SUMMARY

Indigenous Games provides a window for African values. Although there is cultural diversity
in Africa, African people do share some general values and have faced some similar struggles
in life. Global influences have a marked effect on the erosion and adaptation of the games.
The games were neglected in historical and anthropological accounts of the Indigenous
people of South Africa.

Participation in Indigenous Games emphasizes physical development, skill training and

maintenance, reinforcement of the community’s values and interaction between communities.
The challenge is to trace and bring this rich Indigenous heritage to life for everybody to share
and actively join in games like Iintonga, Morabaraba, Jukskei, Dibeke, Ncuva, Khokho,
Ugqaphu and Kgati.

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

- Popularise the games.
- Influence Education – broaden the foundation for the SA education system-
nursery
- Health benefit phenomenal (Active lifestyle)
- Unwanted Social Behaviour – Indigenous against crime – Games at Taxi
Ranks, community centres, Parks etc.
- Establish structures in Provinces
- Provincial Competition-Provinces
- Establish Indigenous Games National Structure
- National Festival (Annual event)
- Regional (SADC) prevalent games identified and constitution drawn up
- Regional Competitions
- All Africa Games Inclusion
- World/International Festivals
(As carriers of cultural values they must also be part of the world’s heritage).

Definition of games and their uses in the teaching and learning.

The word ‘game’ is usually associated with recreation, competition, sportsmanship, winning,
losing, enjoyment, and many other similar and related notions. According to Ascher
(1991:85), the term ‘game’ encompasses a variety of activities like children’s street play,
puzzles, board games, dice games, card games, word games, golf, team sports, and
international competitions. She goes on to define a game as “an activity that has clearly
defined goals towards which the players move while following agreed upon rules”. In school
during life orientation period we used to play those games as a part of learning that period is
physical education period.