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Suuuuuungka!

Who knows how to play Sungka?


What's Sungka you may be thinking? Well, let's allow good old Wiki to define it for us...

Congkak (pronounced [tʃoŋkaʔ]) is a mancala game played in the island of Borneo, Singapore, and Peninsular Malaysia. Minor variants are known as Tchonka, Naranj, Dakon or Sungka and are played in Indonesia (mostly Java), Sri Lanka, the Maldives, southern Thailand, the Philippines and the Marianas. In Indonesia, it is called "Congklak" meaning cowrie shells, which are often used as pieces. On the island of Java, it is called "Dakon" and little red seeds are used as pieces. In the Philippines it is called "Sungka" and shells are used as pieces. Congkak is believed to originate from the word ‘congak’ which in old Malay Language means count.


When we were in Boracay last April, this game was played during our free time. I love playing it! Especially if my opponent's Arvic because I pretty much win all the time. Haha! Kidding aside, I really think I'm good at it. And I credit the 'talent' to my childhood playing days. Everyone in my family seems good at it. And we have all sorts of it. Big ones, small ones, even chairs that have holes on it ala-Sungka so we can play and sit on it at the same time. Neat! If I remember well.. it was either Sungka, BINGO, or Dart boards that we were addicted too during Summer breaks when I was young(er).

The master at work.. Hahaha!


It was difficult for Arvic to grab and distribute the shells quickly.
Another one of his "excuses" for not winning. :P
Hehehe. Love you Dear!



Let the games begin...


I believe games like this (together with snakes and ladders, boggle, monopoly, scrabble, millionaire's game) should definitely make a comeback. Yes, high-tech video games are great but kids should still go through their board-game, family games and larong kalye phase, I think it'll be healthy for them. :)

Who wants to play? :)

CARPE DIEM!
I'm out.
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Comments

kg said…
i also love playing sungka! diba may sunog-sunog pa yan? so fun! :)
June 12, 2009 at 8:02 PM
witsandnuts said…
I miss! Sobrang na-master ko yan nung bata pa ko. Kahit nakapikit memorized ko. Haha. Pero nakalimutan ko na yata ngayon.
June 12, 2009 at 10:38 PM
Rico said…
Brings back old memories too! Wifey and I saw some sungka in MOA (can't recall the store) and plan to buy one of these days.
June 13, 2009 at 9:07 AM
Cza said…
@kg - yuh!! may sunog-sunog.. the more you have, the less the chances of winning. haha!

@witsandnuts - Hahaha! Same here, kahit nakapikit! Tas memorize pa yung mga 'moves'. :D

@Rico - Really? Go go.. buy one! :D
June 14, 2009 at 4:47 PM
iteagirl said…
I like playing sungka when I was small! Kaya lang pag nagpapabili ako ayaw nila.. bad luck daw sa bahay.. dunno why.. Nakikilaro lang tuloy ako sa kapitbahay.. hehehe

Btw, I like your template =)
June 15, 2009 at 8:06 AM
Cza said…
@Eliza - thanks! took some effort to fix it. Haha! As for the sungka.. narinig ko nga rin yung sinasabe nila na malas daw.. I don't know if it's true. We have lots of them pa naman. Hahaha!
June 15, 2009 at 11:24 AM
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