Armenian national games

Speaking about national games, many Armenians immediately remember kokh, chlik-dastan, seven stones, havala (leapfrog) and many other games. There are many Armenian national games and in this article, we will talk about some of them. From ancient times, games have been an integral part of Armenian life. In the Middle Ages theatrical and circus performances were also called games. Also during such performances, holidays and rituals people often sang playful funny songs.

Children’s games were not only a way to entertain children, but also to develop them. From ancient times, Armenians attached great importance to the upbringing of children, especially boys. Since childhood, games have influenced not only the physical abilities, but also helped children to develop ingenuity and a competitive spirit. In addition, comic songs and poems developed in children a sense of humor.

Although games are very different, they all have one thing in common – competition and theatrical nature. Games were mainly different for people of different ages and genders. Games for boys were very different from games for girls. They required more physical strength.

At different times in history, within different families there were unions that had their own special games. Within these unions, each gender and age group had their own meeting places, and each had their own time to play games. The number of participants in such groups could reach 200 people. They could get together, play and joke. The best place to hang out and play was either a large field or a roof.

Traditional game competitions and theatrical performances were mainly held during ritual ceremonies. Barekendan was distinguished by a variety of performances. According to ancient ritual, Barekendan was considered a day of madness and fun. As a rule, the whole community gathered in the middle of the village and started the celebration full of contests, games, songs and dances. At the end, everyone gathered around a large table for a feast.  During this holiday, performances of many national games were shown.

Games with horses

War games date back to prehistoric times. Regardless of how much their expressive means have changed over time, they retained their purpose – military training and strengthening a healthy body. Such games were typical only for men. Games with horses were also held in Armenia, because here people were engaged in breeding and domestication of horses.

Games with horses can be divided into two groups. The first group is game with horses or horse riding. Second group is games with spear, during which participants sat on a horse with a wooden spear in their hands and tried to hit the opponent.

There was also a game named “duel of sparapets”, during which participants attached a feather to their helmet, and during the duel, they tried to knock down the feather of the opponent with a spear.

Such games survived until the beginning of the 20th century and were mainly popular among the rulers. These games were mainly played during the holidays.

Seven stones

Seven stones is also a war game. In the past, it was played with fragments of an enemy shield. Participants collected seven fragments, rebuilt them, fortified their fortress and expelled the enemy. In the future, flat stones replaced the fragments of the shield. The game can be played by 10-20 people. The participants are divided into two teams. One of the teams stands next to the stones to protect them, while the other, rolling the ball from a certain distance, tries to destroy the stone pyramid.

When one of the participants succeeds in destroying the pyramid, the other team members must take the ball and try to hit their opponents with it so that they cannot collect all the stones again. The team that manages to collect stones again wins. Of course, the game continued until everyone was tired or until it got dark. With the arrival of darkness, children were playing the game of hide and seek.

Armenian spinning top

The number of participants in this game is not limited. The game needed a top, which was a cone-shaped piece of wood with a sharp iron tip and a rope with a special knot. In order for the top to spin, it was necessary to fasten the knot on the finger and wrap the other end of the rope around the wooden top. The player throws his hand forward, the rope opens, and the top begins to spin on the ground. Beforehand, a small hole was dug in the ground and a reel (a top without a tip) was placed at a certain distance from it.

The point of the game was to take a spinning top in the palm of your hand and hit the reel with it. You had to push the reel forward into the hole. The game continued until someone pushed the reel into the hole more than anyone else did. Usually the prize was the opponent’s top.

Kokh

Kokh is the prototype of modern wrestling. It was an integral part of various ritual ceremonies, holidays, gatherings and weddings. Before the wrestling, the participants danced together national dances accompanied with the sounds of folk music. Only after this they started the fight. The winner was the one who was able to knock the opponent to the ground.

In ancient times, during the wedding, when the wedding procession reached the groom’s house, the parents of the groom and the bride played a staged fight – kokh, and thus strengthened their relationship. For the groom, the wedding kokh was also an important act, during which he showed his readiness for married life.

The scene of the traditional game kokh is also found in the poem “Anush”. The poem says that according to the custom, during kokh, a friend would never push his friend’s back to the ground in front of the crowd. During a celebration, when two friends Saro and Mosi play kokh, Saro forgets about the custom and knocks his friend down. After that, Saro and Mosi become irreconcilable enemies.

There are still communities in Armenia where Armenian national games have survived. The preservation of these games is very important, as they are not just games or competition methods. These games hide a national identity and a number of features of traditional life.

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