Gilbert Lawrence <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > I read Dominic's account of Cashew seed game with great interest. It > reminded me of the game we played with marbles. Does anyone know if the > game had any specific name? Could one provide me a short synopsis of the > rules or how the game is played with marbles? > Thanks a million. > GL
Gilbert, Appended below are posts from Fr Nascimento on Saligaonet. Lawrence Rodrigues Navi Mumbai, India. ------ See: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/saligaonet@goacom.com/msg00259.html [saligaonet] BIYANI or Cashew Seeds Game Nascimen Thu, 03 Jun 2004 23:13:13 -0700 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. * [saligaonet] BIYANI or Cashew Seeds Game Nascimen 2) http://www.mail-archive.com/saligaonet@goacom.com/msg00261.html [saligaonet] Biyannim-II, Lobbiamnim & Kartanim- Goan Games Nascimen Fri, 04 Jun 2004 11:11:06 -0700 BIYANNI or Cashew Seed Game—II, LOBBIAMNIM (or 7 tiles) & KARTANIM This second cashew seed game involves a group of players who stand at a distance from a tree or wall. They would then throw their cashew seeds. Players whose seed is closer to the wall/tree, is to play first. He throws a bigger cashew nut which is called “BOTTO”, against the floor to bounce on the wall/tree and tries to catch it. If he is successful, he wins the game and can take all the cashew seeds thrown by other players. LOBIAMNIM or 7 TILES. The game is played by two teams. One team does the fielding and the other has to strike the tiles that are piled on top of each other by throwing a ball (tennis ball or one made of shock filed with husk) . If the player is successful in breaking the pile he and his team mates run away. Because the opponents can hit them with the ball, in which case the team change sides. Therefore, the striking players try their level best to throw the ball. In case of a miss, the running team mates throw the ball as far as possible. In the meantime one or more of them try to remake the tile pile. Once all the 7 tiles are piled, they shout ‘lobio’ and the game is over. When the tiles are stuck, if any opponent player successfully takes catch of the ball the striker is out. In Ilhas and Salcette this game is called LOGORIO. KARTANIM To play this game, some empty cigarette boxes were used, which thrown from a distance, with the aim to throw a box on another one. If he succeeded to cover the other, fully or partly, he could take the boxes thrown by both the players. My friend Mrs. Maria de Lourdes Bravo da Costa Rodrigues from Merces, Ilhas and Librarian of Central Library, Panjim has done a good research on these old games and has published her findings in Herald’s Sunday edition( Mirror?). Vide Sunday, 6th July, 1997. The above games are mentioned therein by her. Compiled by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas Vasco da Gama, 5th June, 2004. 3) http://www.mail-archive.com/saligaonet@goacom.com/msg00264.html [saligaonet] Godd'de-Marble games,-Bodde & Millam-I Nascimen Fri, 04 Jun 2004 23:58:07 -0700 GODD’DE—Marble Games --- BODDE AND MILLAM. In the months of May/June we played the marble games called ‘Bodde’ and ‘Millam’ The God’de ( marbles)were easily available in the grocery shops in Cotula or Arrarim These games were played mainly on the vast stretch of the red mud roads which were then not infested with heavy traffic except for bullock cart or a cyclist. The game was called “Boddeamnim Khelop” or “Gushinim Khellop” The “ Gush” is like a punishment for the opposite team. The game can rather be played by two, four or six players. However, the game is more interesting when played by two on each side. Mode of Playing. To play the game, a circle is drawn in the middle of the road ( It is mostly played on the road) called “BODDO”. The team who wins the toss opts to strike first. One man stands near the ‘boddo’( circle) with two marbles. The team that wins the toss goes to a distance of about 10 metres and each player throws a marble near the ‘Boddo’. The marble that is thrown by the player enters the ‘ boddo’or crosses or passes through it , in which case the player standing near the ‘ boddo’, can drop down marbles from his hand and stop the passing/crossing marble. If that marble stops in the ‘boddo’, it becomes the ‘bodlo’. This means that the player is caught or that he cannot play for sometime. Thus even if the other player of the same team, had already thrown a marble, with an advantageous position to strike or say if he was far away from the circle, he has to go back and throw the marble again. If he gets caught in the ‘ boddo’ like his team member, then the other team gets a chance to throw. In case he succeeds in throwing the marble near the circle, then the three marbles which were already in the circle ( one of the player and two of the opponents) are placed either on the circle, in the middle of the circle, or in a straight line keeping the opposition player’s marble in the middle. Now, the player has to strike and remove the marble out of the circle. If he manages to remove all the three, he can continue with the game and the other player is also free to join him. He continues to strike the opposite player’s marbles. His partner meanwhile, picks up his marble as soon as it is out of the ‘boddo’. Now if this player misses a hit, both the partners go back to the marked line and try to throw their marble between the two marbles so that they are equidistant, since the marbles are now allotted to each one of them. Henceforth they are supposed to hit only the marble that is allotted to each one of them. If by mistake one player hits the other partner’s marble even while throwing his marble, then it is said to be ‘ kus’ and results in dismissal, If they succeed in taking the marbles of the opposite players beyond the marked line and if at one point they miss their hits on their allotted marbles, then the game comes to an end. Now the ‘ghus’ starts. The losing players have to bring the marble with the elbow, holding the earlobe with the hand of the same side. The marble is to be brought in this way up to the ‘BODDO’. In case the marble falls into a hole or a ditch, then it is removed with both elbows. Of course, there are different variants in the game of ‘Godd’de.’. Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas Vasco da Gama, 06/06/2004.. 4) http://www.mail-archive.com/saligaonet@goacom.com/msg00272.html [saligaonet] Godd'de-- marble games-- Bodde & Milam--II. Nascimen Sat, 05 Jun 2004 11:50:32 -0700 TIN MILAM. “ This is a unique game resembling golf, except that unlike in golf where clubs are used, fingers were use to push the marble into the hole ( Mil). Two or any even or odd number of players could take part in the game. Three small holes( about 1 ½” dia. X 1’ deep)were dug in the ground in a straight line, about five feet apart Mode of striking The marble was held in the tips of the thumb and the first finger of the right hand. The striking was done by aiming and propelling forward the marble with the middle finger of the left hand. Standing at hole No. 1, each player had to throw his marble towards the hole no. 3. The one whose marble was closest to the hole had his turn first in the game, the others following respectively as per their position. Then standing at hole no. 3, every player had to throw his marble into the center hole. Those with a good aim could do this at one stroke, but others could only do it in stages, coming closer at every throw till they could dip the marble in the hole. Each player had only one throw for his turn. But a player had the option to hit another player’s marble which was closer to the hole. If he hit the marble, he had another turn, and so on, till he failed to strike. In this way, some took advantage to win the hole by hitting out the marbles of others closer than his to the hole and winning more chances. After completing the central ‘mil’2, the players had to get into’ mil’ 1. The same process was followed as in ‘mil’ 2. After completing’ mil’1,a player had to strike “ PENO”, that is, he had to strike at any other player’s marble and thus end his part in the game. The last player in the game who had no marble left to strike at, lost the game, and he had to pay a penalty called ‘ Ghus’. The most interesting part of the game was dodging and preventing the others from filling the ‘mil’. The tempo rose when all were awaiting to strike the ‘Peno’. The players tried to be out of the striking range of others, and those with good aim succeeded in this. There were cliques and favoritism at times in making an unpopular or boastful player lose. GHUS ( Penalty). The ‘ guskar, the player who lost, was made to push his marble into the ‘mils’ whit his elbow. He had to hold his right ear with his right hand and had to use his elbow to move the marble forward.. Other players in their turn hit his marble out of range, and thus prolonged his agony. The marble of the ‘ guskar’ was placed on ‘mil’ 3. The other players standing at ‘ mil’ 1 tried to strike at his marble. This distance between ‘mil’ 1 and 3 being a long one, if there were no good aimers, the ‘ guskar’ was lucky and ‘ mil’3 was taken as dipped. In case the’ guskar’ had filled in ‘mil ‘2, before getting the ‘ghus,’ he could go straight to ‘mil’1 to complete the ‘gus’ The same process of striking the ‘guskar’s marble by other players and dissuading him from dipping-in followed.” Compiled by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas. Vasco-da-Gama, 07-06-2004. Notes and References; PEREIRA, Angelo, in "Vignettes Of Fading Traditions", Bombay, 1995, pp.88- 89. -----