Chinese Garter - A Traditional Philippine Game

Chinese garter is called “Chinese Jump Rope” in other countries. - It originated from
China in the 7th century. They play it before during the celebration of Chinese New Year. - It
was passed from generation to generation and has become popular even in other countries like
Philippines.

Chinese Garter, a game requiring flexibility, adjust and coordination, is a famous game
for Filipino kids, most particularly among young ladies amid their elementary years. The game
rotates around a normal garter, around a few yards in length, which be brought from sewing
store at around twenty pesos or less. This is the way the game played. Initially, there ought to
be two individuals holding the two ends of the garter which is extended on a level plane while
others are attempting to transfer over to the opposite side of the garter. The primary objective
of this game is to crosswise over the garter without being tripped. In each round, the stature of
the garter increases. The garter by and large begins from the lower leg – level and after that
knee – level, et cetera until the point that the garter is situated overhead. Higher rounds request
agility since players jump with their feet first noticeable all around and they traverse the strap
and wind up arriving as an afterthought. This implies players ought to be dexterous, rationally
gifted and should have beauty keeping in mind the end goal to complete the game. Also, doing
cartwheels (to cross the strap) in higher levels is allowed.
 MECHANICS OF THE GAME

Players are divided into at least two groups, with a base number of two individuals for every
group. Amid the game, two individuals from the "it" group will fill in as "game posts" as they
remain inverse each other and hold each end of the garter. The goal of the game at that point is
to have the capacity to effectively bounce over the garter as it is step by step held higher by the
“game posts”. Much the same as in the game ten – twenty, each group likewise has its own
team leader, all the more ordinarily known as the "Mother". Once a colleague either contacts
the strap or neglects to seize a specific level, the Mother can even now spare her group by
taking her colleague's turn. Inability to do as such will prompt the group's end by making them
the new “game posts” and will take the game back to the primary level.

The Chinese Garter game is generally subdivided into ten levels. More often than not,
notwithstanding, the players may choose for their coveted number of levels for their game.
Here is a case of the levels being utilized to give you a thought of the game:

Level 1 – The garter is being held by the posts closer to the ground.

Level 2 – Knee high

Level 3 – Around the height of their hips

Level 4 – Waist high

Level 5 – Chest high

Level 6 – Shoulder high

Level 7 – Head high

Level 8 – At the tip of the head

Level 9 – A couple of inches over the head

Level 10 – Also known as the Father/Mother Jump, as high as a child raising his arms high on
tip toes.
 Hide and Seek

Hide and seek is a game most of us can remember from our childhoods. This game has
been around for centuries and remains a favorite, for the simple reasons that it requires few
players, uses neither tools nor props, and facilitates physical activity while piquing the innate
hunter curiosity (rawr) engrained in children as they explore their world and learn survival
skills through both communicating, hiding and finding exactly what they are looking for. This
game has been around for centuries. It originated from a Greek game called “apodidraskinda”
which was mentioned for the first time by second century Greek writer named Julius Pollux.
“Apodidreskinda” is the earliest known example of the game of hide-and-seek and was played
exactly as it is today. Today in Greece, hide-and-seek is called kryfto. It is also mentioned in
the text Elizabethan England, except it describes the children using blindfolds. And around the
same time, hide-and-seek makes an appearance in Shakespeare's Love's Labors Lost, when he
says, "All hid, All hid, an old infant play. Here in the Philippines, the phrase "Tagu-taguan
maliwanag ang buwan. Wala sa likod, wala sa harap. Pagbilang ng sampu, nakatago na kayo.”
rings in our minds This game mostly played at night time because it’s much thrilling since it
could be a disadvantage for the “Taya” or the person who seek for the hiders, it might become
a challenge for him to find others in dark time. On the other hand, it is a advantage for the
hiders since they cannot be easily found because of its night time and they have a lot of spots
where to hide. The Tagu-taguan should compose at least 5 players because it includes teamwork
and need strategy to save each other.
Main Goal: The seeker needs to find the hiders and who ever touches last the base he will might
be the new “Taya” or Seeker if there’s no one save him or he is the only player left hiding.

Mechanics of the game:

1. Players need to “Umpyang” first. Umpyang means to choose who’s gonna be the first seeker
of the game by flipping their hands together.

2. Players need to find a Base. So what’s the base for? simple, it is where the whole game will
be centered because if you are the seeker you will need to touch the base if you saw a hider and
if you are a hider you need to touch the base first before the seeker touch so that you can be
save and no chance to be a seeker because if the seeker touch the base first you might probably
the new seeker or “taya”.

3. Its either you can be saved or you save other hiders. If there are already hiders found by the
seeker you have a chance to save them by touching the base in not getting caught but if you are
the only one left hiding and other hiders are already save you have no chance anymore to save
by others the only thing you can do is to save yourself by touching the base before you’ve been
found or touching it first when the seeker already saw you.

4. Players only have limited time at least 10-15 seconds for them to find a place where to hide
into and players cannot hide in front, back, side, top, and bottom nearby the base.

5. Seeker should close his/her eyes while counting and not allowed to use any lighting objects
in finding the hiders.

6. All players should know the counting song. If you were the seeker you will need to speak
aloud the limited seconds for the hiders to hide but here is much cooler it is not just a simple
counting but you need to sing the counting song.

Countingsong:
Tagu-taguan maliwanag ang buwan
wala sa likod wala sa harap
makabilang akong sampo
nakatago na kayo 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
walang patawad.

7. Players are not allowed to hide inside their houses.

 Langit Lupa
Traditional Game from the Philippines

Langit-lupa is chasing game, a

variation of habulan where players can be
immune from being tagged as long they stand
on an elevated surface.
Etymology - Langit is the Filipino
word for “heaven” and lupa is “earth”. The
game’s name describes how the chaser cannot
reach players how are elevated from the
“earth”. The game is for at least three players,
who will gather in a circle. One player points
at everyone in succession while chanting “Langit, lupa, impyerno / Im-im-impyerno / Saksak
puso / tulo ang dugo / Patay, buhay / Maalis ka na diyaan. (Heaven, Earth, Hell / Hell-Hell-
Hell-Hell-Hell / Stab the heart / Out comes blood / Dead, Alive /And out you go.)”, pointing to
the player next to the one he just pointed to with every syllable of the chant. Whoever the
chanter is pointing at when the chant ends is the it.
The it chases the other players in an attempt to tag them. Whoever gets tagged will
become the it, just like in habulan. However, players can climb or step onto an elevated space
such as a flight of stairs, on top of a table, or simply dangle from a jungle gym. Players who
manage this are immune from being tagged. Different rules are applied to govern this
limitation. One is to time a player’s immunity. After a prearranged number of counts, the
player has to come down and be vulnerable again. Some groups impose a ruling that the it
must move away from elevated players to give them a chance to run away. The game ends
when the players are exhausted or are called home.

Mechanics of the game:

Theme Song:
Langit lupa impyerno
im im impyerno
saksak puso tulo ang dugo
patay buhay
alis kana dyan!

With each syllable, the designate points to a player in the group until finally the rhyme
finishes and with the last syllable, the “taya” or the “it” is chosen.
1. A mad scramble ensues as the remaining players search for elevated ground which is
“Langit” or Heaven.
2. Here the It cannot go and the player cannot be touched. The unfortunate player who is
caught and tagged standing on “Lupa” or the the level earth becomes the new “It”.
3. Then the running and tagging begins again.
 PITIK BULAG

Kids used to get together in the streets or in their neighborhood to play their favorite
Larong Pinoy games, one of these is the Pitik-Bulag. It is a Filipino native game which involves
interaction with a real person. It generally comes up on creating a game without the required
of anything but only the players themselves. These have been theusual and favorite leisure time
before the modern types of Westerner’s activity hastaken over the interests of Filipino children.
This game is invented by the flexible mind of a person to visualize and perform such game
which makes it trickier and more fascinating.

Mechanics of the game:

1. There are several steps or mechanics in order to play Pitik-Bulag.

2. This game will need two players. First procedure, player A should keep his/her eyes
closed and covered with one hand.
3. Secondly player B should flick the finger of player A covering his/her eyes.
4. Third procedure, the person with the covered eyes would give a number of fingers
behind the player whose eyes are covered. The onlookers are the judges of this game.
5. Lastly, player A whose eyes are covered would guess the number of fingers being
flashed behind him/her. If player A guesses it right, he/she would win. Then players
may exchange roles in the game.
Philippine
Traditional
Games
(GOUP 5)