Kurdshop – Kite maker Zahid Mungan from Mardin, North part of Kurdistan, has won a gold medal for making a three-dimensional peacock kite and participated in a festival in China.
Zahid Mungan is 32, an artist from Mardin, North part of Kurdistan. He has been using kites since childhood and has been doing it for 26 years.
Zahid Mungan has traveled to 30 countries to make kites professionally. He has put together 2000 pieces with a special technique of 40 pieces, and he made a peacock and a rabbit kite in 5 months and participated in the 40th Weifang International Kite Festival.
Zahid Mungan won a gold medal in the three-dimensional winged butterflies category with a peacock kite. He also won a bronze medal in the "Beautiful Kite" category.
He says his passion for kites started at an early age and the rich culture of Mardin is reflected in his kites.
“All the cultural assets of the city and its legends are depicted in my kites,” Mungan said. For instance, I have made Shamaran, the quadrupeds used for cleaning our streets, and pigeon kites. Finally, I made a peacock, which is sacred to the Yezidis.”
According to Zahid Mungan, he faced many obstacles in making the peacock kite and completed the work in five months with the technique of forty pieces. "In making the kite, I sewed all the pieces together and made it like this. It was very difficult for me. I tried hard to sew all the parts. The kite is 6 meters long and 5 meters wide," he said.
“I have participated in many such events so far, but since 10 years ago I wanted to participate in the International Chinese Kite Festival,” Zahid Mungan said, explaining: “When you talk about winged kites, first of all, China and Weifang come to mind. It is the capital of the kites. I was invited to that festival. I flew the peacock kite and became the world champion. My kite attracted a lot of attention. Hundreds of participants from about 60 countries participated. Because I won first place, I am tremendously gratified and rewarded for my hard work.”
