DIY Flame poi.

Today I helped out at the BLIA temple in Hurstville, i felt useless and could of possible caused more problems by trying to solve on of theirs. Didn't go to training today, its been quite a while since i trained wushu/martial arts/lion dancing/whatever properly. I just can't put in everything i have into it. When I'm there i just feel like shit again and have no motivation to continue, maybe this is the end? Still feeling like shit and depressed as usual i wanted some fun company. With no one available i wanted to die... Again..

Over this long weekend (or since Friday/Saturday) i discovered a group on facebook called "Fire Fairies" Basically it's a group of pyro's who get together every fortnight in Sydney and just jam with flame staffs, flame poi and drums and just have a good time i assume.

There is a place in Newtown which sells this type of gear (I'm yet to find out the exact location) but being the long weekend i highly doubted it would be opened for business. So instead of being stupid and pathetic I decided to make my own makeshift flame poi!

""Poi" is the Maori word for "ball" on a cord. Poi is a form of juggling where the balls are swung around the body with the purpose of enhancing dance and rhythm. The Poi was used, many years ago, by the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand to increase their flexibility and strength in their hands and arms as well as improving coordination." http://www.homeofpoi.com

Now a days thousands of people around the world partake in this tradition. There are all sorts of Poi, there are the traditional fabric ones, tailed Poi, Sock poi, poi flags, LED poi and of course there are flame poi.

Because of my wushu training in the double broadsword i already have the ambidextrous skill of twirling things in both hands. Hell i already do this to much around. So starting off was not as dangerous for me as it would be for others. So i figured how hard can making one of these things be, i can at lest make one for fun and if i really like it i can actually go out and buy one, or two.

"Easy" i said, I just need a weight, a nonflammable rope/string and material to act as the wick...


















I got two blocks of wood drilled a hole with my useless drill, i got fabric string as the rope and intended on keeping that wet to keep it from burning (or in this case melting).

















Then I nailed on cheap nylon fabric to soak in the kerosene and presto! My very own flame Poi.

















Starting off. Now when i first soaked in the kerosene i wasn't how much or little to soak in so i just did ..... "that" much. I had trouble figuring out how i should light it without lighting my face on fire at the same time. But when i got it i was amazed, it was then i realised i have never actually done anything like this before. Hearing the kerosene burn listening, burning even stronger when mixed with more air, feeling the warmth swing by my legs. It was exhilarating!















Look at me go! It was relatively easy and i wasn't afraid. I guess playing with Glenns chain whip helped out a lot. The nylon string i used was borderline substantial and i had to continuously dampen it every time i relit.













The string failed on me and fell off. Dangerous? Very! Did i lose my eyebrows? Just maybe.
















I kept going. Notice the second source of light to the right. Yup I didn't bother to put it out.


















End product, so it turns out my poi is a one time use only. The nylon worked ok in soaking up the kerosene but once it burned out it would char and melt the nylon and so there was still kerosene left to be burned underneath the surface layer. I did manage to actually burn myself today playing with the poi, only noticed while i was typing this up, It's itchy but it's small.

















My fingers are slowly healing. Still very annoying, I'm wearing gloves with alot of the things i do now so i can avoid washing my hands. Moisture on the skin almost resets the healing and goes back to looking horrible.






















Is this Poi the birth or something new? I hope so. I do intend to buy some proper Poi to practice with and hopefully meet tons of new people also maybe if i continue with wushu Sifu can teach me the double chain whip and i can perform with the flame poi! That would be cool.


*All i want to do is to keep myself busy so 'Time' will pass and hopefully heal more than just my fingers. So i have been watching "How i met you mother" Good show, good time waster. So fucking annoying to how relative it is to me. Up to season two now, sometimes i get angry, sometimes i feel i should cry. Fuck Fuck fuck! So not the series to watch if you are in my position right now. But good show none the less.