Philippine Games

Sambunot

Another game of speed, and team work. All you need is a BUNOT and a wide playing area. Set some boundaries on the playing area. Composed of two teams, players will depend how big the playing area, ideal number of players is at 5 on each team. Placing the BUNOT in the center of the playing area, the goal of each team is to get the BUNOT and bring it to their home team area.

Looks easy right? but teams need to strategize in this game. Not all five players can grab that one BUNOT, other players of the team needs to prevent the other team from making a goal. Grabbing the BUNOT from the opposing team and passing it to your teammate can help get a score. You can also drag, lift the player holding the BUNOT to your home team area to make a goal. This game is really fun, be sure to be careful during the start of the game, grabbing the BUNOT with all 10 players is not a good idea, strategy is the key.

photo credit, niceheart

Company Christmas Party

We had our Christmas party last Dec 18 at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. It was supposed to start at 3pm, the party started around 4-4:30pm Filipino Time as usual. Some ice breaker were given to start the party.

First game, Scoop and Pass, materials: 1 bowl of cotton balls, 1 empty bowl to place the scooped cotton ballls and a plastic teaspoon. There are two players in a team, one will be blindfolded, the other player will guide the teammate in scooping and passing the cotton balls to the empty bowl. We lost in this game, but we were give P100 each for consolation prize.

Food was served to some of our co-workers, but mine took ages, until it was time for the second game. Hep Hep Hooray! This game was taken from the noontime show WoWoWEEE! I guess you know already how it is played. Just imagine doing this inside the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and strangers watching you as you act it out. It was a blast! Everyone had a laugh.

After two games it was raffle time, the first batch of raffle prizes are at P100. Here comes the second batch of raffle prizes at P500. I won this time yahooo!

Third game was up, Baloon Blowing, two players in each team, I found it really hard to blow a baloon specially if your laughing at the same time. The first team who blows seven baloons wins the game. It was a tie between my team and another team, even if we saw their baloons not as big as ours. During this time you have to set aside your competitive attitude and just enjoy the games with your co-workers. We were given P300 each, the pot prize was actually P1200. but because it was a tie, we agreed to divide the prizes instead. With all the games and raflles still my food was nowhere in sight.

Now were down to our last game which is the Loop Relay, we needed only strings for this game. Knotting both ends of the string, the mechanics of the game is the string should pass through the body from head going down to the feet, next player will have the string pass first from the feet going up through the head. Keep doing the same mechanics up to the last player. First team who finishes first wins the game. If you are pressed for time, this game is for you, because it's really fast and easy to do. After this game, my energy is going down the drain, and guess what, still no sign of my food. It was time for the two major prizes, 1 small box and 1 big box, i didn't get any of the two major prizes hahahaha.... Speeches from our bosses and some picture taking. Until the party ended, my food was still not served, then I decided to talk to the manager and told her i'll just take it out. I just smiled and waited for my food :)

Kaba-Kabayuhan

Kabayuhin Ang Kawayan
= Kaba-Kabayuhan

A Philippine game of speed, coordination, endurance and teamwork using kawayan (bamboo pole). It can be played with friends, relatives, co-workers etc. It can be played by two or more teams.

At the start, three players use their hands to hold the kawayan between their legs. The players run towards a goal and back to the starting line. Then, three new players take their place and repeat what was done by the first group. The first team to finish all players wins.

In a modified version of Kaba-Kabayuhan, the players accumulate. A new player joins after the first player gets back on the starting line. This continues until the all the players are on the kawayan. The first team to cross the finish line with all players wins.

Notes: A smooth kawayan is best to use to avoid splints. Enough space is also needed for players movement on the kawayan.

In the modified version of this Philippine game, it is also important to strategize the order of players.

Philippine Games: Introduction

How I got introduced to Philippine Games.

One of the memorable things during my years studying in UP College of Human Kinetics was taking up Philippine Games Course under Ms. Kate Layug (Now Professor Layug). She introduced so many Philippine games. I was only aware of a few classic ones like patintero, sipa, habulan, piko, etc. I was surprised to discover that there were so many others. I was amazed how the Philippine games came about and how they were played.

One example was the game of Modified Cuarta sa Lobe. It was like playing rugby using a dried coconut (still intact):

The dried coconut used was with slits wherein the coins were securely planted. The number of coins depended on how many you like the teams to get. It was then placed in between the two opposing teams. As the game started, we rushed to the Lobe (dried coconut) and took out as much coins as we can, using our bare hands! The rules said we cannot throw or kick the lobe to our teammates; we can only hand it directly to them while dodging through the opponent's defense. The team with the most number of coins at the end of the given time won the game.

Based on my experience, I got scratches on my hands and knees hahahaha.

After I graduated from college, I had a stint teaching PE class to elementary girls in an exclusive school in Manila. It was the Linggo ng Wika and I was asked to provide Philippine games for the kids. Guess what I proposed for them to play: Modified Cuarta sa Lobe! I was laughing all throughout the game and the kids were really having fun.

I guess Philippine Games brings out the competitive spirit in one's self.

Notes about the game: The original Cuarta sa Lobe used knives to remove the coins. Also, just a reminder when playing, be careful when grabbing the husk at the start of the game. Sometimes you might bump your head with someone else's. Ouch!!