- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Traditional outdoor games live on amongst youth in Saudi village
- Date: 20th January 2010
- Summary: OLD MAN SINGING AND TAPPING ON BACK OF YOUNG MAN IN GAME CALLED "HAMAD HAMAD" / VARIOUS YOUNG MEN JUMPING OVER BACK OF CROUCHED YOUNG MAN VARIOUS OF YOUNG MEN JUMPING OF BACK OF CROUCHED YOUNG MAN DURING TRADITIONAL GAME YOUNG MAN STANDING WITH SCARF CHASING GROUP / BEATING THEM ON BACK WITH SCARF
- Embargoed: 4th February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: Lifestyle
- Reuters ID: LVA4T86EITI5JS1AD7MEDKDZYOZQ
- Story Text: Residents of a Saudi Arabian village teach children traditional outdoor Saudi children's games in a bid to preserve the games in the age of globalisation.
In an attempt to preserve the legacy of their ancestors and take the younger generations beyond the realm of computer games and the internet, a group of people in a historic village in Saudi Arabia have started to teach youths traditional games practised by their forefathers.
Al-Methnib historic village on the outskirts of the capital Riyadh is an important historic site in the kingdom. Established in the 10th century of the Hijri calendar year, the village's 384 houses, including Bahla Palace, have been renovated and attract tourists from around the region.
Every Friday, al-Majlis Souk, a market place of more than 40 stalls selling a variety of traditional goods, rejuvenates the historic city with a hustle and bustle that reflects a vibe similar to what the small rural village may have been like during the time of its original inhabitants.
"We are now in al-Majlis market or al-Methnib historic village. This village was founded at the beginning of the 10th century of the (Muslim) Hijri calendar year. In ancient times, during the times of Prophet Mohammed, Peace Be Upon Him, al-Bawahel tribe started out living in this village, and this market was founded on the ruins of the Bahla palace," said Mohammed al-Hawas, manager of al-Majlis Market.
The market and site were rebuilt using traditional architecture and raw materials, which have made the village a hot spot for tourists eager to explore their heritage. It has also become the site where traditional game enthusiasts have chosen to set-up a campaign to educate children about the games practised by their ancestors.
"We come to teach children the games of our forefathers - we want to revive them and to move away from the internet and PlayStation games because I think it is a habit that makes people full of disease and problems. Here we bring the games alive and play sports, move our body and everything. We want to bring our children alive," said Abdulmajed al-Tawerish, member of the traditional game group.
So every Friday, once the market place closes down, Hamad Ibrahim Twairesh, the founder of the traditional game group, gathers a group of children and teenagers and demonstrates some of the games his father and grandfather used to play.
"These are the games of our fathers and forefathers. In the past, we didn't have any other games to play besides these games, we didn't have any way to spend our time, we spent our time praying -- prayer first and foremost, and afterwards we have spare time for playing traditional games," said Twairesh.
The games he teaches include one where participants jump over the back of a hunched player, while another includes a participant chasing others with a scarf and beating them on their back.
Twairesh now has five dedicated participants who have also taken to teaching youngsters about the traditional sports.
"Our games now are only Sony and PlayStation and television, I hope these traditional games will make a comeback. Sports and fun games are much more useful than the Sony PlayStation, television and the Internet," said Fadi Abdul Rahman, who was watching participants playing the traditional games.
Twairesh and his followers hope the games will allow youngsters to engage in sport and break their habit of sitting in front of television sets or the internet.
"We teach children to play traditional games and we don't want them to play on the internet, which is full of problems and inappropriate web sites, but these games are much better than the internet and television," said Ibrahim al-Issa, a member of the traditional game group.
Some of the other traditional games include one where participants take part in a horse race by running with a wooden-shaped horse. One of the games, al-Sabt al-Saboot, where participants hop over one another's backs, is now used in Saudi military and soccer training because it is believed to help in body building. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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