Article

INDONESIAN TRADITIONAL GAMES

( The Compilation of Indonesian Traditional Games )

Amelia F. Sitepu
Anita Basrah
English Applied Linguistic Study Program
Postgraduate of State University of Medan
Indonesia
ameliafsitepu8@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This paper deals with Lexicology topic, Lexicography, Contemporer

Dictionary. It elaborates the varieties of Indonesian Traditional Games and
discusses the varieties, the role play, the historical backgrounds and the
values of the games. The paper was conducted in order to compile the varities
of Indonesian traditional games and find out is there any influence of
traditional games to students learning ability, especially to their motor-skill.
The data were taken from the observations and interview. There are at least
20 traditional games which were taken, but the authors only focus on
“Engklek” game.

Keywords : Lexicography, Contemporer Dictionary, Indonesian Traditional

Games, Motor-Skill

I. INTRODUCTION

A dictionary is a concrete object, typically a book, in either printed or electronic

format, whereas the lexicon is an abstract object, that is, a set of words with associated
 information, stored in our mind and described in the dictionary. In dictionaries, the
information is organized according to practical considerations. This study deals with one
of Lexicology topic – Contemporer Dictionary, which aim to compile of the varities of
Indonesian Traditional Games, in order to maintain and promote Indonesian Traditional
Games to the world wide. This research also elaborated the value of the Traditional
Games to the people who play it, especially toddlers and children. The data were taken
from the observations of some games which commonly played by children in Indonesia
and the authors also do some research to take more reliable data by doing interview to the
children who live nearby the authors’ residents.
Research conducted by Lestari & Prima (2017), shows that the application of
traditional games can improve children's social emotional. Lusiana (2012) suggested that
the traditional Javanese game is effectively used to build the character of honesty in
social skills in early childhood. Putri (2003) suggested that traditional games are effective
in improving social adjustment of 4-5 years old children. Kasim (2017), the results
showed that develop a manual of traditional games as a medium Bugis-Makassar
counseling can be received by the usability, accuracy, appropriateness, and relevance in
improving the social skills of students. Hakimeh (2009), traditional games program is
more effective than daily activity in order to develop object control, locomotor, and
fundamental skills.
Based on the previous studies above the authors believe that there are some values
of Traditional Games to the those who play it. So the purpose to maintain and promote
the Traditional Games is worth to do.

II. DESCRIPTIONS OF WORDS

The researcher has collected twenty traditional games which commonly played by the
children in Indonesia, they are:
1. Balap Karung (Sack Race)
2. Bantengan (Fort Game)
3. Bola Bekel (Jacks)
4. Congklak
 5. Engrang
6. Engklek (Matchbox or Hop-scotch)
7. Gobak Sodor or Galah Asin
8. Gasing (Top Spin)
9. Patok Lele (Gatrik)
10. Kelereng (Marbles)
11. Layangan (Kites)
12. Lenggang Rotan (Hullahop)
13. Lompat Tali (Skip Rope)
14. Ngadu Mucang
15. Petak Umpet (Hide and Seek)
16. Kuda Lumping
17. Rangku Alu
18. Ular Naga
19. Pecah Piring
20. Hompimpah (Rock Paper Scissor)

Twenty traditional games above have different names in different regional, but it
was called that way by most people in Indonesia. As example: the word “Kelereng” has
different name in Java and Sumatera. People in Java used to name it “Gundu” but in
Sumatera, people commonly name it “Guli”. However, the national name for that game is
“Kelereng”. It is just a simple example of differences of all the games above.
Instead of looking for the differences and the similarites of each games, the
researcher focused on the value and the benefits. Games as fun activities consisting in the
essence the main intrinsically motivating factors that captivate student’s or player’s
attention and make them persistent and enthusiastic about the activity. It is an evidence
that maintaing traditional games is such an essential thing to do and worth to do.
According to (Schank, Berman & Macpherson, 1999) “There is only one effective
way to teach someone how to do anything and that is to let them to do it”. It also proves
that by asking students or players to play the games helps to maintain the games and help
them to learn more fun at the same time.
 Traditional games provide the opportunity to learn about, apprciate and
experience aspects of Indonesian culture, and also provide essential training in social
interaction. The twenty traditional games above have their own rules to play, it is also has
some values to the students or the players. Below are some values of traditional games,
such as it is used as a medium to convey important values, fair play is encouraged and
winning is not always the most important goal, games are often played for fun, enjoyment
and self-satisfication, physical fitness is considered to be important to the life of children
and adults, the opportunity of teaching others makes us patient and refines our own skills,
and games are extremely important to healthy personal development.
Beside of the value, the researchers also found some benefits which can be gained
from traditional games, some of these may well include: appreciate the traditional types
of games, respect appropriate sporting behavior, learn to play fair, participate to their best
at the games and sports, demonstrate fun and enjoy teamwork, show pride in developing
certain physical skills and abilities, appreciate the need for physical fitness, respect others
through participation in the games, appreciate other people’s skills and their own,
cooperate with others and recognise the universality and diversity of the culture of play
and movement expression.

III. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

The researchers have mentioned before, that there are some similarities and
differences among those traditional games. As the data, the traditional games were taken
from the observations, the researchers then compiled the data and divided them based on
the type. There are two types, the games which played outdoor and the games which
played indoor. Later on by reading more on the instruction and role of play of the games,
reader could also find some differences and similarities of the games.
Engklek for example, it is called Matchbox / Hop-scotch in English, it has
different name but same role play. In Indonesia, children play them in order, there are at
least two players in this game and they have to take turn. The role play could be the same
in different region or even countries, but we could find the difference of the shape and
 scheme designs. Indonesia maintain the same designs, which commonly used are
aeroplane, propeller and mountain.

IV. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

The study suggests that maintaining the traditional games by compiling and
putting them into dictionary is needed. Those games are worth preserving and efforts
need to be made to encourage people to play and understand them. Maintaining
traditional games is also as a way to appreciate and promote the local value of the region
where the games were taken. The researchers suggested the readers to gain more
information of Indonesian traditional games, they believe there are still many more
traditional games which can be analyze, the future work should explore in more details of
the value and the historical of the games. By conduct future research and compile the
traditional games into a dictionary as the goal, the researchers believed that there would
be many more readers could gain more information and attract more players to get to play
the games. Then as the conclusion, the researchers concluded that maintaining Indonesian
traditional games can be done by these steps, observing, taking notes of the value, the
role play and the historical story of the games, and compiling them into a glosarium or
dictionary. Those steps later on can be completed by the last step, persuade children to do
it. Maintaining by doing.

V. REFERENCES

Schank, R. C., Berman, T. R. & Macperson, K. A. (1999). Learning by doing. In C. M.

Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional Design Theories and Models: A New Paradigm of
Instructional Theory (Vol. II) (pp. 161-181). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates.