A GAME THAT CROWNS CHILDHOOD

Jump Jump Jump Jump Stop! Jump Jump Jump Jump Out!

This is the game that we played under the sterile mango tree that Lung’afa, the one I was named after lies. It is that place that grandma always welcomes the dusk in a clear sunny day as she waits for her day to meet her love in the eternal life. Dad and uncles, having betrayed each other on land issue point at the grave in swear that what they are saying is true. When we drew our game and played we were warned not to draw past the ‘roze’. The place was special to them for we knew it not.

Some children call it Bampa. Others Katolo. Some Dama. Churumundu is another name. Seemingly, each place has its name, or every players have the name of the game. Children of Kawangware know it differently from the children of Kibera, only a few kilometers away. It is a fact that humans had a single ancestor and some information that was discovered when separation had not happened is still universal. No people can consider themselves confidential to a certain skill. An example is this game and Chinua Achebe’s tales.

An ongoing game. She is about to start the third rounds.

The name we called the game have I forgot; the same way I no longer view man and woman as same without an input of chauvinism but recognizing diversity; if this can be a way to hide from opponents. This is a girl’s game, they say. Boys and girls we played together and had similar vocals. We fought and made piece from the small misunderstandings we had. Kalongolongo was another game of the time and how I remember the father I was. This went into ‘marrying’ a cousin. My sister was also married to a cousin. Though we could show our things, there was no expertise to use them. Curiosity was killing cats. What made Kalongolongo (chavana) –‘of children’- enjoyable, was secrecy. We never wanted the elders to look at us for they would laugh. If they knew, they would keep quiet and keep us away from disturbing their works. The best moments were during holidays and the elders down in the farm to pluck tea. Or when they all went to a burial ceremony. No one would say what happened.

Only one person plays at a time as others watch and pray that she fails quickly for the next player. Only the player prays for success. As if it was so when children were still few and the families had space, city life has brought it a different approach. Two children can play it at ago! What an improvement. Everyone can be creative. Remember my life philosophy at the profile? All things are in perfect states at all times. As some may be superior and others inferior depending on a biased view, they are still perfect. When I saw these two doing it at the same time, I marveled.

Variance in the procedure to secure a ‘house’ during the game may vary from one place to another. I only have mixed game turns and unsure of what process follows which. To refresh my childhood memories, I had to ask children about the game, the procedure and the joy. Their response was as honest as the heart of a child.

The first person to play can be the first person to reach the play-side or the one who used a stick to draw. Children can also ‘book’ their positions in the game in class before break time. Others randomly shout and she who sounds the loudest and aggressive takes that position; first! Second! Third! Mwisho! A small struggle can ensue and to solve without worrying, one can decide to split and play on their own for there will be always an option for the marginalized.  

When children see the cement slabs that decorate some of the church and school verandas, they see a play field. The city has no play spaces for them and the present ones are securely kept for the children of planned parents. If you are born only out of pleasure and not need, you are in trouble, son.

The field is a simple ten-box ground drawing. It can be of 2M by 1M. The boxes are squarer than they are rectangular. If the hand draws, or the stick, the human error will be large. It doesn’t matter. It can be both indoor and outdoor though parents won’t allow one to jump and jump anyhow to wear the nylon carpet. The smallness of space and the play material- a sift log, a river jack stone that would otherwise be used to rub the cracks out of the legs after play or a plastic bottle top with clay installed make the game easily started. Why expensive requirements and needs for games?

First, the log is thrown into the first box as the player stands outside. The player steps into box 1 with a left leg bent at the knee. The right foot is a universal favourite foot though some come to accept the left as their favourite as they did to the hands. You could not practice the left hand thing before Lung’afa’s son! The leg is supposed to hit the log into the next box in one steady strike. The failure to do so calls for the next player as you wait for your chance to pick where you left from. Erring is by having the log rest on the line, depart to the unintended box or go off the field. It may also involve letting your one leg posture off. It is better in the struggle to remain up support yourself by the hand that the other leg depending on the strictness of the game. You need no more exercise after this. Children who play it have no diabetes or lifestyle related modern problems. Maybe the food that they will later eat and the polluted germinal water.

The allocated playing boxes

The stone is expected to be moved in the same manner in all the boxes till it is hit in box 10 out. While the stone is in box 10, the player enjoys a one leg quick move stopping in box 6 and kicking off again to conclude round one. As if the rounds vary, some children said that they start by jumping the box that the stone is in and pick it back in the opposite box while heading out. The games can be as many as the time allows at the start point.

The joy of the game is in the number of next rounds. This is to break from the hard and monotonous first rounds and in preparation to another to come last move. In this second case, the player starts by putting the stone on the palm and limping in the same manner all round using the first-move ways. For the second time and following moments, the player is expected to change positions of the stone. It will be  on a fist, on the instep part of the leg, in the right foot knee joint so as to jump with the left leg, on head top for they always have short hair and the last on the mid hand place, where doctors insert needles during blood sample taking. This round often ends swiftly to most and take the least time possible.

 Once all procedures are fulfilled, the finisher goes ahead to draw a small circle where boxes 1, 2, 9 and 10 link. The stone is placed here.

What follows is more than just the purposes of gaming- winning and exercising. It follows accuracy, joy, loosing and winning, tense, the use of imagination, luck and the acceptance of failure even when you cannot notice when you failed but heard it from fellow players. The first round finisher may remain stranded at this point till all other amateurs find him continuing to bunt. The monotheism of single boxes is left for failures and the winner can use both legs each in an opposite box. One is required to use both legs and jump from previous two boxes as she looks and back. The second round is a blind doing. To trust eyes, the player is requested to look up in the sky where trust cometh whence. With the stone still there, jump facing upwards as you step on the lines. It is now tempting…isn’t it? How now the thing that was illegal becomes a requirement? Does it not test morals if overthought? Call it a child’s game and they have brains more than you.

The above procedure is supposed to be twice; to and fro without turning. It will be followed by an equally similar round that only allows the player to jump ahead and back into the boxes. Once a rule is broken the player leaves for others. The few paragraphs here will not equal the blunts and repetitions that will be made. Patience, a key virtue and failure, its antagonist come in play here. It is through the failure of others too that the child normalizes the whole process.

The aim of the gaming is to have a house. But it is not yet time for anyone to have one. The player therefore has to stand or crouch on the opposite end of the game without looking at the play ground and let the stone fall and rolls till it settles. If it settles anywhere away from boxes 5 and 6, for there are universal homes and can never be owned, the player will have secured a home on condition that the stone also didn’t settle on a line or went out of the field. It follows enough time to draw own house with one’s colourful patterns or a name. The other players are therefore directed to keep off, jump over it, stay away with the stone during their turns and never interfere less they lose and let the next player play. Does it not say something about personal privacy, respect and identity? Does it not make children virtuous? Does it not make a person peaceful from the influence of others?

As if the game will never end, one house is never enough. The finishing person will again pick from the start and play alongside others as they also head to build their own houses. Lucky for the house owner that she will always be resting in her house, recognizing it before moving to continue with the game. Hard it will be for the not yet souls. If others own houses, for there are still other seven houses, same respect is the required to the other neighbour as it was to the first house owner. Fun..so fun… And before any of the players owns any of three houses, other players will also have owned at least a house. Therefore, there is room for everyone in the world. It waits for you to occupy it. No single person can have all there is. Unless you are not playing and not determined to win will you end with nothing. 5and 6 can be yours.

A girl decorating her house.

As some say the joy is in winning a house, others say that the joy is in being a winner! I disagree with the latter. At the end of the day, every player will have won. It is also a selfish democratic kind of mind of putting others down. In the end, children will break to go wash their legs and help in chores. At school, they had it enough in play and learning. As they take to rest from the day, they are more refreshed and better humans than rough animalia kingdom games that only show masculinity and the other side of the heart- hatred and struggle against opponents. 

Play son. Go play daughte. That is a good ancient child's game. Once in a time, I will be joining you. Promise me not to play simbi.