Jarua Ya Kha (Thai Cogongrass Leaf Rocket) — Strip a Cogongrass Leaf 5 cm Down from its Midrib, Grip it as a Launcher and Flick the Rib away with a Forefinger

"The hand holding the leaf grips it firmly as the launch pad; the forefinger is the rocket's trigger." (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, CC BY 4.0)

Pick cogongrass leaves from a good plant, of even width, by hand or with a knife. Cogongrass shoots are sharp and the leaves can cut skin; it suits older children.

There is a midrib down the middle of the leaf. With your fingers, pull both sides of the leaf down from it by about 5 cm.

With one hand hold the two stripped halves, left and right, the leaf lying along the hand and pointing forward. Put the forefinger of the other hand under the rib, resting on the gripping hand, and flick the rib away. The gripping hand holds firm as the launch pad.

Drawings of making and playing the grass rocket (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, CC BY 4.0).

Launch it into the sky, or set rules: shoot through a hoop, see whose goes furthest, hit a target. Cogongrass shoots are sharp and the leaves can cut skin; it suits older children.

Cogongrass grows everywhere in the humid tropics; its leaves are long, narrow and sharp-edged, used for thatch and fodder. Children trim the leaf to fly further or higher. Cogongrass shoots are sharp and the leaves can cut skin; it suits older children. Source: Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Traditional Objects of Everyday Use database, "จรวดหญ้าคา" (CC BY 4.0 licence). **Limits** There is no listing for cogongrass leaves, so they are named in the text.