By Aaliyah McFarlane
Easter brings Anthony Taylor much joy because it is the season for kite making, a trade he loves, and selling kites brings another kind of excitement which he says he derives from the glow on the faces of children who come with their parents to purchase their favourite designs.
Taylor, 49-year-old, has been making kites for over 37 years and is considered a fixture at the Tucville Bridge every Easter Season. Taylor, whose other trade is masonry, recalled making his first kite at the age of eight after learning the tricks-of-the-trade from his uncle who passed away years ago. The first kite he made was the evergreen ‘Caddy Ol’ Punch.’ He used pointers, kite paper and glamma cherry, a gum from a local plant. He immediately recognized that he was good at the art, and years later, it has become his go-to trade. Even though he is a mason, he continues to enjoy making and selling kites. He starts to sell at 6:00 am which is when he combines making and selling kites until 6:00 pm in the evening.
