Askyfullofkites

Image description: This is a photograph of a sky during sunset. On the left side, we see some trees and colorful buildings, while on the right there are lighter-colored buildings. In the center, a red kite in flight stands out against the sky. The horizon is filled with scattered clouds, with shades of pink and yellow.

Few scenes express the Rio suburbs with as much meaning as a mosaic of kites in the sky. The dance of the tails, the bold maneuvers of the kite, the colorful dots in the firmament. However, this feature so present in the popular imagination when it comes to Rio's suburbs can today be seen in terms of resistance. The world is no longer the same as it was decades ago, and the “pipeiros” have started organizing themselves in order to keep this tradition alive.

For example: to work around the lack of time that the new dynamic between life and work imposes on those who have to commute for long hours and kilometers — something every suburban resident can relate to —, many are choosing to fly their kites at night. In Recreio dos Bandeirantes, in the West Zone, for instance, from 8pm until dawn the beach fills up with kite flyers. On a more “institutional” front, in 2021 the Rio de Janeiro City Council established “kite day” (June 29th). Also worth mentioning is the creation of associations, such as the Liga Carioca de Pipa Esportiva — which organizes eight state championships, one national championship, and one international championship every year — and APERJ (Associação de Pipas Artísticas e Esportivas do Estado do Rio de Janeiro).

Image description: The image is a photograph of a sky filled with colorful kites. On the left side, we see yellow and red kites flying in the air. In the center, there is a large kite with geometric shapes in blue, yellow, and red. On the right, white and yellow kites are also flying. At the bottom, two hands are holding the central kite, which has strings attached to it. The background is black, further highlighting the vibrant kites.

But most importantly, one major achievement of kite flyers has been the designation of public spaces for holding festivals and competitions (the so-called "pipódromos," legally recognized since 2019). The potential to transform open places -- even without a defined use -- into pipódromos represents the preservation of this tradition so dear to Rio's suburbs. Encounters and social bonds are formed in these spaces. Traditions are being established, such as the weekend festivals in the neighborhoods of Abolição, Água Santa, Maria da Graça, Cachambi, Inhaúma, and Marechal Hermes. Serra Alta, in Campo Grande, is the stage for the Rio x SP Kite Festival, with kite flyers from both states -- the 2014 edition brought together approximately 15 thousand people. In São Gonçalo, thousands of people gather inside and outside Clube Mauá every year to put on a true spectacle in the sky. These are competitions where the most beautiful and most creative kites are awarded prizes, championships that test the skill of those who fly their kites best, and festivals that simply aim to bring kite flyers together.

Image description: This is a photograph of an urban street with a boy standing in the middle of the sidewalk, looking back. On the left, there are several parked cars, including an old truck. In the background, there is an abandoned train standing on the tracks. On the right, there is a sign with the text "GESSO" and other advertising signs. There are many electrical wires hanging from the lamps and the wall.

What can be seen is a progressive professionalization of what used to be treated as mere play. But there is still the playfulness, the visual poetry that the dance of kites soaring in the sky evokes in those who watch and take part in the act. Children and teenagers, but also lawyers, doctors, businesspeople… a meeting of generations and distinct worlds around a common point, so characteristic of the visual universe of Rio's suburbs: a handful of kites streaking across the sky.