traditional sports

TRADITIONAL SPORT

Wau Bulan

Among the traditional sports in Malaysia such as wau. Although many are not aware that they are sports, but activities such as listed above are among the major events or routine activities in their spare time for some people in Malaysia.

Sports games such as Wau, dragon dance or top have features of art that symbolizes beauty and harmony of the people in Malaysia. This activity would normally do in a group of people who have the same interests. Each will share their energy, time and opinion solely to ensure that such activities can be implemented.

In addition, there are also sports that people initially played as a daily sports and has become a major sports championships such as sepak takraw that has become one of the few events in the national championship and Southeast Asia.

Kite

Partly due to the specific location of facing the South China Sea which brings to this land wind that can make a kite fly as high as one wishes, flying a kite in the clear blue sky of Terengganu was once played by farmers on leveled ground after post-harvesting season, but it now attracts people from all walks of life. Over the years, kite festivals have encouraged creativity in kite-making, thus resulting in kites that are designed in the shape of a fish, cat, caterpillar, and bird but the famous huge moon-kite (wau bulan) remains as popular as it was years ago.

Gasing (Giant Top Spinning)

Giant top spinning is no child’s game! Each gasing or top weighs approximately 5kg and the wooden tops are as big as the size of a dinner plate. It calls for strength, coordination, and skill. The gasing, if expertly hurled, can spin for as long as 2 hours. Top spinning competitions are an annual feature in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia especially Kelantan and Terengganu.

Congkak

Congkak is a game of wit played by womenfolk in ancient times. This game is usually played by 2 girls sitting face to face on the ground, using rubber seeds, saga or small marbles as the seeds. Seeds are points for the players. Total seed used depends on the number of pit in the congkak set. Say, if there are 5 pits, the total seed in each pit will be five and so on. The left most is the ‘Home’ for the player. To start the game, player chooses to take all the seeds from one pit and place one at a time into another pit including the player’s Home, moving in clockwise. Seeds are not to be put in opponent’s Home. If the last seeds in a play is placed in the player’s Home, she will be granted another turn on the other hand, if the last seed is placed in an empty pit on her side of the board, she will capture the seeds in the opposite pit and place in her own Home. The game will carry on till all the pits on one side are empty. The winner is the player who captured the most seeds.

Sepak Raga Ratus

It is usually played by 6-12 adult male in the field in evening. The players will gather in a circle and game will begin with one of the player throw the rattan ball to another participant who stands opposite of him. Receiver can either kick, head or t chest the ball for several time before sending it to another player as he wishes. It will be more interesting when any of the players able to keep the ball for a longer time without falling to the ground

Kaki Hantu (Stilt Walk)

Youngsters in the village usually play this game in evening time. Normally 2 will be in a group, both of them apart from the other with a distance of 40 to 50 feet between. The first participant will stand on a stilt and walk to his friend who is waiting at the other side. If unfortunately he falls from the stilt on the way towards his friend, he is required to go back to the stilt and continue the walk until reaches the destination. The group who finishes the walking before other will be the winner of the game.

Tapak Gajah (Elephant Steps)

A pair of coconut shells piecing with robe will be used in this game. Each group will consist of 2 participants. The first participant will ‘wear’ the coconut shell on foot and holding the robe in hand then walk to his group member. When reaches the destination, the shell will be given to the friend and the latter will do the same until. Group that reaches the ending point the first will be the winner.

Cetong Bola

This game is played by 6 to 12 boys and girls in the village. The participants will be evenly divided into 2 groups, i.e. the Cans Keeper and the Thrower. To decide which group will be the starter, a simple vote will be carried out. The Cans Keeper will arrange the cans in pyramid on a piece of wood. When this is done, members in the Thrower side will throw a ball as to fall the cans. Each of them is given three chances to do so. Until all the cans have fallen to the ground, the Keeper will take turn to throw to ball to Thrower members who are sorting and arranging the fallen cans back onto the wood. Thrower have to try their best to avoid from hit by any ball from the Keeper, otherwise they will be considered ‘die’ and will be excluded from the game. The winner will be the group who manage to arrange all the cans on the wood.

Rakit Darat

It is usually played by 5 to 8 person in the field in the evening. Bamboo, rattan or wood of 1 to 2 meters will be used in the game. Players will be divided into groups and compete with each other. Members of each group will ride on the bamboo/rattan /wooden stick where one of them will be facing the destination whereas the rest facing the other side. When the game begin, all the group members will ride on the bamboo/rattan/wooden stick and walk towards the ending point with the guidance from the member who is facing the ending point. Group that arrives earlier or faster than others will be the winner of the game.

Terompah Gergasi (Giant Clog)

Each group consists of 4 person. Before the whistle is blown, each of the group will be given a giant clog and all the members will have fit their foot into the clog then walk to the ending point when the whistle is blown. While doing so, the participants are not allowed to cross the line along and enter into the competitors’ territory.