When I was a kid, there were just so many games that I love playing with my siblings. I might never know what I was playing but how much I love it, I remember it well. Only now that I have grown up and living my life as a young adult, while doing research about the wonderful people of Minang, I finally I know that I’ve played 3 of the most famous games in the world that was brought on by the Minagkabau people. There are of course other games like sepak raga, wau and galah panjang but 3 of the most common ones would be ketinting, batu seremban and congkak where I have personally experience for myself.
The number one game that I have played was hop-scotch or as the Minang people name it, Ketinting. This game is actually preferred by the girls but seeing my brother playing along with us all when we were kids, I say this game is preferred by all the kids. We started off by drawing lines in the sand by using a stick or by using chalks to draw on a tarred road nearby our house. The lines should be completed after there are nine boxes have been drawn. There should be at least 2 players or more and the players would need a rock or what they call it, Gundu which is for the players to throw into any of the boxes and pick it up later when coming back hopping using only one leg.
The other game is Batu Seremban or in English we call it Five Stones. I love this game as it tests our mental and physical strength. I and my friends and siblings were very competitive and so, we will all play with our opponents’ mind for them to lose. This game challenges our speed to catch the stones before it falls down to the ground. In a way, you sort of juggle the stones. From the very beginning, they use actual stones but they change it by using handmade stones where they stitch up cottons or any other materials to 3cm triangles and filled them up using green peas.
The famous Congkak game was also came from the people of Minang. This game was invented from the start of Kesultanan Melayu Melaka but wasn’t sure whether it was invented through outsiders’ influence that came from merchants or it was really invented by the Minangs. Anyway, Congkak was made from wood with 20 wholes. 18 of the holes, 9 from each sides was called kampong and the other 2 holes, 1 big hole for each player at their right sides was called Rumah which means home. For each of the kampong, there will be 7 marbles or what they call it buah congkak. The game was easy and fun even for just two players.
These games don’t just symbolize the people of Minangkabau people but also symbolizes the country of Malaysia. The best thing that I learn about this culture and their games is how they made these games’ material and objects using what they have during those times that technology and fancy materials exists. The creativity that they have displayed was remarkable and something that It’s hard to be seen these days. Therefore, children today should learn about these games as well so that these traditional games will continue to go on and the creativity of how the ancient people have contributed will never be forgotten since all these traditional games doesn’t just contribute to fun and excitement, it also contributes to the world of art with all the beautiful carvings and lovely paint job.
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