Hobbies And Interests
Banyoka
Banyoka is a game from Zambia that is played on rough terrain scattered with bushes and stones. A minimum of 12 players is required. The players are split into two teams. Team members for each team squat and hold onto each other's shoulders to form a "snake." The team members move their bodies back and forth to mimic a snake slithering along the ground while also navigating though objects on the ground. The object of the game is for one of the teams, while still connected together, to reach a specified destination first.
Chigora Danda
Hailing from Zimbabwe, Chigora Danda is game that requires three poles that are at least 4 to 5 feet in length. The number of players required is a minimum of three. Two of the poles are placed parallel onto the ground, approximately 4 feet apart, with the third pole placed across the center of the first two. To play, three players are required. Two of the players sit on either side of the center pole and lift it up and down while tapping it against the parallel poles on the ground to make a rhythmic sound. The third player must hop over the center pole each time it is raised. Spectators clap to the rhythm of the tapping as the speed of the raising of the pole is increased. A player is counted "out" if he misses a hop or stumbles. The players alternate between hoping and raising the bar. A judge counts the number of successful hops each player makes. The player that makes the most hops over the bar is declared the winner.
Kudoda
Kudoda is a game from Zimbabwe that is popular among children of all ages. A minimum of two players is required. Players sit in a circle and place a metal bowl in the center. Approximately 20 small stones are placed inside the bowl. To play, each player takes one stone and throws it into the air. He must grab as many pebbles from the bowl as he can before catching the thrown stone in his hand. Each player has a turn until all of the stones have been used. The player with the most stones wins.