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GAMES WE AND OUR ANCESTORS PLAYED IN SALIGAO Due to the foundation of English schools in Saligao already in the passed century, playing grounds were provided to the students. Mater Dei Institute had its own ground while others played foot-ball in the fields and level hilly terrain. During my younger days I witnessed even hockey and cricket matches being played in Saligao. However foot-ball was the most favourite game of the boys. Other games seasonally played were---cashew seeds games, marbles, ‘ tonko-bal’, collie, fovio(mixed boys and girls) and the indoor games tablam, five stones,( mostly by hindu women and girls with some exception among christians), konxeamnim etc.My research identified more than twenty traditional games. However youngsters, teen-agers with whom I inter-acted lately do not seem to know much about these games which we played in forties, fifties and sixties and little beyond. Cable TV is also responsible for the decline of these games as I saw most of our young boys and girls glued to the idiot box and also tuitions which is a craze in these days due to competitions in securing entry into colleges and institutes of higher learning. Summer time was supposed to be the most ideal time to indulge in outdoor games. In the following postings I shall give a brief description of some of these games.
BIYANI ( Cashew Seeds Game) “In the months of April/May till the beginning of monsoon, ‘Biyani’ or cashew seeds games were played on the long stretch of the red mud roads when there was hardly any cars or heavy vehicles passing. Occasionally we saw a bullock cart or a gaddi( match box as it was called locally) or a cycle making rounds on these roads. Mode of Playing: a) A mark was set at a distance of about twelve to fifteen feet away. Each player had to throw a seed nearest to mark to get their turn first and the rest accordingly after. b) Each player had to contribute two or three seeds. All the collected seeds for that game were placed on a slightly raised mud row called “ Uri” and a boundry line was marked around the “ Uri”. The seeds were placed horizontally on the “Uri” except one on the extreme left was placed vertical. c) The player whose turn is first, standing about twelve to fifteen feet away from the “ Uri” stikes at the seeds with a “BOTO”( striker). If he strikes the main seed( Vertical) outside the boundry line around the ‘Uri’, he is entitled to all the seeds on the Uri, otherwise only for those seeds struck out of the ‘Uri’ boundry. The remaining seeds inside are re-arranged for the next player till all the seeds contributed for that game are won. Then they wound begin a fresh game( I regret for not providing a diagram, which I possess). BOTTO. The largest dry cashew seed is selected. In the navel( center) of the seed a small hole is bored and with some sharp and pointed contrivance the inside kernel is scraped out. Into this hollow of the seed molten led is poured in through the hole. The seed then becomes heavy and is used as a “ botto”( stiker) for playing the cashew seeds game” Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas, Vasco, 4th June, 2004. Notes & references. PEREIRA, Angelo, “Vignettes of Fading Traditions, “; GOMES,Olivinho,” Village Life”.Various News-papers on Old Goan Games etc. |
