Traditional Games - Definition, Benefits, Types, and Examples

Traditional games are games that are greatly missed by the 90s generation. This is because during this era, they are rarely seen being played by children. There are many benefits and philosophies implied in traditional games themselves. The following is the definition of traditional games and why they are called traditional.

Definition of Traditional Games

According to KBBI, the word “traditional” means according to tradition or custom. With that understanding and combined with the word game, traditional games are games that are closely related to the traditions of the local community and in accordance with the customs of a place. Often, this game competition idea is held to commemorate Independence Day on August 17 every year.

So what is the boundary when compared to modern games? The boundary is that traditional games usually use simple materials and items that are commonly found in the daily lives of the community. For example, shaped wood, wooden sticks, bricks, and the like.

Meanwhile, modern games are usually made from materials produced by factories or games that are closely related to current technological advancements. Such as brick toys, smartphone games, and so on.

Benefits of Traditional Games

In terms of benefits, all games are made to eliminate boredom. However, traditional games have additional values, such as building self-confidence, training concentration and agility of body members, fostering friendships, teaching how to cooperate with others, and turning simple things into enjoyable activities, making them very suitable as games for elementary school children.

On average, traditional games use physical activity. This is very different from modern games that are more focused on brain exercises. With games dominated by physical movements, it indirectly also serves as exercise. This is why children of the past were more agile compared to young children today. You can observe most young children today.

Examples of Traditional Games

There are many traditional games that you can find in Indonesia, as Indonesia itself is rich in tribes and customs. Each tribe has its own traditional games.

However, the following are traditional games that are more common and widely played by children of the past.

Fortress Game

For children born in the 90s, this game is no stranger. Even in schools, children usually use poles as representations of their fortresses. For those who do not understand how to play the fortress game, it is similar to the game Mobile Legends. 

The way to play is by forming two groups, each consisting of 3 to 5 people. Each group's task is to protect their fortress from being invaded by the opposing group. Members of the opposing group can be captured if the fortress guard holds the fortress and touches the opponent. A group whose members are all captured is considered to have lost. The fortress that is successfully held/invaded by the opponent is also considered to have lost.

This game has both attacking and defending modes. Aggressive and reckless attacks can lead to being captured. Meanwhile, always defending is also not good, as the opponent may succeed in holding the fortress when team members are careless.

This traditional fortress game is very energy-draining and is one of the most effective ways to sweat. Besides sweating, you also learn to create the right strategy to win against the opposing group.

Enggrang or Egrang

The egrang game is not only known in Indonesia but also abroad. This game trains agility and balance. The author has also played egrang but did not master it completely.

You can try this egrang game with long bamboo sticks that have small bamboo pieces attached for footrests. Usually, those who are skilled have their footrests further from the ground.

Dakon or Congklak

This traditional game is called dakon in the author's area. However, in most places in Indonesia, it is better known as congklak. This game uses seeds from fruits. Usually, it uses sapodilla seeds.

There is a congklak board that contains 20 holes that will be filled with the sapodilla seeds. The holes are divided into 2 groups. The first group has one large hole and nine small holes. The same goes for the second group, which has the same holes.

It is said to win in this dakon game if you manage to collect sapodilla seeds in your large hole. The game involves deciding which small hole to take the contents from. After that, you must distribute one seed to each hole until the seeds in your hand run out. Where the seeds run out, you have the opportunity to distribute those seeds again. This continues until you find a hole without seeds. If that happens, it is the opponent's turn to do the same.

This game is indeed not physically exhausting, but it still tires the brain because you have to think of strategies to win. This is not easy, as the opponent also has strategies.

Ball Bekel

The bekel ball game emphasizes hand agility in holding both the ball and the bekel. Usually, this game is played by girls. In this game, you are said to win if you can hold all the bekel fruits and arrange them in the same shape. There is an agreed sequence of shapes. Each region has its own rules.

Cooking with Leaves

For those who have ever been scolded by neighbors for damaging their plants to play cooking, you surely know how fun this game is. As children, imagination is highly developed. Even adults see it as just leaves being torn apart. However, for children, it is a dish cooked by a Master Chef.

This traditional cooking game using leaves is usually played by girls. However, it is not impossible for boys to play it too. Usually, besides leaves, there are sand, crushed bricks, along with pebbles included in this game.

Making Agar-Agar from Pomelo Sap

Have you ever made this? The author has, you know. Usually, during certain fruit seasons, pomelos can be obtained at relatively cheap prices. For children, the leftover pomelo peels are not considered waste. In fact, they are treasures.

Boys usually make boats from pomelo peels. Some also make toy cars with wheels that are also made from pomelo peels. For girls, it gets even more extreme. The pomelo is grated and then mixed with water. The grated pomelo peel is squeezed until a light red color comes out. After that, it is left for a few hours. Eventually, the squeezed water will thicken and harden like agar-agar.

Once it becomes like that, of course, it is made into toys with friends. Usually, this comes as a package with the cooking game using leaves.

Jump Rope

Almost every child from the 90s has played this jump rope game. The rope itself is usually made from rubber bands. Some are not doubled, while others are doubled several times. The author has made this jump rope from rubber that is tripled. The reason for doubling is to make it less likely to break.

This jump rope game usually starts from a low height, which is ankle height. Over time, it can get very high, up to the height of a small child's arms raised above. Can you imagine how high that is? Can it be jumped that high? The good news is yes. Children of the past were truly extreme when it came to traditional games involving physical activity.

Those are some of the traditional games that were often played by children born in the 90s. In fact, there are still many more such as: marbles, hide and seek, kites, hompimpah, patil lele, police and thief, long short hand games, traditional communication, and others.

Author: Iskael