tugas pak budi

One of the most fascinating things about living in Indonesia is the discovery of bits of Indonesian culture which are actually not Indonesian at all, but originate in other lands. For[Image] centuries, the Indonesian archipelago has been visited by traders from many corners of the world who came to buy spices and other agricultural riches. Indonesian cultural diversity benefited by the many peoples who passed through the archipelago, due to Indonesia's location along the primary trade route between Europe and Asia. Together with the items they brought to sell, these traders brought bits of their culture along with them as well. These included religion, language, foods and textile traditions. Less written about than spices, silks and ceramics, however, are the games brought to Indonesia by travelers over the centuries. I've long been fascinated with Congklak, which I had thought of as a traditional Indonesian game since I first played it in Yogyakarta in the late 70s. Much to my surprise, my previously held belief in the Indonesian origins of this game was shattered when I saw a Congklak board in a cultural display organized by the African Women's Group in Jakarta some years ago. Upon seeing the game I said, “Oh, you play Congklak too ...” The women staffing the exhibit said “No, this is Wari, a traditional African game.” Thus, my first inkling of the widespread nature of this game.