Kidding Around

By Alli Sinclair

When I lived in Cuzco, I taught English to street kids and quite often they asked me to join in their games. To be honest, I sucked at most of them, but the gorgeous laughter coming from kids who had such tough lives always warmed my heart. After that experience, whenever I had the opportunity to join in a game with kids, I jumped at the chance. Here’s a list of games I’ve played throughout South America:

Colombia – La Cachanga (Cotton Sandal)

Players form a close circle and kneel on one knee, the other knee is at right angles. While the person who guesses is on the outside of the circle, the players quickly pass the cotton sandal under their knee in a clockwise direction. The player on the outside tries to guess who has the shoe. While the game is going on, participants chant “Que corra la cachanga” (the sandal that runs). Game is over when the person on the outside guesses who has the sandal. It sounds simple, but when you get a bunch of kids well-practiced at this game, the sandal can literally, fly between the players.

Brazil - Luta de Galo (Fight of the Roosters)

This game requires a minimum of two. Players tuck a handkerchief in their belt and place their right arm across their chest while hopping around on their right foot. The left arm is used to grab the opponent’s handkerchief. If a player’s left foot touches the ground or the right arm moves away from the chest, the player is disqualified.

Brazil – Vivo ou morto (Dead or Alive)

A leader is chosen amongst the children and they stand in front of him or her, awaiting his instructions. When he yells “vivo!” the children stay standing, when he yells “morto!” they crouch down. If one of the participants gets it wrong, they’re out of the game. The fun part of this game is when the leader shouts the instructions really quickly and the kids get super confused. The last person to have followed all the instructions correctly gets to be leader in the next round.

Chile – Quien es? (Who is it?)

If the idea of 20 or more teenagers congregating in one noisy place frightens you, don’t play this game! If you do decide to brave the gaggle of hormonal teenagers, it’s well and truly worth the effort.

One player is chosen as the leader and is the head of the line. The remaining players stand in an orderly line. The leader asks the question, “Have you seen my friend?” and the players answer with, “No, Sir/Madam.” The leader than asks, “Do you know who my friend is?”, the group answers with, “Yes, Sir/Madam.”

The leader takes nine steps forward and doesn’t look back at the other players. The other players quietly change positions and the (new) first person remains quiet while the other players shout out, “Who is it?” The leader asks three questions before they guess. Typical questions are, “Boy or girl?”, “Dark hair or fair?”, etc. The leader then guesses who’s standing behind him or her. If the leader wins they can stay in that role or if they lose, someone else is nominated for this position.

Los encantandos (The Enchanted)

This game is similar to “freeze” or “tag”. One person is chosen as the enchanted one and if they touch a person, that person has to stay frozen until one of the unfrozen players touches them. There is usually a safe place where the enchanted person can’t enter, and if a player makes it to the safe spot, they can form a chain with other players to release frozen people.

And just for fun, I’m adding my all-time favorite game for kids—one that is played in many countries around the world. I only discovered this after I became a mum and this game is a firm favorite in our house (especially when little friends are over):

Dead Fish

A fisherman is chosen from the group of kids and the players lie on the ground, not moving. The fisherman moves between the fish and if he/she spies a moving fish, that fish is moved over to his “basket”. The game keeps going until there is only one fish left. Needless to say, the idea of a group of kids lying on the ground and being still and quiet is a caregiver’s dream!

What I’ve discovered since playing games with kids is it doesn’t matter where you come from or language you speak, as long as you join in and embrace the spirit of the game, you’ll always be welcome. Games breakdown barriers, create friendships, and encourage the sharing of moments that can stay in our memories forever.

How about you? Have you ever joined in a kid’s game on your travels and ended up with an experience you’ll never forget?

Telling It Like It Was

Photo by D.Hatcher

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with myths, especially ones involving animals. Many cultures, both ancient and present-day, use animals in their story-telling to either get a message across or help explain the way their world works. Kids, especially, seem drawn to these tales. 

As a young girl, I would spend hours in the library poring over picture books, and later, archaeology tomes that delved into mythology from around the world. So when I sat down to write Vestige, it came as no surprise I wanted to weave in some Incan legends, including ones that contained animals. I could bore you stupid with the folklore I’ve studied, but I promise I won’t and will limit this post to two—one myth from Central America and the other from the Andes. Well, maybe I’ll squeeze in a quick one to make it three—let’s briefly go to Brazil as well.

Central America:

In Mesoamerican legends, the resplendent quetzal is a bird associated with the snake god of creation and wind, Qutzalcoatl (try saying that ten times in a row). The Mayans and Aztecs believed the bird represented goodness and light and the rulers of these civilizations wore head dresses with the feathers from the quetzal. By donning this bird’s feathers, they felt a connection with the god Qutzalcoatl. The bird was so revered, it was forbidden to kill it, so the lackeys would capture and pluck its feathers then set it free. 

The quetzal was thought to be unable to survive in captivity, so it came to represent liberty for those in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. Until twenty years ago no one had been able to keep the species alive or breed it in captivity. In the past, whenever a quetzal was captured and put in a cage, it would somehow kill itself through starvation or ramming against the enclosure. But a zoo in Mexico has been able to breed the species on a continual basis since 1992.

In Guatemala, the bird has been associated with the warrior prince Tecún Umán of the Quiché Maya. This bird was the prince’s nahaul (spirit guide). Legend has it that one day, the Spanish Conquistador, Pedro de Alvarado, rode in on horseback, and, Tecún Umán, who was on foot. When Alvarado delivered a spear to Tecún Umán’s chest, a quetzal landed on the spot from where the warrior prince bled and dipped its chest feathers into his blood. The Mayans believe this is how the quetzal received its distinctive red chest feathers.

Another legend tied to the Spaniards is that prior to its arrival in Central America, the quetzal had a beautiful singing voice. But at the time of the Spanish conquest, it fell silent. Many Central Americans believe that one day the quetzal will find its voice, but only when their land is truly free. 

Photo by Rick Swarts

The Andes:

The Aymara- and Quechua-speaking people of Bolivia and Peru believe that there were once two, superimposed worlds. The lower world had countless herds of healthy, long-haired alpacas that belonged to the mountain god Apu and were tended by his daughter. The upper world contained alpacas of inferior quality.

Apu’s daughter had problems protecting his precious alpacas from predators, so Apu arranged for her to marry a young herdsman from the upper world. For a while, their union was successful, but the herdsman grew homesick and so the daughter and her husband decided to take their healthy flock to the upper world. Apu agreed but only under the condition that the daughter and her husband take special care of his precious herds, especially his prized possession—a particular baby alpaca. They started their journey, travelling alongside springs and lakes. The baby always wanted to be carried but the husband became lazy, and one day he dropped it to the ground and left it to fend for itself. Apu’s daughter became frightened and ran to the nearest spring, diving in and swimming back to the lower world. Many alpacas tried to follow her, but the herdsman prevented them from doing so. Ever since, the alpacas of the upper world have stayed near lakes and springs, waiting for their mistress who has yet to return.

Brazil:

The Cobra Encantada is a beautiful woman who turns into a vicious snake to guard an immense treasure. Whoever can break the spell will have the gold and marry the maiden. I’m not so sure Disney will like this one for the next movie--it might freak out the little kids.

For thousands of years, humans and animals have been connected. There’s no wonder we want to include animals in our folklore also. Take a look at the advertisements for kid’s products or the popularity of shows such as the Care Bears (showing my age, now) or Big Bird on Sesame Street. Animals are used in many forms to gain attention, especially from the little people, and deliver a message. The wheel, penicillin, and technology may have changed the way we do some things, but others have remained the same—we still use animals in our story-telling.

When Luck Isn't Enough

We’re only two weeks into the new year and for some, the celebrations continue. So to honor those who love wiping the slate clean and need some preparation for this year’s end (come on, it will be December before you know it!), here are some rituals popular in most Latin American countries.

What color are your undies? For those who want to be swept off their feet and have their desires for a grand love met, wear red underpants. If you’d prefer happiness and money, go for the yellow. If it’s prosperity you want, green’s the go and pink will help you out in the friendship stakes. White is for peace and hope. Or, if you’re after a new wardrobe, wear new clothes on NYE or put your underpants on backward (the color won’t matter). New lingerie will give you luck, but if someone buys it for you, you’ll get even more luck (or lucky!). 

Itchy feet? If you have the travel bug and need some help in that department, grab a suitcase and walk around the block at the stroke of midnight. The heavier the suitcase, the further you’ll travel. Others like to walk in and out the front door with the suitcase as the night progresses. 

Ball and chain, anyone? If getting hitched is on your agenda, then you’ll need to sit down and stand up 12 times when the clock strikes midnight. Tie a red ribbon around a photograph of the person you want to marry (don’t choose Antonio Banderas—he’s mine), and then sleep with the photo under your pillow. If you do this, then you increase your chances of the person asking you to marry them before the year’s end.

Business troubles? Lentils are the way to go if you want to improve the prosperity of your business. Eat a spoonful of lentils (preferably cooked) or give a handful to a friend. Some people like to take money out of their pocket and count it as the clock hits midnight while others prefer to stash money inside their shoes.

Broken heart? To avoid bad luck, pain and tears, fill a glass with water and throw it onto the street. Write down all the crappy things that have happened to you in the past year, and burn the list to erase the past. And as the clock strikes twelve, don’t forget to yell out “I will be happy this year!”

Holding a flame? Peace for your family and friends can be helped along with burning blue candles. Yellow brings abundance, red is for passion, green for health and white will help you possess a clear mind. And if you’re lacking in the brains department, try burning an orange candle.

Disharmony in the home? A clean house with dust-free corners and nothing broken will stop disagreements. Cinnamon sticks will attract luck while sweets in a dish will bring love. If you place three stones on the doorstep then you’re ensuring health, love and money. Throw in some thorns with your holiday decorations and you’re family will have good luck and peace.

Lacking in love? If your dinner table is decorated with your finest tableware and has at least one red candle burning, then there will always be love in your family. Something gold on the table will attract prosperity and before you eat dinner, make sure everyone eats at least one teaspoon of cooked lentils for prosperity.

Want to bubble from happiness? Toasting the New Year with bubbly is common amongst many cultures, and in many places the bubbles represent happiness. If you’re after prosperity, throw a gold ring into your champagne before you drink it. For the tee-totallers, bite the ring instead (I’m not sure how prosperous it is if you have to fork over money to the dentist if you break your teeth). For those with sweet teeth (that aren’t broken), make sure the baked dessert has three coins in it. Whoever gets the slice of cake with the coins has a prosperous year ahead of them.

Wishing away your life? Don’t worry about popping open a bottle of vino. When the countdown is on, eat 12 grapes. Pause after each one, make a wish and wait for the luck to happen (one of the wishes might be not to choke on a gob full of grapes). 

So the next New Years Eve when someone asks you what color underwear you have, don’t be offended—especially if the asker is from a Latin American country. With so many chances to increase your luck in love, money and happiness, why wouldn’t you start planning now?

What’s your favorite ritual to create wealth, love or happiness?