Let’s Play! Preserve Indonesia’s Traditional Games
Casal dels Infants – Indonesia’s traditional games are not merely a source of entertainment, but also serve as tools for education and cultural preservation. Behind their simplicity, games like congklak, engklek, hide and seek, bentengan, and gobak sodor carry deep values of culture, togetherness, and local wisdom that have been passed down through generations. Unfortunately, the rapid development of technology and the widespread use of gadgets have made today’s children more familiar with digital games than these meaningful traditional ones.
Traditional games are not only fun, but they also help shape children’s character. In games like bentengan or gobak sodor, children learn about teamwork, strategy, and sportsmanship. Games such as congklak train logic and counting skills, while engklek improves physical coordination and balance. Additionally, most traditional games require minimal cost. They can be played almost anywhere, be it in a backyard, a narrow alley, or an open field.
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Just as important, these games are a living medium of cultural heritage. The names, songs, and rules reflect unique local values from various regions in Indonesia.
To prevent traditional games from disappearing, the involvement of multiple parties is essential, parents, teachers, communities, and even the government. Parents can introduce these games to their children by playing the ones they used to enjoy themselves. Schools can incorporate traditional games into extracurricular activities or physical education classes.
Several communities across Indonesia are already taking action by organizing traditional game festivals, inter-school competitions, and workshops for teachers and cultural volunteers. Today, there are even apps and books that teach how to play these games as part of efforts to reintroduce them to the digital generation.
Traditional games are more than just a nostalgic pastime. They are a bridge to better understand and love our cultural heritage. So, invite your children, nieces, nephews, or neighborhood kids to play together. Preserve this legacy in the simplest way: by playing.
Because behind the laughter and the leaps, a living culture continues to thrive.
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