The Games People Play Field Work in Asha Kulam, Vizhupuram

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The Games People PlayField Work in Asha Kulam,
Vizhupuram

• Documenting the childrens games of the Nari
  Kurava community and suggesting methods of
  documenting their childrens games for the future
  generation

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Methodology of Field Work

• Informal chat with children of different age
  groups exploring the games they play.
• Informal chat with adults and elders exploring
  and comparing the games that they played during
  their times
• Sharing a few games which were known to us and
  played in other parts of the country and asking
  if that sort of a game is played by them
• Exploring the games taught by the school H.M
  Ms. A. Raisunnisa, M.A, B.Ed, M.Phil

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Methods of Documentation

• Notes
• Photography
• Videography
• Audio Recording

Guided by Prof. Peter J. Claus Prof.
Muthukumaraswamy Prof. Eric Miller
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Members
Dilip Kumar, Shreya Singh, Sanjeev Sharma,
Shifali Sharma, Nirmalaa Shrethar, Sunanda Gour,
Preetam Bera
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Acknowledgements

• Our Sincere Thanks to
• Prof. Muthukumaraswamy, Prof. Peter J. Claus
  Prof. Eric Miller
• Prof. Bharathi
• Mr. King Kong
• Mr. Lighter
• Raja
• Manickam
• Lavanya Sindhu
• Men, Women Children of Asha Kulam
• The School Head Mistress

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Game 1 Lock / Kaai

• Played with Iron Marbles 1 big and 2 small
• Objective To hit the two thrown small marbles
  with a big striker marble and win the bet
• No. of Players depends on participation
• Chances Each player gets 3 chances
• How to Play
• Throw the small marbles in a distance, usually
  within a box marked in a place.
• Throw the striker to hit the marble chosen by the
  viewers (edhiru , mela)
• If the player strikes it in 3 chances, he wins
  the bet and takes the money.

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Game 1 Lock / Kaai
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Game 2 Jaan Vaikradhu

• Played with Iron Marbles 1 big and 2 Small
• Objective To place 2 marbles in a jaan (an
  unit of measurement), by throwing.
• No. of Players depends on participation
• Chances Each player gets 3 chances
• How to Play
• Throw the small marbles in a distance.
• Throw the striker to hit a marble, take the hit
  marble on hand and throw that in a distance next
  to the placed marble on ground.
• Now measure the distance of two marbles, if its
  measures exactly 1 jaan (from the little finger
  to thumb when wide open), then he / she wins the
  bet and takes the money.

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Game 2 Jaan Vaikradhu
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Game 3 - Hand Crossing Twirling

• Played by holding crossed hands
• Objective Fun by enjoying the speed
• No. of Players 2
• How to Play
• Two players hold their hands crossed and start
  whirling at speed which is tolerable by them.
• When it feels dizzy stop the game for a while and
  then continue with the same person or others.
• Sometimes they sing film songs while twirling.

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Game 3 - Hand Crossing Twirling
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Game 4 - Hopping

• Played by hopping with a leg and jumping within
  boxes
• Objective To jump between the boxes by pushing a
  piece of stone without them touching the border
  lines of the boxes.
• No. of Players 2
• How to Play
• A box is drawn with 2 columns and 4 rows.
• Each player selects a side.
• Player 1 throws a stone piece in the first box
  and jumps into the box, pushes the stone to the
  next box with his / her leg.

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Game 4 - Hopping
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Hopping level 2

• If the stone is within the 2nd box without
  touching the lines, then player continues, else
  quits.
• If the move is right, then the player pushes the
  stone to the 3rd box, then to the 4th box, then
  outside.
• From the 4th box, the player has to jump on the
  stone pushed outside and step on it rightly to
  win the game.
• After winning level 1, the player closes his
  eyes, lifts his head facing up, places the small
  stone on his forehead and walks through the boxes
  with the legs wide open.
• The objective is to cross the boxes without
  touching the lines, with the eyes closed and come
  out.

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Level 2 - Hopping
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Game 5 - Kabadi

• Played by two groups, each group trying to
  eliminate the opponent.
• Objective send all the opponents out of the game
  
• No. of Players 5 in each group
• How to Play
• A box is drawn with a centre line with one group
  on each side.
• One player from one group goes to the opposite
  side and has to touch an opponent (with hands or
  legs) by calling Kabadi, Kabadi (non-stop).
• The chances are timed, because if he/she stays
  there for a long time, the opponent group might
  trash him/her.

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Kabadi contd..

• If the player is not able to touch the opponent,
  he returns and the opponent team gets the chance.
• If the player is caught by the opponent group, he
  /she has to try to get back to his side somehow,
  atleast be able to reach the central line calling
  Kabadi-Kabadi.
• It is timed, otherwise the player gets
  eliminated.

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Game 5 - Kabadi
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Game 5 - Kabadi
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Game 6 - Bongu (singam)

• Placing coins in a pit and players using a stone
  striker to toss the coin to head
• Objective To toss the coin to head with as many
  coins as possible and take them
• No. of Players usually 2, it could be more too.
• How to Play
• A small pit about 3 inches deep is dug.
• Few coins are placed in the pit and hit with the
  striker stone in order to get the coins dispersed
  out of the pit to start.
• Then the player has to get the coin tossed to
  head, by hitting with the striker stone to win.

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Game 6 - Bongu (singam)
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Game 7 Aadu puliAatam
Puli Sangili Pungili Kadhava Thira Group
Thiraka Maatom Puli Aatukutiyai
kandeergala Group Kandom Puli Yenge Group
Veetirkulle Puli Varalamaa Group Varalaam

• Objective To Protect the Goat from the Tiger
• No. of Players any no.
• How to Play
• Form a human chain, placing the goat (the person)
  in the centre.
• Tiger is placed outside.
• Tiger asks permission to come inside by singing a
  song
• Then tries to catch the goat
• The players try to guard the goat by not letting
  the tiger in

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Game 7 Aadu puliAatam
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Game 8 - Go-Go (kho-kho)

• Two groups - Players sitting in a line, in a
  distance. The opponent has to knock the other
  group out of the game.
• Objective To knock the opponent group out of the
  game.
• No. of Players 4 or 5 in a group. It can be
  more too.
• How to Play
• A straight line is drawn and circles are drawn
  over it in some distance.
• 1 group will be the runner, the other will be
  catcher.
• The catcher group will sit in the circles and one
  will be the catcher.
• The other group will be running around the
  catcher group sitting on the ground

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Go-Go (kho-kho)

• The catcher can only go in full circles around
  the seated group.
• The runner can go in between the seated members.
• The catcher has to touch the opponents and send
  all of them out of the game.
• Once group 1 is out, they have to honor the 2nd
  group by putting little sand on the foot of the
  opponent group and ask for their husbands name.
• (wishing they get the person of their wish as
  their partners)

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Go-Go (kho-kho)
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Game 9 4 corners

• This game is played in 2 variations.
• Four players and 1 catcher
• Objective The catcher should try to get into the
  corner of the players, while they exchange their
  positions.
• No. of Players 5
• How to Play
• A straight line is drawn in intersection and four
  circles are drawn on the sides of the line.
• The catcher stands in centre and tries to get
  into the corners of the players while they
  exchange their positions.
• The person in that corner will become the next
  catcher.
• Variation is with the placement of corners.

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Game 9 4 corners
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Game 9 4 corners
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Game 10 Jaan Kutty

• Jumping in different heights
• Objective To jump in different heights and pass
  through every body
• No. of Players 4 or 5
• How to Play
• Players sit next to each other, leaving gaps,
  with their legs stretched in front.
• One player (the lead) jumps in between the legs
  and completes one level
• Next level is up by placing the other leg over
  the one leg

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Game 10 Jaan Kutty (Pacha kuthirai)

• Level 3 is to place one hand over the two legs
• Level 4 the next hand over the 2 hands and 1 leg
• Level 5 the person sitting his knees tied
• Level 6 they shift the height
• Level 7 they bend down on knees
• Level 8 they shift the height
• The lead player should jump different levels
  without touching them or falling on them

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Game 10 Jaan Kutty (Pacha kuthirai)
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Game 10 Jaan Kutty (Pacha kuthirai)
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Game 11 Chitti Mitti(Blind mans bluff)

• Objective Catch people with eyes closed
• No. of Players any no.
• How to Play One person closes the eyes of the
  catcher and sings
• Chitti Mitti Dolo
• Angaana Puttaana Ole Dekh
• Then the catcher tries to catch the rest of the
  people with the eyes closed and also guess who
  the person is.

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Game 11 Chitti Mitti(Blind mans bluff)
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Game 12 Modhiram (ring)

• Objective Guess who has the ring in his hand
  amongst the group.
• No. of Players 2 groups - any no.
• How to Play
• Form 2 groups and assign lead for each group.
• Start is decided by a toss.
• The leader of group 1 will close his eyes and
  face away from the groups.
• The Players of group 2 will keep their hands
  behind them.
• The leader of group 2 will go behind them placing
  the ring in his hand.

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Game 12 Modhiram (ring)

• He / she will pretend as if he is placing the
  ring in everybodys hand, but he will actually
  place it only in one persons hand.
• The players will put their hands in front folded
  and shout Hoo-Haa.
• The leader of group 1 has to guess who has ring
  in his hand.
• If he guesses right he gets points and the other
  group takes turn.

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Game 12 Modhiram (ring)
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Game 12 Modhiram (ring)
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Game 13 Killu (Pinching)

• Objective To Guess who pinched his / her nose
  and tapped on head
• No. of Players any no.
• How to Play
• Form 2 groups and assign lead for each group.
• Start is decided by tossing a coin.
• The leader of the toss-winning group will give
  names for all the players (Vegetables, fruits,
  etc)
• Then he / she will choose a player from the
  opposite group and close his / her eyes.

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Game 13 Killu (Pinching)

• Then the leader will call a name by calling
• Pappaali Papaali vandhu killitu po
• The person named as Papaali will go pinch the
  players nose and tap on his / her head and
  return to his place and sit.
• Now the person who was pinched has to guess who
  is Papaali. If the guess is right then that group
  gets points.
• Then the other group takes turn.

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Game 13 Killu (Pinching)
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Game 14 Uppu

• Objective more of fun than any target.
• No. of Players any no.
• How to Play
• Players form a line and assign one person to be a
  Lion and one person to be a man
• Rest of the players are goats.
• The Lion goes to each person in line and asks for
  different groceries.
• First he /she starts by asking Uppu (Salt).

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Game 14 Uppu

• Everybody says No and the Lion curses
  everybody.
• Except the last person, because he gives what the
  Lion wants.
• Then Lion asks for other groceries again one by
  one.
• Finally the Lion asks for the Goat. Every body
  says no. Now the last person imitates the goats
  cry.
• Lion goes to catch the goat. The man tries to
  protect the goat by running in a line (in chain).
• The Lion also chases them and tries to catch the
  goat.

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Game 14 Uppu
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Game 15 Ottakam (camel)

• Objective more of fun than any target.
• No. of Players any no.
• How to Play
• All players stand one behind the other with bent
  knees and couched shoulders.
• One of them climbs onto a persons back and goes
  on a camel ride.

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Game 15 Ottakam
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In Conclusion

• The Narikorava community does have its own unique
  culture and customs
• The children retain some of their traditions in
  play
• However, they have taken to many games from the
  popular culture around them
• These games promote personal interaction,
  fellowship, bonding, fairplay and life lessons
  (on winning losing) while they have fun
• Sadly, many of these games are no more in vogue
  among the TV-addicted generation of children in
  urban India
• We can help them rediscover the joy of these
  games by showcasing the games at Dakshinachitra

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Thank You

• These five days of living with the Narikoravas
  interacting, observing and documenting the
  childrens games were truly a rewarding
  experience.

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