Top Five Most Popular Traditional Children’s Games in Indonesia

Article written by: Edwin SOLAHUDDIN

ASEAN-Korea blog correspondent, Indonesia

Like any other children in any other parts of the world, Indonesian children love to play games. As an archipelagic country inhabited by hundreds of different ethnic groups, Indonesia is rich in traditional children’s games.

The traditional children’s games in Indonesia are varied, and unlike their more “modern” counterparts, these games are good for the children’s physical  development since most of the them involve physical activity such as walking, running, squatting and others. Traditional games are also good for the children’s psychological development since they teach children how to socialize, make friends, cooperate, compete fairly and many other things.

Unfortunately, like any other traditional thing, the traditional children’s games in Indonesia are fading away fast, since they cannot compete with more “modern” games which are far more sophisticated and entertaining, despite that according to many studies, modern games especially video games have negative effects on children.

In order to remind ourselves of the Indonesian traditional children’s games, followings are top five most popular traditional children’s games in Indonesia:

1.Congklak (Mancala)

Congklak Board

Yosri/Wikipedia.org

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/YosriCongkak1.jpg

Congklak or Mancala in English is one of the most popular traditional games in Indonesia long before the era of electronic games. Congklak has many names in Indonesia since nearly every region has its own name for this board game.

Congklak is definitely a game for girls, despite that it can be played by boys too. This is a two player game who sit on the opposite side of the board facing each other.

Congklak is played on a congklak board using 98 (14 x 7) congklak pieces. In the past, congklak board was made of wood, while its pieces was made of shells (a more modern version is made of plastic)

Congklak board has 16 holes of which 14 of them are small holes, which made up of two rows of seven holes each. Each player has two large holes on the right side of the congklak board. Sevencongklak pieces are placed in each of the 14 holes. The game begin with one player picking up all of the pieces in any one of the holes on her/his side  While moving counter-clockwise, the player deposits one of the pieces in each hole until the pieces run out.

If she/he run into her/his own big hole, she will deposit one piece in it. If she/he run into her/his opponent’s big hole, she/he will skip it. If the last piece she/he drops is in her/his big hole, she/he will get a free turn. If the last piece he/she drops is in an empty hole on her/his side, she/he captures the piece and any pieces in the hole directly opposite. All captured pieces are placed in the respective player’s big hole.

The game is over when all the seven small holes on one side of the board are empty. The player who still has pieces on her/his side of the board when the game ends captures all of those pieces. The winner is the player with the most pieces.

2. Galah Asin

Galah Asin or Galasin or Gobak Sodor is another traditional children’s game that is popular in Indonesia, especially in 1980s to 1990s. This is a teamwork game which consists of two teams, comprising 3 to 6 members each. In this game, the two teams were divided into a defensive team and an offensive team. The task of the defensive team is to prevent the opponent from entering its base, while the task of the offensive team is to penetrate into the opponent’s base.

Galasin is played in a rectangular field which was divided into three to five horizontal lines and one vertical line. A member of the defensive team will guard each horizontal line, while another member called “halilintar” (thunder)  will watch the vertical line. The offensive team must be able to cross each line until reaching the opponent’s base without being touched by the members of the defensive team. If a member of an offensive team was touched by the members of the defensive team then he/she will be taken as hostage. If all members of the offensive team were taken hostages then the defensive team wins the game, while if a member of the offensive team is able to reach the base the defensive team then the offensive team wins the game.

3. Petak Umpet (Hide and Seek)

Two children play petak umpet

http://permata-nusantara.blogspot.com/2009/02/permainan-petak-umpet.html

Other traditional children’s game that is equally popular is petak umpet. This game is similar to hide and seek game that is popular among European or American children.

In this game, one of the children (designated as “kucing” (cat)) will try to find the other childen who conceal themselves in the environment. The “cat” will stand facing a tree or  a wall, which will serve as his/her base while at  the same time closing his/her eyes and counting until ten. At the same time, the other children will conceal themselves in the environment. When he/she has finished counting, the “cat” will try to find the other players.

While searching for the other children, the “cat” must always stay alert and keeps his/her eyes on his/her base. Because if the other players touch the base then the “cat” loses her/his game and must repeat his/her role as “cat.”

If the “cat” successfully finds the other players, then the first child caught will become the next “cat.”

4. Layang-Layang (Kite)

Layang-Layang Shape

Shizao/Wikipedia

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/US646375.png

Layang-layang or Kite is another traditional children’s game in Indonesia that is still quite popular until today. To play layang-layang game one must have a layang-layang or layangan which was made of wooden/bamboo sticks, a string and a paper. Another string was used to control the movement oflayang-layang in the air.

There are two types of layang-layang game, one is for recreational purpose, in which layang-layangwas beatifully shaped and decorated. The other is for competition or figther kite, in which two kite players pit their kites against each other in order to cut other player’s kite down. To achieve this purpose, a ground glass powder was glued to the kite’s string which is able to sever other kite’s string.

Children play egrang

http://disparbud.jabarprov.go.id/wisata/dest-det.php?id=996&lang=en

Egrang or jajangkungan is a running competition using a device called egrang or jajangkungan which was made of two bamboo poles with a length of 1.5 to 3 meters each, equipped with steps for the feet to stand on.

In this game, each kid will ride an egrang which will make him/her taller than usual. When walking or running with egrang, the player’s feet will rest on the footrests while his hands will hold the upper part of the bamboo poles. Then they will engage in a running competition in which the fastest runner wins the game. Alternatively, the children were divided into two groups and each group will try to bring down the members of other group from their egrang.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kite

http://disparbud.jabarprov.go.id/wisata/dest-det.php?id=996&lang=en

http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kategori:Permainan_tradisional_di_Indonesia

http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Layang

http://www.kaskus.us/showthread.php?t=5756191

http://palingseru.com/5745/10-permainan-tradisional-anak-indonesia