Bourik with Kites

Climbing the mountains of Kenscoff recently where the hills are sonorous with picks and hoes Bourik BOS discovered it was planting season. Bourik also discovered that it is kite season. The skies are filled with make shift kites all around the city and the hills. Rooftops and hillsides are littered with children holding taut string maneuvering their model toys through the gnarly electrical, cable and aging phone lines as well as the unforgiving tree branches. The blue skies are flocked with child imaginations trying to dance their designs the highest. After kite season many of these lay waste to the wires and trees, the exact perils they desperately try to avoid in the air. Bourik came upon some novice and expert 7 and 8 year olds that have been making and flying kites, “since they were born.” Bourik talks with Makenson and Sonson.

BOS: What do you boys have there?
M&S: Kites!
BOS: You can fly kites?
M&S: Yes!
BOS: Stop here. Can I see the kite?
S: Yes, here.
BOS: Nice. So you boys made this kite?
S: Yes, I did. But these two aren’t done yet.
M: Give us five gouds.
BOS: What for?
S: So we can buy plastic for the kites.
BOS: Five gouds for plastic. Look there’s some plastic on the ground right there.
S: No that’s not good. It is too small.
BOS: But what about that one over there, that black plastic bag?
S: Hey (Garbled name of 3rd boy) bring your kite up here.
BOS: Who taught you how to make kites?
M: Nobody.
BOS: You just taught yourself how to make a kite?
M: Yes.
S: Hey give us five gouds so we can buy plastic for the kites.
BOS: You just taught yourself to make a kite? You didn’t see anyone else making one and learned that way?
S: Maybe I saw someone make a kite.
BOS: And how long have you been making kites?
S: Since I was born.
BOS: Hmmm… Since you were born? Where did you get the plastic for that kite that’s finished?
S: I bought it for 5 gouds. For both pieces the black and the clear.
BOS: So what type of wood do you use to make these kites?
M: Reed.
BOS: Reed?
M: Yes, that wood over there under the pine tree.
BOS: And you shave the wood with what?
S: With a knife.
BOS: You have a knife? Where did you get a knife?
S: Yes, I have a knife, a kitchen knife.
BOS: And what is this that you tie the reed together with, plastic?
M: No that’s not plastic, it’s sack.
BOS: A sack made of plastic?
M: Yes.
(Sonson leaves for 2 minutes and comes back with large dirty clear plastic)

BOS: Hey were did you get that plastic?
S: Up there.
BOS: Is that enough for the two kites?
S: Yes. It’ll suffice.
BOS: Where did you get that razor blade?
S: I bought it.
BOS: What are you doing with it?
S: I cut the plastic to fit the kite.
BOS: And why are you measuring that string that you’re attaching there?
S: So I can attach it to the middle for it to fly the right way.
BOS: Wait, you tie it to the tip of this reed and then measure it down to the center of the kite and then tie it back to the opposite tip of the other reed.
S: Yes, so it can fly balanced.
BOS: And what are you doing there?
S: I’m tying a tail to it.
BOS: Why are you tying a tail to it?
S: To steer it. So it doesn’t circle around and around.
BOS: Sonson, what are you doing biting the plastic?
M: He’s chewing on it to make it fly better.
BOS: Ok, you’re pulling the string through the hole. Hey little girl why aren’t you flying a kite?
M: Blan let me tell you something. She’s a girl. And girls don’t fly kites.
BOS: Little girl is this true?
LG: I don’t want to fly a kite.
BOS: Do you make kites?
M: Blan she’s a girl. She doesn’t make kites? Boys fly and make kites.
LG: I don’t want to make a kite.
M: Hey give us five gouds.
BOS: What for, Sonson already found plastic to cover both kites?
M: Hey blan this kid has a kite too. Get up here with your kite.
BOS: Where did you get that plastic for your kite?
LG: He bought it for 5 gouds.
TK: Liar! This cost only 2 ½ gouds!
BOS: Where did you buy it?
TK: At the market.
BOS: So can you guys fly your kites?
M: Yeah. Hey blan take a photo of the kites. Listen, that’s the sorcerer singing.
BOS: Why is he singing?
M: He is singing for Holy Saturday.
BOS: Where is he? I don’t see him.
M: He is on his porch of his house over there.
BOS: Ok, now I see him.
M: Take a photo of the kites.
BOS: Ok, stand there.
M: Hey blan, you aren’t going to give us five gouds?

Krèyol Version

BOS: Ti moun kisa ou genyen la?
M&S: Kap!
BOS: Ou ka monte kap?
M&S: Wi!
BOS: Kanpe la. Ba m gade kap la.
S: Men li.
BOS: Li bel. Donk, ou te fè kap la?
S: Wi m te fè li. Men 2 sa yo poko fet.
M: Bay nou 5 gouds.
BOS: Poukisa?
S: Pou nou ka achte plastik pou fè kap yo.
BOS: Senk gouds pou plastik?! Gade, gen plastik sou tè a la.
S: Non, sa a pa bon. Li twou piti.
BOS: Enbyen e sa a la, sache plastik nwa?
S: Ti gason (Garbled name of 3rd boy) vini avek kap ou.
BOS: Kiyes montre ou fè kap?
M: Pa gen pèson ki montre m.
BOS: Ou menm ki aprann tèt ou pou fè kap yo?
M: Wi.
S: Bay nou 5 gouds pou nou ka achte plastik pou kap yo.
BOS: Ou jis aprann tèt ou pou fè kap yo? Ou pa wè yon moun fè kap epi aprann konsa?
S: Se petet m te wè yon moun fè l.
BOS: Depi konbyen ane ou kon fè kap?
S: Depi m fet ou kon fè kap.
BOS: Hmmm… Depi ou te fet? Kote ou te jwenn plastik pou kap sa a ki fini?
S: M te achte pou 5 gouds. Pou toulede sa a ki nwa e klè.
BOS: Ki kalite bwa ou sèvi avek pou fè kap yo?
M: Wozo.
BOS: Wozo?
M: Wi bwa sa a ki anba bwa pen.
BOS: Epi ou kale bwa ave kisa?
S: Avek yon kouto.
BOS: Ou gen yon kouto? Kote ou te jwenn yon kouto?
S: Wi m genyen, yon kouto manje.
BOS: E kisa sa ye ou mare bwa wozo avek, plastik?
M: Non se pa plastik se sak.
BOS: Yon sak ki fè nan plastik?
M: Wi.
(Sonson monte pi wo pou 2 minit epi li tounnen avek yon plastik ki klè e sal)
BOS: Kote ou te jwenn plastik sa a?
S: Anwo la.
BOS: Eske sa a ka sifi pou 2 kap yo?
S: Wi lap sifi.
BOS: Kote ou te jwenn gilet sa a?
S: M te achte li.
BOS: Kisa wap fè ave li?
S: M koupe plastik pou mete l sou kap la.
BOS: E poukisa wap mezi kòd la wap atache?
S: Pou m ka atache nan mitan kap la pou li ka byen vole.
BOS: Tann mwen ou mare li sou pwen bwa wozo a la epi ou mezi li pou rive nan pwen mitan an la epi ou rive nan lòt pwen bwa wozo a la.
S: Wi pou li ka byen balanse lè m monte l.
BOS: E kisa wap fè la?
S: Map bay li yon ke.
BOS: Poukisa wap bay li yon ke?
S: Pou kontwole l. Pou li pa fè sek e sek.
BOS: Sonson, poukisa wap mode plastik la?
M: Lap mode l pou li ka vole pi byen.
BOS: Enbyen, wap rale kòd la nan ti tou a. Ti fi poukisa ou pap monte kap la?
M: Blan ba m di ou yon bagay. Li se yon fi. E fi yo pa monte kap yo.
BOS: Ti fi eske se vre?
LG: M pa vle monte kap.
BOS: Eske ou kon fè kap?
M: Blan li se yon fi. Li pa fè kap yo? Se gason ki monte e fè kap yo.
LG: M pa vle fè yon kap.
M: Bay nou senk goud.
BOS: Poukisa, Sonson deja jwenn plastik pou kap yo?
M: Blan timoun sa a gen yon kap tou. Vini avek kap ou.
BOS: Kote ou jwenn plastik sa a pou kap ou?
LG: Li te achte l pou 5 goud.
TK: Monti! Sa a koute 2 goud edmi!
BOS: Kote ou te achte?
TK: Nan maket la.
BOS: Donk, eske ou tout ka monte kap ou?
M: Men wi. Blan prann yon foto sou kap yo. Tande, bòkò ap chante.
BOS: Poukisa lap chante?
M: Lap chante pou samdi sent.
BOS: Kote li ye? M pa wè l.
M: Li sou galri l. Laba.
BOS: Men wi, me wè kounye a.
M: Prann foto kap yo.
BOS: Ok, kanpe la.
M: Blan, ou pa bay nou senk goud?