One of the joys of visiting villages in rural Malaysia is watching traditional games played. It is even better to participate in one of the games. Some of the simplest games children play come from nature, such as using red saga seeds as marbles, catching a wild spider to confront another spider, walking on “stilts” made from coconut shells, and using rubber seeds as conkers. However, there are many games that are also enthusiastically played by adults that often amaze viewers.
UPPER TURN
The top spin attracts excited cheers and screams from both spectators and players. It takes strength, skill and physical dexterity to throw a spinning top, which is as big as a Frisbees and weighs up to five kilograms. The tops are normally of two popular designs. Gaseous jantung is heart-shaped, while gaseous uri has a flattened shape. There are two types of competitions: endurance and knockout. In endurance competition, the gaseous uri is released and, once it spins, it is scooped up with a small wooden paddle. It is then transferred to a small post and allowed to rotate. The winner is the top that spins the longest; sometimes it can rotate for two hours. In a knockout competition, a player attempts to knock another player’s top out of a circle using their own top. The strings used to launch a spinning top are different for each of its functions. To maximize its twist, the rope is usually long and thin; whereas a spinning top used for striking is generally spun with a thick, short string. The execution of a throw by a top spinner master is performed with fluid but powerful movements. The cups are usually made from merbau and afzella trees, and cup-making requires great skill. Spinning competitions are often organized at the state, national and international level. Brunei, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand and Japan are among the enthusiastic participants in top spinning competitions.
TO FLY KITES
Kite flying can be seen across the country, though it is most popular on the east coast, where farmers fly them over level rice paddies after a harvest. A kite is usually 1.7 meters high and 1.5 meters from tip to tip of its wing. The most popular form of the kite is the crescent moon (wau bulan), although other forms are also found, which are abstract versions of animals such as cat, peacock, hawk, fish, eagle, and quail. The tail of a kite is decorated with tassels, while a bow is often attached to the neck. When the kite is flown, the bow produces a high-pitched hum. The bow is simply a strip of ribbon stretched over a strip of bamboo. A kite is made of bamboo strips and aluminum foil, and its artwork is usually formalized by tradition. For example, a mandatory element in traditional design is to have a large central flower or “ibu” in the center of the kite; furthermore, the vines must emanate from the base of the kite and logically connect.
There are two types of fashion kite flying competitions: cut and performance. In a cutting competition, a kite string is varnished with glass powder so that it can cut an opponent’s kite string and cause it to lose flight. In a performance competition, the judges select a winner based on the kite’s flight characteristics, such as a vertical throw, and the maximum height achieved.
UBI SLICE GAME
In Kelantan state, after the rice harvest, villagers play Reana Ubi is a popular pastime. An ubi slice is a giant drum measuring one meter in diameter and weighing 100 kg. It is made from a hollowed out log and painted in bright colors. Bamboo sticks decorated with tinsel and flowers fan out from their center like spokes on a bicycle. The drum produces a thunderous roll when struck with a stick. In a competition, players in traditional costumes compete in teams of six playing drums of different sizes. They are often dressed in traditional robes and headdresses, enhancing the joy and excitement of the event. They beat the drums continuously for 30 minutes, producing complex rhythms in harmony. The evaluation is based on the complexity and consistency of the players’ synchronized rhythm and movements.
CONGKAK
Played by two people, the congkak has existed since the time of the Melaka Sultanate in the 15th century. The equipment used is a wooden board in the shape of a boat with two rows of holes (usually 12) and a large hole (rumah) at each end. Each player’s rumah is the big hole on the left. The holes are filled with rubber seeds (or marbles). The goal of each player is to move the seeds clockwise through the holes into their rumah while observing various rules of the game. The player who gets the most seeds in the rumah wins.
GALAH PANJANG
This game does not require any equipment. It is played by two teams of no less than 4 players on each team. A play area consisting of a grid of six rectangles is required. A badminton court is an ideal place since the lines are already drawn. One team is the attacker while the other is the defender. The object of the game is for the attacking team to progressively enter the defending team’s area without being touched by any member of the defending team. The “attack” can be performed individually or in groups.
TARIK UPIH
The flower pod of the betel nut or the nibong palm is used in this speed game. A team consists of one person sitting on the upih and another person throwing it. The team that crosses the designated finish line first is the winner.
SEPAK BULU AYAM
With the literal meaning of “kicking chicken feathers”, this game only requires simple and inexpensive equipment. A nail is inserted through a 2-inch diameter circular piece of rubber. Rubber parts are usually cut from the inner tube of a bicycle tire. Five of the six chicken feathers are tied to the nail with ribbon or rubber band. The game can begin now! The object of the game is to kick the bulu ayam as many times as possible using only the instep of the feet. Therefore, players can compete individually or as a team.
MAIN LERENG
This game only requires the metal rim of a bicycle wheel and a stick. Individuals or teams use the stick to roll the bicycle tire over a predetermined distance. The winner is the player or team that completes the distance first.
