Today is World Environment Day. Everyone’s talking about protecting the environment — about the ozone layer, air pollution, water contamination, and many other things. They are things of great importance, no doubt, but to me, I think the biggest loss is the trees. It is from trees that our ancestors literally plucked the most wonderful elements to create several forms of traditional games and play.
From the large, stately tamarind tree came the juicy, brown fruit that found its way into our kitchens while the brown, smooth seeds piled up, creating a wonderful play experience. From blowing and picking tamarind seeds to creative games such as odd or even, these seeds have provided hours of fun and amusement. Seeds cut in half were used as dice or throw pieces in several games.
From the tall palm tree, with its almost comical arrangement of leaves on top that resembles a schoolboy with a funny haircut, comes the delicious palm fruit. Once the sweet, refreshing fruit was scooped out, the base fruit became an excellent element to create a roll-along toy. Two fruits were jammed onto two sides of a pointed stick to form wheels, and the entire thing was rolled along using a forked stick.
From a sprawly shrub or small tree with hooked thorns that used to grow wild, came the grey nicker beans or Kazhodi, a lovey roundish smooth seed that was used to teach young children to play five stones so they would not hurt themselves. Interestingly, these seeds could float, allowing them to travel long distances with river and ocean currents.
From the Coral Wood tree came the lovely red seeds called Manjadi glowing, almost gem-like, so tantalising and wonderful, that you would have to pick them up and play with them. Folklores mention Gods playing games with these seeds.
From the stately, tall coconut trees come the coconut, which could be fashioned into wonderful stilts on which children could walk tall. From the Indian Coral tree came these wonderful seeds that would get very hot when rubbed on the ground. What wonderful hours we had, placing the hot seed on the arm of an unsuspecting friend and watching them leap in surprise.
Where have all the trees gone? Most children have barely seen a tamarind tree, let alone climbed one.
About a year ago, I interviewed a number of people asking them to recollect their childhood memories of play. One talked of a wonderful catching game that they played that involved climbing trees. Another reminisced about how he never used to enter through the gate of his friend’s house but preferred to clamber over the wall by using an overhanging tree.
To quote Richard Mabey, a renowned British writer and broadcaster, best known for his work exploring the relationship between nature and culture — “To be without trees would, in the most literal way, to be without our roots.”
And the roots of our traditional games are in
our trees – truly the treasure in the trees.