Congkak

Hi guys… see you again. This time I want to share on one of the Malay’s traditional games which is congkak. I still remember, I used to play this game when I was at secondary school. But now, not have that opportunity anymore. I missed it so much… let me briefly tell you about congkak. Maybe some of you are not familiar with this game. Believe me, it is so fun playing this game! Pronounced as "congkak", this game is played by two participants on a wooden, boat-shaped board on which there are two rows of evenly-sized cups. These rows are called houses and each has a larger sized cup at the end called a storehouse. Cowry shells or seeds are used in the game. The players begin simultaneously by scooping seven of the seeds or shells from any cup and distributing them, one in each house, in an effort to reach their own storehouse. The game requires concentration and speed. When a player runs out of seeds, he can pick up one from the house he is on. If there is none in that spot and he is out of shells, he loses his turn and the next player starts the sequence. Congkak ends when one player loses all his houses to his opponent or concedes defeat. The loser has to carry the playing board on top of his head and walk around.Congkak is a version of Egyptian game called "Mancala". It is a very popular traditional game in Malaysia with slight variation to very Mancala. In Malaysia, the game board of congkak comes with many designs. An authentic one will be wood crafted with birdheads at both ends while some will be wood painted on top with local motifs. The choice of beads for the game will also vary. Sea shells are authentic to the game while most popular ones are glass marbles. So guys, now what? Sounds interesting right? Believe me, you guys better try play congkak, I can confidently say that you will enjoy it…