the seawall in the Kingston area and would be hearing the buzz of kites from around that time and I would have to join in.

I would generally paste two kites, one to use in the period up to Easter, and the second would be pasted on the day before the big day—Easter Monday.

The fist kite was usually not glamorous but more of a practice kite and was not necessarily colourful.

In the run up to Easter there were not too many kites in the air so the competition was not necessarily on looks but who could make the loudest buzz (to a young boy its called singing).

This was a traditional exercise and would happen religiously each day from the minute the first kite was pasted. Accidents do happen and like a first aid kit each youngster would go out to the seawall with his extra supplies. Heaven forbid that the kite should run into some difficulties.

In the event that this did happen there would be an emergency surgery and the recovery time was quick given that the gamma cherry glue dried relatively fast and it was back to action.

There was the eve of the big day. I would fly my kite along with neighbours and friends at the seawall and for anybody who has used the seawall for Easter fun with a kite would know that the number of kites that were all buzzing simultaneously, often enough to inevitably drown out your singing engine.

This caused the Easter eve to be especially special in that it was that day that there would be meticulous care in etching out a design for a kite that will be outstanding and carefully and as neatly as possibly pasted.

Perhaps the two most important parts to the kite are the tongue which causes the buzzing sound and the loop which in essence determines how the kite would fly if indeed it would.

The big choice was which loop to use: there is the mounting loop, this specific way of attaching the polythene used, to the kite’s frame would allow the kite to soar high above the others.

And then there is the pulling loop which when tied in a specific way will pull strongly and would even lacerate the palm if it were a huge kite.

I remember one particular occasion some time before I actually pasted my first kite. My grandparents and I were out on the seawall one Easter. My grandfather had pasted the kite. My grandmother allowed him to pass the polythene around my waste and he then knotted it.

At first they took charge of the rope but I said I wanted to take charge of my kite.

The moment they let go they had to burst into a sprint behind me as it appeared that kite want me to soar with it.

When they caught up with me my grandmother immediately cut me free but given that I did not understand the power of that dangerous pulling loop I cried for my kite, which I saw disappear into the blue sky.

Another thing that brings joy to the eyes of any wicked little kite flyer is the shortening of the anchor tail of the kite and attaching a razor blade to it.

Now when the kite has taken to the sky the lighter anchor that basically kept the kite stable in the air was no longer there and the kit would pitch profusely. This was called, “putting da kite fuh dance.”

On Easter Monday, the seawall is jam-packed with kites with the polythene holders in some cases a few feet away from each other, which was the reason for the razor blade.

I could only imagine the number of children I left in tears as they watched in confusion their beautiful creations flutter away as had happened to me on several occasions. That was Easter then.

Today I cannot imagine a child whose parents purchased a kite, feeling that bad when their kite meets a similar fate.

Another thing about Easter these days are the many mass produced bird kites.

I hate them; I cannot imagine myself letting up into the air a little plastic kite that I bought, and watch it flutter around silently and if the rains came down I had no need to scramble to get my kite out of the air and rush to protect it was it if were my child.

The absence of money is not necessarily a hindrance as “pointer broom” and paper, be it a book page magazine page, newspaper among others and thread, would yield the trusted ‘caddie ole punch.’

Punching way through the sheet of paper in a X with the pointer, tie loop with thread and a piece of tail could be found almost anywhere and ‘voila!’ you have a caddie ole punch.”

I haven’t flown a kite in a while but each year I am all too happy to help a youngster out and would make sure that whoever it was that participated in the creation of his or her own Easter kite, share the joy.

The kite has many functions and represents many different things in the many different cultures but I would like to believe it would always remain a source of joy for the young and young at heart.