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Children’s traditional games and promotion of social cohesion

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IN my previous articles in this paper I wrote on the importance of traditional indigenous knowledge systems.
I emphasised these systems form the basis of a people’s livelihood.
Children’s traditional songs and games are one aspect of indigenous knowledge systems.
The games are the same, although they assume different names depending on communities or places, but they are wholesomely similar in nature.
Through the songs and games, children got to know their environment and acquired life skills among other things.
Indigenous knowledge is transmitted orally from one generation to another and it is the basis for local decision-making on many aspects of life, including education and social cohesion among children from all walks of life as well as a host of other activities in rural communities.
Most indigenous communities in Zimbabwe have traditional songs, folklore, dreams, methods and practices as part of the various modes of indigenous knowledge transmission.
Children’s traditional games, like mahumbwe, promoted learning about adult roles, social and economic skills like sharing, solving conflicts, practical skills like constructing a hut as well as preparing and preserving food, among others.
In mahumbwe, children imitated adult roles of father, mother and children.
Here they practised what they saw their elders do; looking for food, preparing and preserving it, resolving disputes and even worshipping.
All this was learnt during childhood, but today, with Western knowledge systems, information communication technology and globalisation, children no longer have time for the traditional games and songs.
In games like chitsvambe, social cohesion among the children was promoted.
All the children participated, therefore all felt loved as opposed to some of today’s children who suffer isolation when they are in a group.
Chihwandehwande promoted the skills of hiding and seeking as well as alertness among the children.
Other games like nhodo, pada, tsoro and hwishu formed part of indigenous learning and an education for living which was meant to train the children for adulthood.
They learnt by observation, imitation, practice and listening to stories told by their elders.
Children’s games and songs also provided primary socialisation.
It was this socialisation which made it possible for children to adapt to their natural and social environments; they were more than games.
These games and play songs provided an opportunity where children learnt by guided participation in social experiences and explorations of their communities.
In games like nhodo, tsoro or draughts, one needed to be really a fast thinker to be able to outclass others; the games also enhanced counting skills.
These games, especially tsoro, are not only confined to children as adults also play them today.
In the pada game, simple mathematical calculations were learnt while games like chihwandehwande taught children how to evade danger.
Children’s traditional games were a way of ensuring the continued existence of customs, traditions and culture as a whole.
Courtship games were played in order to introduce the youth into adulthood.
These were games like sipoti sipoti zangariana, ‘round-and-round’ as well as sarura wako where participants would learn how to choose a partner.
I remember my late mother telling us that she was courted through this game.
Children’s games also taught counting, for example in motsiro which promoted the counting of the name of seasons or months of the year.
In kapotsa, children learnt to count from one to 10 or more; one was judged by the alertness and speed in the way one counted.
These were competitive games to find out who counted better or more than the others.
All these were practical aspects of children’s day-to-day living where they were expected to count their livestock or any other items which required counting.
Object or people-naming was another aspect which children learned during play.
There were other games such as chitsvambe, mock-fits in zamu raamai vako which taught young boys to be brave and fight whenever they faced provocative situations.
These fights occurred when boys were herding cattle.
The boys were also taught to name trees in games such as do do zengera uyo mutii? and du du muduri.
They got to know one another and their environment.
This was all done in an exciting manner.
According to research, most of these traditional games are at risk of becoming extinct because of rapidly changing natural environments, fast-paced economic, social and cultural changes in Zimbabwe.
This is why the Government of Zimbabwe has, through the new curriculum, introduced heritage studies and traditional knowledge systems that will entrench these games among a host of other subjects that enhance good child development.
These days, children have so much at their disposal; television with a daily dosage of Western cartoons like Tom and Jerry with different channels dedicated to children, internet, toys and play stations.
With this glut of entertainment at their disposal, children are no longer creative and resourceful and tend to be less sociable and have less friends because of being confined indoors.
In Zimbabwe, prior to colonisation, children were taught to hunt, fish, prepare food and build houses as well as run a home through games and songs.
Today, many of these games are becoming extinct because of rapidly changing natural environments.
They also played interactive games which depended on groups of more than 10 or more children; hence they were good for building social skills and interaction.
Children managed to get very entertained with little adult supervision and restrictions.
Today, urbanisation has taken its toll on children’s games and songs through the Western education system which has dominated the education system and most children are exposed to formal learning from very tender years during their pre-school.
Here they are taught Western games and rhymes.
Western games have gained prominence in urban pre-schools.
However, if indigenous knowledge is to be effectively passed on to younger generations, this has to be done during their childhood so that they become socialised in the appropriate norms, values and societal expectations, as prescribed in the new education curriculum.
While formal education has disrupted the practical everyday life aspects of indigenous knowledge systems and ways of learning among our children, there is need for the promotion of these games through writing books that promote the heritage and culture of Zimbabwean people.
Heritage Publishing House is trying to achieve this by publishing books and bringing writers who have a common vision of upholding Zimbabwean values of unhu/ubuntu.
The children’s traditional games, if embraced in the new curriculum, are a way of ensuring the continued existence of traditional customs, traditions and culture.
The games will also provide a platform for learning and a lot will be achieved, including natural resources management, seasons of the year, physical strength, perseverance and determination, conflict management, handling success and failure.

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