Traditional Games Family Picnic

Sarawak Unity Foundation (YPS) and Sarawak Development Institute in

collaboration with Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) are organizing a Traditional

Games Family Picnic on 25 August 2013 at the Kuching Amphitheatre from

4:00p.m – 6:30p.m. This will be the first ever mass family picnic that incorporates

traditional cultural games for the public. Among the traditional games that will be

featured are ‘batak lampong’, ‘tating lawi’ and ‘sumpit’. Besides that, other

games such as rope skipping and stick walking would be demonstrated. The aim is

to raise awareness and involvement in our traditional cultural games.

The picnic is organised to provide an opportunity for members of the public to

interact and have fun whilst learning about local culture. It is also to foster and

enhance good relations among members of the community, which is a prerequisite

for social harmony and unity in the state.

The games are open for public participation in group or by family. Family members

and friends are encouraged to sign up early to participate in the games. Attractive

prizes would be up for grabs. To register for the picnic and games, please kindly

download the form from the YPS and SDI websites, complete it and email it back

to the organiser at SDI. You can also call us to register. Come and join us for the

picnic for fun and to learn more about the games. Demonstrations on how to play

the games would be conducted as well.

The Games

Tating Lawi (Sepak Bulu Ayam)

Originated from China, this is a simple game of kicking a feathered soft ball as

many times as possible to prevent it from falling to the ground. It can be played in

a group or on individual basis. It was a popular means of relaxation and exercise

for the ancient Chinese generals.

Sumpit

Sumpit is a blowpipe used by the indigenous ethnic groups in Sarawak in the past to

hunt for animals in the jungle. The sumpit and the darts are made from different

materials such as wood and bamboo as well as fiber glass. Sumpit has become one

of the traditional games for competitions in Sarawak and is enjoyed by people from

all walks of life.

Batak Lampong

Batak Lampong is a traditional sport of the Iban in Sarawak. Batak means pull in

the Iban language while Lampong refers to a light and medium length piece of wood.

It is a traditional sport for two persons to test their strength by pulling a piece of

wood while sitting on the floor/ground. The aim is to unbalance the opponent. This

traditional sport was always held at the “Pemetong” or door divider if it is held in a

house. Traditionally, the loser needs to drink tuak if this sport is held in the

longhouse. The purpose of this sport is to test the strength of players and to

strengthen the community relationship in a longhouse. This sport is usually held

during the Gawai Festival.