In Malaysia, traditional games and pastimes vary from those
found at festival celebrations to everyday activities that are just
for fun. And if you're looking for unique gifts and souvenirs of
your time in Malaysia some of these are ideal. Here's just a
taste.
Fast gaining worldwide popularity is Silat, Malaysia's own form
of martial art, a sport. Part combat and part dance, Silat is an
refined combat sport that is regularly exhibited at weddings and
cultural festivals.
In Gasing players unleash a large, heavy spinning top using a
rope, then scoop the still-spinning top up off the ground using a
special paddle and place it onto a stand. A unique game of strength
and balance, the top that spins longest wins.
Measuring up to 3.5 metres from head to tail, a wau is literally
an enormous, colourful kite that makes you say 'Wow!' These kites
and the people who fly them are incredible to watch. Wau are
particularly common at the end of the rice harvest season.
Wayang Kulit is the Malaysian version of shadow puppets using
delicately carved, two-dimensional puppets with enlarged features
to tell epic traditional stories.
Something like the Mexican piñata, Sepak Manggis is a game
played by the Bajau and Iranun people where players hit a container
raised 10 metres in the air that's filled with goodies.
Sepak Takraw is the Malaysian form of hacky-sack. A ball woven
from buluh or bamboo is kept in the air using any body part except
the hands and lower arms. More skilful players play using a net,
somewhat like volleyball.
Congkak is a traditional mathematical board game played since
ancient times on a boat-shaped board using tamarind seeds (or
shells, marbles or stones).