Kite Flying

Go fly kite!

Kite flying is one of the more popular traditional game in Asia. The reason for its popularity, I suppose, is how the kites display the creator's artistic flair, or simply because they look so graceful fluttering against the blue skies.

Our group has conducted a survey before, and even though kite flying has been voted for as the most popular traditional game (the other games being congkak, gasing and chapteh), there is no doubt that kite flying is waning in popularity too.

A walk down areas like the beaches can testify to that. How often do you come across people who are still flying kites? Granted, there are some who do, but the number is dwindling.

Kite flying is not as boring as it seems. In many Asian countries, kite flying often takes the form of kite fighting, where people try to snag others' kites down. The difference between a fighter kite and a normal kite is that the fighter kite usually does not come with a tail, to allow the fighter kites to be more agile to take down the kites of other participants.

You may have noticed some signs that say "No Kites" or the likes alone the Marine Parade area (was it?) This is because the kite and the line (or the string attached to the kite) might infringe on the airspace of certain aircraft.

Most traditional kites consist of two flexible sticks tied together in the form of a "+". Paper, or any other suitable material is then used to drape over the sticks. Even though it is simple, the kites are able to fly to great heights. Truly reflects our forefathers' ingenuity, huh?

Chapteh

Chapteh is a traditional Asian game which requires players to keep a weighted shuttlecock in the air, usually using their feet, although other parts of the body may be used, except for the hands.

The chapteh consists of feathers attached to a rubber or plastic sole.

Many of us used to play chapteh back when we were young, like, in primary school, and I think we enjoyed ourselves immensely back then. To most people, chapteh is not a foreign traditional game, but not many still play it nowadays.

Apart from the excitement derived when people compete with each other to see who can keep the chapteh in the air the longest, chapteh also provides health benefits. Not only that, it also improves our hand-eye coordination. All the more we should start digging out the old chaptehs we have stashed in some remote corner, no?

There are a variety of names given to this game, for example, chatek or capteh in Singapore and some parts of Southeast Asia, sepak bulu ayam in Malaysia, sepak kenchi in Indonesia, and larong sipa in the Phillipines, to name a few. However, despite the different terms, the methods of playing chapteh is still largely similar.

Congkak

Originating from the word "conkak" (to count), congkak is a Malay traditional game which eventually spread to other parts of Southeast Asia.

In a game of congkak, the two players control seven holes on the congkak board each, and their scores can be calculated by counting the number of marbles (stones, shells, or seeds can also be used) in the store on their left. The players will try to capture more marbles and the winner can then be determined.

The players will take turns to move the marbles by picking one of the seven holes under their control, removing the marbles inside, then distributing the marbles clockwise from the hole they have selected, skipping the opponents store but not their own. If the last marble falls into an occupied hole, all the marbles will be removed from that hole, then redistributed again. This process will be repeated until the very last marble from that particular hole falls into an empty hole, or the player's store. If the last marble ends up in the store, then that player gains another turn immediately, beginning from any of the holes under his control. However, if the last marble falls into one of the empty holes the current player is controlling, then he stands to capture all the marbles on the opposite hole belonging to the other player, unless the hole is empty and no gains can be made in that case.