Multicultural Sport Exploration Kit

Instructions and inventory list

A U S T R A L I A

BOOMERANG

A boomerang is a flying tool best known for its ability to return to the thrower. In the past, it was made of wood, but most of the modern boomerangs are made of other materials.

Boomerangs were historically used as hunting weapons, percussive musical instruments, battle clubs, fire starters, decoys for hunting waterfowl, and as recreational play toys. Stencils and paintings of boomerangs appear in the rock art of West Papua, including on Bird's Head Peninsula and Kaimana, likely dating to the Last Glacial Maximum, when lower sea levels led to cultural continuity between Papua and Arnhem Land in Northern Australia The oldest surviving Australian Aboriginal boomerangs come from a cache found in a peat bog in the Wyrie Swamp of South Australia and date to 10,000 BC.

Today, boomerangs are mostly used for recreation. There are different types of throwing contests: accuracy of return; Aussie round; trick catch; maximum time aloft; fast catch; and endurance.

Boomerang Safety Precautions:

Adult supervision must be present to insure proper safety for children using boomerangs. Boomerangs are a sports article, not a toy. Caution should be used when throwing or catching boomerangs.

Never throw a boomerang at or near someone. Always throw in a large open space of at least the size of a football field (100 yards by 100 yards is advised much more space is needed for some boomerangs

Make sure that your throwing space is clear of all people, cars, trees, buildings, animals or other objects which could be damaged if hit by a boomerang

Protective safety glass eyewear should be worn at all times when throwing and/or catching boomerangs

Only one boomerang should be thrown at a time Use care at all times when throwing boomerangs

Never throw your boomerang laid out flat like a frisbee Boomerangs should always be thrown in a nearly vertical position to avoid dangerous diving and swooping flights

If you are just learning to throw boomerangs do not throw too hard at first For most boomerangs a half powered throw is usually enough to get the boomerang to return. As you get more experience you can add more power to your throw to get longer range flights.

ITISTRICKYTOTEACHBOOMERANG

HOOPS G R E E C E

The Greek philosopher Artemidorus once wrote: "If you dream about rolling a hoop, it means that you have come to the end of your troubles, and abundant happiness will follow"

Hoop games have been popular since 300 BC Over the years, hoops have been used in many different ways: Hippocrates prescribed hoop rolling to cure the weak; American Indians used rolling hoops to sharpen young boys' aim; Chugach Eskimos competed by throwing long poles through a moving hoop; European boys and girls participated in hoop rolling races In the United States, hula hoops became a fad of the 1960s

MATERIALS

2 hula hoops

Objects for throwing (e.g. balls, bean bags)

PLAYING THE GAME

Step 1: Divide players into two teams Pick one person from each team to be the roller These two should stand at one end of the playing area

Step 2: Give each roller a hula hoop. Explain that they are responsible for rolling the hoops vertically along the ground.

Step 3: As the rollers roll the hoops past their team, their teammates should try to throw a ball or any pre selected object through the hoop without touching the sides of the hoop

WINNING THE GAME

The team that makes the most successful throws wins!

(Source: The Multicultural Game Book)

J A P A N

KENDAMA

The kendama (けん⽟, "sword [and] ball") is a traditional Japanese skill toy. It consists of a handle (ken), a pair of cups (sarado), and a ball (tama) that are all connected together by a string. On one end of the ken is a cup, while the other end of ken is narrowed down, forming a spike (kensaki) that fits into the hole (ana) of the tama. The kendama is the Japanese version of the classic cup-and-ball game. Kendama can be held in different grips, and the tricks and combinations that can be done are limitless. The principle of these toys is the same: catching one object with another, where both are joined by a string.

The origins of kendama are disputed, but it is generally believed to have originated during the 17th or 18th century. Kendama started to evolve when it came to Japan during the Edo period, and since then the use of the toy has spread throughout the world. The size and materials used to create kendamas now vary as they are offered in jumbo and mini sizes, and have been created out plastic, metal, and nylon. There are now kendama competitions held in countries all over the world, the biggest competition being the annual Kendama World Cup in Japan (Source: Wikipedia)

Always hold the Ken like you’re writing with a pencil. This will allow you to land it on any three of the cups.

Pull the ball up, instead of swinging the ball. This will give you more control when you attempt to land it on the cups.

Watch the ball all the way to the cup. It helps to cushion it as if you were catching an egg.

Be patient. It takes years to master the Kendama, just stay calm and breathe The Ken has three different cups, Big cup, Little cup and Base cup. Base cup is the one opposite of the spike. (Source: Spencer Nelson, Medium)

Once you get the hang of landing the ball on the different cups and the spike, there are endless 'tricks' you can learn. Visit yoyotricks.com for instructions.

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K O R E A

KONGKINOLI

Also called, 'Gonggi', this is a popular Korean game that is traditionally played using five or more small grape sized pebbles. It can be played alone or with friends. The stones are called gonggitdol (공깃돌). This game is similar to the game you might be familiar with, "jacks."

What You'll Need:

Five small stones.

How to Play:

Level 1: The stones are thrown on the playing surface and the player picks a stone to throw up in the air. While airborne, the player picks up one stone on the playing surface. Then, the player catches the stone. These steps are repeated until all the stones have been caught.

Level 2: The stones are thrown on the playing surface again. However, at this level, the player picks up the stones two at a time.

Level 3: The stones are thrown on the playing surface. The stones are picked up once in a cluster of three, and the other in the amount of one.

Level 4: The player throws one stone in the air, places the others on the surface, and catches the airborne stone. Then the player tosses the same stone again, but this time, picks up the four clustered stones on the playing surface and catches the airborne stone.

Level 5: The player tosses the stones from the palm of their hand into the air. While airborne, the player switches their hand backside up. The stones are then caught on the back of the hand. Then, the player throws the stones in the air and catches them. The number of stones caught amount to the score.

If playing by yourself, you can set a goal such as 20 points in 4 sets, or try to beat your previous score.

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LACHARCA S P A I N (THE POOL)

Equipment:

A flat stone and chalk.

Indoor Variation: Use numbered hoops instead of chalk circles, and 'claim' circles using the markers

Rules:

Various circles are drawn on the ground (or the hoops are scattered in the playing area. Each circle has one number.

A person starts the game saying a number

Another person takes the flat stone and throws it trying to get that stone to drop into the circle with the called number. If he fails, another player tries to do it. This goes on until one player gets it in the circle.

Then, this player jumps on one foot stepping in the circles to reach the stone, takes it and returns. If he is able to do it without stepping out of the circles he writes his name in the circle (or claims it with the marker) where it was the stone

From then on nobody can step on this circle except the person who has claimed it. The game goes on until every circle has a name.

The aim of the players is to claim more circles that the others.

Source: http://www.streetplay.com/

B R A Z I L

LUTADEGALO

The game of Luta De Galo is played in Brazil. Luta De Galo is Portuguese for ‘fight of the roosters’ and the game is an imitation of a rooster fight.

This game requires minimal equipment and can be played by a group of any number. It requires players to use agility and react quickly.

Materials Needed:

Bandana or rag for each player

How to Play:

Each player participating needs one buddy. Unlike other games, partners are not teammates, but opponents.

Have each player tuck in (not tie!) the bandana into their belt or waistband (like flag football flags).

Cross right arm across their chest, and hold up left leg.

Players hop around one-legged and use their free arm to snatch their opponent’s handkerchief.

If a player puts their raised leg on the ground or unfolds their crossed arm, they’re out.

If a player successfully snatches their opponents bandana, they win.

You can play multiple round of this game, switching which leg you raise, and trading opponents.

F I N L A N D

MOLKKY

This game was inspired by the vast Finnish forest. It can be played anywhere with a flat ish patch of grass or sand. It is a simple game, with a strategic element, that is great for all ages.

Contents:

12 pins (numbered from 1 to 12), Mölkky throwing skittle, rules.

Setup: The pins are placed in a formation. For the first game, the throwing order is drawn. In following games, the throwing order is formed according to the previous game results from lowest to highest score. A throwing line is drawn about 3 4 metres away from the pin formation.

How to play:

First player throws at the grouping and tries to knock over pins. Mölkky is always thrown underhand.

A pin is not considered fallen if it is leaning on another pin or on the Mölkky throwing skittle.

After a throw, fallen pins are put upright at the place where they fell. If one pin falls, the score = the number on the pin. When more than one fall, the score = the number of fallen pins.

The game ends when the first player reaches exactly 50 points. If one scores over 50, that players score is lowered to 25.

G H A N A

PILOLO

Pilolo is an outdoor game that is usually played among Ghanaian children. The literal English translation of the name is "time to search for". The Pilolo game is played by two or more children. The higher the number, the increase in excitement and zeal to win. An object like a stick is mostly used and the number of sticks to use is dependent on the number of children.

What You'll Need:

Sticks and stones, one for each player. (If that would be confusing for kids when playing in a backyard packed with them, you can use pennies or another 'token' like a bean bag).

How to Play:

Designate a leader and a timekeeper, and determine a finish line.

The leader secretly hides the pennies while the other players have their back turned.

The timekeeper waits at the finish line to judge which player is first.

When the leader says "Pilolo!" (which means "time to search for") the timekeeper starts the watch and players race to be the first to find a penny and take it across the finish line.

A player is awarded one point when they find a penny and bring it back to the timekeeper.

The game ends once every penny is found. The player who found the most pennies win.

To play again, gather the pennies and designate a new timekeeper and leader.

The game is repeated as many times as energy allows; the player with the most points wins.

VIDEOTUTORIAL

I R E L A N D

ROUNDERS

Rounders is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams. Rounders is a striking and fielding team game that involves hitting a small, hard, leather cased ball with a rounded end wooden, plastic, or metal bat The players score by running around the four bases on the field Players are divided in 2 teams, and bases should be about 25 paces apart, but can be as close as 12 paces (base this on the age and ability of your players)

Each batter is entitled to three good balls. A batter must try to hit any good balls that are bowled, but need not run hitting the ball. If a ball is struck that would otherwise be considered ‘bad’, the ball is then considered to be ‘good’. If, on the first or second good ball, a ball is hit into the foul ground, or the ball is hit but no running occurs, it is considered a ‘dead’ ball and the batter or runners may not advance If a batter receives three bad balls then a ‘walk on’ is called and all runners advance one base. The batter may run on any ball except a dead ball. The batter is not allowed to drop the bat whilst running or that person is out and no rounders are scored

A batter is out if:

on a third good ball, the batter fails to strike the ball and the catcher holds the ball before it touches the ground; the bat is thrown or tossed in a dangerous way; on a third good ball, the batter strikes the ball in to the foul area; the bowler or catcher’s view is obstructed for a second time, after a warning given on the first instance;

deliberate contact is made with a fielder carrying the ball; the batter touches a base that has been ‘tagged’ by another fielder carrying the ball, in which case the batter must return to the previous base if it is still unoccupied; the batter attempts to occupy a base occupied by someone else (with the exception of first base, which must be vacated to make way for the approaching batter.

Batters must run in straight lines between bases and fielders must not obstruct their way or stand on bases. Disobeying this rule is considered unsporting behaviour and may result in up to two bases being awarded to the batting team or a batter being sent out. Normally, one batter may not overtake another while running between bases, although there are exceptions to this rule.

Five innings constitute a game, depending on the level of the match. Each batting team’s inning continues until three outs are made.

P A K I S T A N

SEVENSTONES

Seven Stones, one of the most ancient games of the Indian subcontinent whose history dates back to the Bhagwata Purana, a Hindu religious text that is claimed to be written 5000 years ago, which mentions Lord Krishna playing the game with his friends. It is believed to have been originated in the southern parts of the Indian subcontinent.

Materials Needed:

7 flat stones

How to Play:

A member of one team (the seekers) throws a ball at a pile of stones to knock them over. The seekers then try to restore the pile of stones while staying safe from the opposing team's (the hitters’) throws. The hitters' objective is to hit the seekers with the ball before they can reconstruct the stone pile. If the ball touches a seeker, that seeker is out and the team the seeker came from continues, without the seeker. A seeker can always safeguard themselves by touching an opposite team member before the ball hits the seeker.

Additional rules:

The throwing seeker cannot come too close to the piled up stones while attempting to knock them over. They have to do so from behind a line marked on the ground. If the person trying to knock down the pile cannot do it in three tries, they are considered out.

In any of the three tries, if the thrower's ball does not knock down the pile and is caught by an opponent after the first bounce then the thrower is out. Each team contains equal number of players.

Piles of flat stones contain 7 or 5 stones.

Hitters cannot run with the ball to hit the seekers. The seeker, after restoring the pile of stones, says the game's name to announce the reconstruction of the pile of stones.

I N D I G E N O U S

SNOWSNAKES

According to the Iroquois oral tradition, the game of snow snake dates back more than 500 years, to before the arrival of Europeans in North America. Originally a form of communication between villages, the throwing of "snow snakes" in a trough of snow developed into a competitive sport during long winters when the long track was not used for communication. The name "snow snake" is said to have come from the serpentine wiggling motion of the poles as they slide down the icy track.

The Simple Version:

Each participant grabs their favorite snake color

They can pat some snow down to create a straight track or if conditions are right they can throw a few practice rounds to pat the snow down to a straight track.

Players mark a line in the snow as a start line and they take turns sliding their snake down the path

The snake that makes it the furthest wins the round.

The 'Official' Rules:

A game of snow snake is played by four teams, called "corners", who compete in trying to throw their wooden "snow snakes" the farthest along a long trough, or track, of snow. The game is divided into rounds, and in a round each team gets four throws At the end of each round, two points are awarded to the team of the person who made the farthest throw in the round, and one point is awarded for the second farthest throw. Play continues until one of the teams wins, by achieving a certain predetermined number of points (usually 7 or 11).

There are two roles on a snow snake team: the Player, and the Goaler. The main role of a Goaler is to craft and maintain a team's wooden "snow snakes" in between games The Goaler is also tasked with selecting which will be used for each throw during the game. A Player, meanwhile, is a player who actually throws the snow snakes during a game.

T H A I L A N D

TEEWONGLAW

Tire racing, or tee wong law, is played in the rural areas of Thailand. This game first started with a spare tire and a bamboo ring taken from a used threshing basket.

In the past, many households used this kind of basket for multiple purposes such as threshing rice and storing household items or food. When baskets were damaged and adults could no longer use them, the children took the ring that held strips of bamboo together and used it as a wheel to play with. And that’s how the tire racing game was invented. Over time, children discovered that they could use a bicycle tire instead of the bamboo ring. Since then, the game has become a favorite for many. This game continues to remain a favorite because it is inexpensive, easy to make and fun.

All you need is:

a clean tire from a bicycle or motorcycle, a stick about 1 foot long, an open space, and a start and finish line.

The rules of the game are simple:

You roll and control the tire with the stick as you race. If your tire falls over, you’re out of the race. The first person to cross the finish line with their tire still upright is the winner! A beginner should start with a flat surface. When you are more advanced, then a slope adds to the challenge.

Thai children often play this game during their free time: after school, on weekends or any time when there is a gathering of children.

On some occasions, a contest might be held to find the best player in the village. This game is not only a fun activity but also good exercise, developing the children’s muscles, agility and coordination. With just a tire, a stick and an open area, children can have a great time!