Galaw tan Galaw-Galaw: A Dictionary of Traditional Pangasinan Games and Toys

Galaw tan Galaw-Galaw: A Dictionary of Traditional Pangasinan Games and Toys

Curiously, the word galaw in the Pangasinan language has four different meanings: game or sport, toy, movement, and joke. 

Wala la'y galaw natan? (Is there a game going on right now?/Is there a game about to go on?)

Anto ta'y galaw-galaw mo? (What is that toy you have?)

Galaw ki met kari. (Will you please get moving?)

Sika met, mangagalaw ak labat! (I was only kidding you!)

It could be that these four things mean roughly the same, because when one is playing, it indeed means one is having fun with playthings and one can't help but get moving.

Anyway, in modern times, the word game has become closely connected with the new term, gaming, which has become a noun that has taken on a new meaning. It refers to games based on computer apps or applications, which now come in profusion since the time of Tetris, Pacman, and Super Mario. These computer games have engrossed teens and even adults, as they sit for hours in front of the screen with nary a muscle flexed.

Games today also strictly refer to the ball games and other big-ticket games of the school intramurals or palaro and the like, which is locally called liga or paliga. This inevitably means basketball and volleyball, being the most preferred, although the return of soccer and baseball looks promising. These games are, of course, always referred to as proper 'sports,' and their players 'athletes,' and these have evolved into not just as a recreational pursuit but also as an entire career.

Foreign-born sports that are also martial arts have also become popular of late: karate, taekwondo, judo.

There was a time when gaming had quite a different sense. In the olden days, children grew up being exposed to a rich gaming tradition, whether indigenous or otherwise, that an entire glossary of toys and games can be constructed from memory.

Considering how Filipinos absorb other influences like a sponge, certain games may have been known the world over, and these got deeply embedded in several generations' collective memory that they have been ‘nativized’ as well, so these may be considered as part of local tradition. But the variety of native games (and toys) can be easily gleaned from the terminology, and the list is quite impressive: there is a game invented for different contexts.

Whether solitary or in a group big or small, board games or card games, indoor games or street games, parlor games or fiesta favorites, boys’ games or girls’ games, having fun with these supposed life distractions is always an indelible part of local youngsters' life and that of the rest of the community.  

The big difference is that traditional games encourage a lot of movement, demand physical agility and coordination, and establish camaraderie among peers while enriching the local culture by giving generations of children a host of beautiful memories of fun and physical-mental exercise to look back on as adults.

These are those games, toys, and gaming elements in alphabetical order.

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Abong-abong (bahay-bahayan in Tagalog or playing house in English) is a common game in which kids get to role play a typical family setting. It can be played outdoors or indoors using any objects around the house or yard. Part of abong-abongan is luto-lutuan, or the simulation of cooking the family meal, particularly among the girls, in which miniature clay pots, ovens, plates, etc. are used. Lako-lakuan is also often resorted to, where players pretend to be market vendors selling assorted goods.

Agawan ng buko is a fiesta-time race to snatch a lone unpeeled buko or young coconut fruit, which is slathered with oil to make the catching more difficult for the players.  

Arnis is more of a martial art than game. It involves "swinging and twirling motions, as well as striking, thrusting, and parrying techniques for defense and attack," and uses rattan canes.

Flying kite or baga-baga is popular when the weather condition permits it. There are two types of baga-baga: sapi-sapi and binakyong. Binakyong is a long-tailed type of baga-baga that uses coconut leaf sticks as support to the diamond-shaped body. The sapi-sapi is the simplest sort of kite using just the sting and a piece of square or rectangular paper that is folded by 1 inch on both ends.

Baldo is jumping rope, using a rope or an improvised rope, i.e., using rubber bands linked together. The rope is swung forward toward a line, then away by the turners. The first player must run under the rope and back without reaching or allowing the rope to contact him, whereas the second person in line joins in after one pass, and both players sprint under the rope. After that, three runners join forces, and so on.

Baraha or card games are a dime a dozen: paquito, 41, lucky 9, sulsuldong, solitario and bakes-bakes are just some of the games that can be done with the baraha or playing cards. Locals young and old love to play these games as pastime especially during wakes. Basically, the cards are gathered into a deck and are randomly rearranged using the hand prior to the cards being dispersed to the players. The quantity of players and cards given to a player differs relying upon the guidelines of each game.

Bat-an is similar to baseball using tennis ball to make it to the first base then home base, but the bat used is one's own arm.

Bato bato pik or Jack en Poy is a preliminary game of elimination, to determine who is taya or “it” through matching finger snaps (rock, paper, scissors).  The one who doesn’t match the initial “it’s” finger snaps is the game’s “it.”

Bawet is trumpo or top, also Patpatlek? Landungan na bawet or pakulan na bawet is an outdoor game using tops. The top is often made of hard wood with a half-sphere on top and a conical section at the bottom end, in which an iron nail is attached. It is spun by winding a length of string around the body, and launching it so that it lands spinning on its point. If the string is attached to a stick the rotation can be maintained by whipping the side of the body. Players aim to hit a rival top and topple it from its position -- often outside a circle. 

Bending is a game in which a rubber slipper is the patok (general term for the plaything used to win the game). One dips his slipper to the opponent’s slipper by hanging his slipper in one ear, then letting the slipper fall from the ear until it hits the opponent’s slipper.

Bong-bong (boga in Tagalog) is the native term for bamboo cannon, which is used as makeshift explosive to mark New Year's Eve. 

Bontayog and butsi are the local terms for cara y cruz or heads and tails guessing game using sentimos coins. It is also called kara korus or kuros kuros. 

Bubuka ang bulalak is a dance/game among girls that is executed to the tune of this song: “Bubuka ang bulaklak, sasara ang bulaklak. Dadaan ang reyna, sasayaw siya. Boom-tiyaya-boom-tiyaya-boom-ye-ye.” A circle is formed by joining hands, then a reyna or queen enters the circle and stands in the middle, then covers her eyes with her hands while pointing her finger as she turns around. The girl that her finger randomly points at as the song is finished is the next reyna.

Chinese garter is a skipping or hopping game that need flexibility, balance, and coordination, particularly among young ladies. The players must jump over a garter around a few yards in length in a variety of techniques as the garter is placed by two stationary players at gradually increasing heights.

Dama is a variety of the checkers board game which can be played almost anywhere – all the two players need are a few bottlecaps (tansan) and a marker. Chinese dama is an even more simplified dama using only four equal-size squares. The objective is to race all of one's pieces over the square board into home base using single-step moves or moves that jump over other pieces.

Dineyeng is a contest of hitting square-shaped samon grass pile placed at a distance in the field after a major grass-cutting session. When a player hits an opponent's grass pile, he wins that pile.  

Diola camatis is the local term for luksong baka, a popular game in which players leap over another player known as the “baka” or "cow" and all players’ goal is to leap over the cow without collapsing or hitting him. Anyone who comes into contact with the cow or falls over becomes the new cow and until all the players have jumped over the "baka," then the game is over.

Dr. Quack Quack is a popular game in which one person is chosen as Dr. Quack Quack either by 'jack en poy,' "bato, bato, pik," or some other manner. After the ‘doctor’ is picked, he or she turns around and looks away from the rest of players as they join their arms and get them tangled in wild ways by stooping and stepping over each other without disengaging their hands. Dr. Quack Quack then faces them back and carefully untangle each knot.

Dunkin Donut is played by a few players seated in a circle, with their hands on the table closed into fists, with the thumb on top. Everyone sings "Dunkin donut, ting-a-li-aling poknat" while the leader lifts his first and bumps all the other fists on top with every syllable sung. After the song is finished, the leader lifts up one thumb and inserts that thumb to the underside of the fist of the person upon which the song finishes. This is repeated until there are no longer fists left to insert thumbs to. When each free fist has held another fist, everyone sings the song again as they move their connected fists together in a circular motion. After the song is sung, each one removes his hand. No one moves, and the first one who moves loses. The punishment is usually pitik bulag. 

Eating contests such as onion-eating contest may also be resorted to in fiestas. In galletas or polvoron eating contest, five or more players are given the same number of galletas (a powdery cookie) or polvoron. The player who can finish eating all the galletas or polvoron and blow a long whistle wins the game.

Erelan or inerel is habulan or chasing game, which is played at any time of day or night in a wide open space. Requiring energy and flexibility, it is often composed of two teams. This game has evolved into a few variations. Inerel, in general, requires only one it throughout the game. In the beinte-uno version, however, the 21st person in the count to determine the it becomes the it, and anyone who is tagged gets to be an additional it.Erela'y sali ed tagey na kakyewan is playing catch up in a tree using one’s legs.

Erelan na belek or agawan ng biik (pigpen wrestling, pigpen chase, or catch the piglet) is an exciting game to watch during fiesta. Participants chase and capture a small pig that has been let loose in a restricted area. The winner is the contestant who successfully captures the pig, and the prize is the pig itself.

Follow the Leader is like luksong baka. The leader tries to negotiate the obstacle by whatever way (jump, back dive, tumbling, etc.) and the next ones follow. The player who fails to follow the leader gets to be the next baka (cow). 

Garing, garing-garing, or titiris are the local terms for doll.

Holen or jolens is derived from the phrase "hole in," and the game involves players holding the glass ball called holen in their hands and throwing it to knock the other players' ball out of the playing area.

Hula hoop involves swinging plastic hoops in one’s waist and counting the number of turns until the player can no longer bear it. The player with the most number of turns emerges as the winner.

Inabong is a fun tagging/catching game between two teams with equal number of members and have respective bases in opposite directions in a wide open field. Tagged opponents are brought to the home base as prisoners, and are only released if they are tagged back by fellow team members. Impugod is the term used by Ilocanos for inabong.

Inamot or amutan is hide-and-seek. Two players conceal themselves in a set environment, to be found by one or more searchers. The game is played by one chosen player counting to a predetermined number with eyes closed while the other players hide. Inamot abong is inamot that is played strictly inside a house. As soon as the "it" finishes saying, "Pagbilang ko ng sampu nakatago na kayo. Isa, dalawa, tatlo, ... sampu!", everyone else must be out of sight and hiding somewhere or he will be caught and be the next "it." However, there is still a way out: if the one caught can run faster toward the home base than the "it," then the "it" stays as the "it." In Bang-sak, the "it" (whether one person or a team) shouts "Bang!" whoever he or she gets to tag, and the tagged player becomes the next "it," unless he/she gets to tag the "it" first. The opponent team, on the other hand, shouts "Sak!" whenever he/she tags the "it," but when the "it " tags him/her first, the latter is out from the game.

Inamot panis is a game using coconut leaf sticks buried in a little square or circular patch of sandy soil, and the aim is for the other player attempt to find it by drawing a small circle on the position being guessed. A longer stick is used to fish the buried stick. The mechanics is quite more complex than it sounds. If the guess is right, the other player takes turn in finding a new buried stick. Each player need to be inventive in fooling the other so it keeps on missing the buried stick.

Inerel gulis is a variation of the catch-me-if-you-can game. The difference is the movement is limited to a long continuous line made on the ground. 

Itpereket is a game played by a group seated in a circle around a tin can. The following is then recited -- “Itpereket, ubing battit, uray la makapugpugtit” -- and the player upon which the chant is finished should flip the tin can by gripping the top rim. If the can falls standing up, the player stays in the game, but if the can falls on its side, the player is out.

Jackstones is the use of a little bouncing rubber ball and a set of jacks. While the ball is thrown into the air, a single stone or jack is picked up, and then the bouncing ball is caught and the step is repeated until the player with the highest number of stones wins the game. A foul is committed with every mistake in the catching and picking rule.

Jump the Spine (luksong tinik) is a girls' game that involves putting the hem of the dress or lifting the hem of the skirt or dress then sticking it in the underpants while running to the place where two persons sit on the ground and build the spine as follows: Two girls take turns putting their heel and toes on top of another, then their hands with open palms on top of another. If the player touches the hand or the feet, someone says, "Touch,' then the player is out of the game and next person gets to jump over the spine. This was a very common and most liked game of girls in the '50s-'60s.

Kadang-kadang (tiyakad in Tagalog) refers to the bamboo stilts game, where players mounted on bamboo poles race toward a finish line.

Kalit is a variety of tatsing using bokel na maloko or cashew seeds (nuts).

Kati-abot uses a tin can placed in a burrow made on the ground. The aim of the opponent is to keep the can in the burrow by hitting it, while the “it” wants to release his tin can from the burrow so the opponent gets to be the next “it.”

Kinalitan is a team competition like inabong, but there are differences. There are two opposite home bases with a guard each. The "it" team starts the chasing game as the opponent team members run away from the home base, inviting to be chased after. Players who get tagged are "imprisoned" at the opponents' home base by sitting down in the corner instead of forming a line by linking both outstretched arms and wait to be tagged by teammates in order to be freed -- that is, if the rescuers can get past the guard. If the "it" catches and grips an opponent, he counts up to ten. If the caught opponent is able to run away, he is considered set free.

Kinirmat is like inerel gulis, in that when a player is left alone in a mud box of four squares, she will be tagged with the word “Pong!” or “Kirmat!” (literally, lightning).  While running along the entire length of the lines , the “it” tries to catch those inside the four boxes. For the player to avoid getting caught, he or she must have someone else to tug at him or her in case the “it” approaches them.

Kitkit (piko or hopscotch) is a simple game of hopping and skipping in which the player can plant one feet or both feet down on the ground at the same time depending on the box drawn on the ground. When the player comes to the conclusion box, the player turns around and drops back to the starting point. In kitkit, only one foot is used to hop or skip. Kitkit palda is a kind of kitkit in which the drawn boxes together form the semblance of a dress with a skirt. Kitkit has evolved into versions called kitkit aparador, in which the drawn figures used resemble a large cabinet.

Kuros-bukot is a combination of inamot (hide-and-seek) and inabong (playing catch, but with each team having a home base where members cannot be chased and get caught). There is a base, and the “it” is called anyani or ghost. The rest of the players may either hide or run around without stopping until the ghost is able to find or catch everyone.

Langit, Lupa, Impiyerno (literally, heaven, earth and hell) is a chasing game in which players will not be tagged if they manage to lift themselves off the ground by whatever means. The “it” is chosen by reciting the following while the leader points around the players one by one with every syllable: “Langit, lupa, impiyerno. Saksak puso, tulo ang dugo. Patay, buhay, alis ka na diyan sa pwesto mo.” The last player unfortunate enough to find himself being pointed at the end of the song is the “it.”

Lastiko or rubber band games come in several varieties. The simplest game is a series of making various formations and fun shapes, starting from a cross, star, double star, "bahay ni Tarzan," and the culmination, the singsing (ring). Parukeyan na lastiko is a contest of who makes the longest rubber band chain. For other more advanced games using the rubber band, there is the pitik lastiko, sibok/sibukan/sibok goma/sibok lastiko, sultik, dampa, pustaan na papel na sigarilyo tan lastiko, and so on.

Limbo rock or limbo dance is a popular game in which the goal is “to pass advances beneath a moo bar without falling or dislodging the bar.”

London Bridge is Falling Down is a popular game in which children join hands in a circle while passing through an arch formed by the outstretched arms of two players while everybody is singing, “London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.” After the song, the 'arch' is lowered and traps one of the players. ...

Luksong kabayo is usually played by children. It is accomplished by jumping over the person who is stooping without knocking him or her down.

Lumbaa'y dagian or dagian is a race involving a pair in which one is carried on one's back.

Marco Polo is a guessing game played inside a small room by a group whose members know one another. The “it” is blindfolded while the rest of the players move around. The “it” explores the room, catches one of the players, gropes the person for clues, and tries to guess who he or she is. If the guess is right, the person being held becomes the next “it”.

Monkey Annabel or monkey-monkey is an elimination game, and the one left last is tagged as the “monkey.” The players stand in a circle, and the leader recites the following while pointing a finger to each player per every syllable uttered: “Monkey monkey Annabel. How many monkey did you see? 2 is sprikitik in the blue black ship. Spell yes… Y-E-S, alis!”

Nanay, Tatay (Mother, Father) is a young children's game of choreographed clapping between two or more players accompanied by chanting, "Nanay, tatay/Gusto kong tinapay/Ate, kuya/Gusto kong kape./Lahat ng gusto ko ay susundin niyo./Ang magkamali ay pipingutin ko." This is followed by the chant, "1/1,2/1,2,3/1,2,3,4/..." and so on until the counting reaches "/1....10/," and the players may extend the game by reversing the count: "10/10,9/10,9,8/..." The player who makes a mistake in clapping receives the punishment of being pinched on the ear (as indicated in the chant) or any equivalent punishment. This game has varieties.

Pabitin is a party game in which young children attempt to reach out and snatch things (usually sweets, little toys, or coins) from a woven square of flat bamboo sticks (balag) placed high above their heads. This diversion is a frequent feature of children's birthday parties. The pabitin is hung from the ceiling then raised and brought down rapidly in succession, and the little children bounce to seize the hanging goodies.

Pagi is like patintero in that it is an outdoor game played using a line drawn on the ground. With a minimum of two players, the aim is to trick the opponent to either gets closer or moves away from the line. The opponent must get past all the lines to win the game. 

The old town plaza had an open park with two kinds of pakaruskusan or slides (concrete and tin), seesaws, and monkey bars.

Palo sebo is a traditional game that is usually played between boys during a fiesta or other important holidays or occasions. This game involves climbing a long, polished and standing bamboo pole greased with oil. Participants must race to climb it in order to reach a pennant or small flag or bag, which usually contains a reward. 

Palsuot is like a blowgun, but is different in that the mouth is not used to blow the pellet. Instead, there is another bamboo tube at the end that is attached to a stick that is used to push the pellets, often amaragat seeds or substitutes like wet paper balls. 

Paltik or palsot or baswit? means slingshot, which is used to hit wild birds.

Panag-gaway patit para manok tan para tilay is trap-making to catch wild birds and monitor lizards.

Panagkamarerwa is less of a game but more of a fun practice of gathering molten candles in the cemetery and around houses during All Saints' Day. These are collected by children into a ball and eventually mixed with petroleum gas to make floor wax. The fun part is the race to make the biggest wax ball.

Paputok is the term for the assortment of firecrackers (kwitis, fountain, etc.) lighted on New Year’s Eve.

Pataristis is a variation of samperwan, wherein the “it” or taya will go around trying to tag those who are inside the circle. The other players move within the circle.

Patpatlek is a "truth or consequence" type of game using a bottle turned on its side while the leader of the group chants, "Telek-telek, patpatlek say ituro to sikayoy untuwek!"

Pen and paper games were quite popular. There is this simple game in which two opponents draw a base at opposite directions from which they would launch their pens by turns, producing a line that approaches the opponent base. The next launching of lines is, of course, from the tip of the preceding line, and this is repeated until the opponent hits the other player's base. * VITAY is a local version of the Hangman game. There are two players, and the "it" is chosen via jack en poy. A player thinks up of a word that will fit in a series of empty boxes. The "it" tries to guess the word by asking if the word has a random letter in mind. Each wrong letter will merit a line in the VITAY, which has 11 lines. If the "it" fails to guess the word after all the lines of "VITAY" have been written down, he/she remains "it"; if he/she wins, it will be his/her turn to think of a new word. * F.L.A.M.E.S. is a game often played by pre-teens to supposedly predict one's sort of relationship with a target person. The acronym stands for "Friends, Lovers, Anger, Marriage, Engagement, Soulmates." The names of the two people being paired off are written down, then all the letters common to both names are crossed out. The number of letters unique to both is then counted, and the total is counted against the numbered letters of the FLAMES acronym until it reaches the final letter. The final letter is supposed to indicate the future relationship of the pair.

Penpen de sarapen is played by a few players seated in a circle, with their hands on the table and their fingers fully spread out. A leader spreads out just one hand because he will point at each finger one by one while everybody sings the song "Penpen de sarapen de kutsilyo de almasen, haw haw de carabao batuten. Ipit namimilipit, gintong pilak namumulaklak sa tabi ng dagat." The finger upon which the song stops should be hidden under the palm of the hand. The first player whose fingers are completely hidden from view will be the winner and earns the right to punish the rest of the players through pitik bulag. 

Pick up sticks is a game of carefully picking at a bundle of plastic sticks one stick at a time without moving any of the rest of the jumbled sticks. 

Pik-pac-bong is a speed game played during wakes. Each player has an assigned number, and there is a moderator who says, "Pic-pac-bong!" Someone mentions a random number, then the player with that number will echo the number. But if the number mentioned is not any of the assigned numbers, or the guessing player commits a mistake like mentioning a name instead of a number, he loses the game. The punishment is a choice between ‘truth’ or ‘consequence,’ or everyone draws on his face using charcoal. After the punishment is meted out, he will be the next one to say, "Pic-pac-bong."

Pitik bulag or pitik mata is a game of finger snaps and opening and closing of eyes to guess how many fingers of one’s opponent are sticking out. A player loses when his finger does not match the “it,” and the loser becomes the next “it.” It is also often used as punishment for those losing in any game.

Pongkit is an indoor game of pebbles in which the player gets a handful of pebbles, throw these up and catch them at the back of his palm, then hit each pebble to the other on the floor. The player collects the pebbles he has hit, and if he misses, the playmate takes turn and does the same thing. When all the pebbles are hit, the players count their winnings. Depending on their agreement, usually through pitikan (knuckle-hitting with finger snaps), the loser is punished.

Pugso or sulpit means blowgun using hollow stems or stalks of papaya leaves, bamboo, or rice, with bugayong or monggo seeds as pellets, or balls of moistened paper. Salbatana also means blowgun.

Pukpok palayok is a race between two or more blindfolded players to see who will first hit his clay pot hung at a distance. The noisy crowd shouts the clues to the players, to hilarious effect. This is similar to the Mexican piñata, and it may be a localized version of it. 

Samperwan, samperoan,or limbo-limbo (patintero) is often played under the moonlight by two teams. A wide segmented rectangle is made on the ground -- often using just water to mark the lines, which are guarded by the “it” team. There are two teams, and the aim is for one team to cross the lines from one side to the other without getting tagged by the guards. Pataristis is a variation of samperwan, wherein the “it” or taya will go around trying to tag those who are inside the circle. The other players move within the circle.

Sanggol braso is arm wrestling, while sanggol pueg is knee wrestling. Tolsi is finger-wrestling.

Sawsaw suka is a game for babies. An adult opens his palm like a bowl and invites the tot to dip her forefinger on the bowl while reciting, “Sawsaw suka, mahuli taya,” and then he snaps shut his palm to catch her forefinger. If the baby’s finger is caught, she becomes the next “it.”

Sepak takraw (kick volleyball) is a sport native to Southeast Asia which differs from the similar sport of foot volley for its use of a woven rattan ball and only allowing players to use their feet, knee, and head to touch and kick the ball.

7-Up is a guessing game in which the “it” stands up and turns his back on a group of guessers as the latter walk, then stop, then walk, and so on, toward him until someone is able to tap him. When he faces them and says “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-Up!” the approaching players should freeze. If caught moving, the player gets to be the next “it.” If a guesser manages to touch the “it,” she should run away or the “it” will catch her and be the next “it.” To confuse the guessers, the “it” may also say, “Sarsi” or some other softdrink brand, and depending on the pre-set rule, the guessers might shake their bod instead of freezing, and the guessing game continues until a player who commits a mistake is caught and gets to be the next “it.”

Turning the hand’s shadow into various forms of animals (dove, dog, rabbit, etc.) is also a local pastime –  obviously a night-time activity.

Shatong, siyatong, or bati cobra is a stick game in which a furrow is made on the ground where a little wood is positioned so it sticks out a bit. The first team player hits the small stick with a longer stick so the short stick is thrust up in the air, and then hits it again with a forward thrust above the heads of evenly spread out players from the opponent team. If anyone from the opponent team catches the short stick, the “it” and his whole team loses. If the short stick does not get caught and lands somewhere, the “it” runs to where the short stick fell accompanied by opponents. The player then shouts “Shaaaatooooooong” from the landing point up to the furrow, making sure he does not run out of breath, or else no point is counted. Completing the shouting part ensures a winning point with the ensuing measurement of the distance traveled using the longer stick. Another part of the mechanics is the use of the shorter stick as measuring stick for a different scenario.

"Singsing ibulos ta ka. Pedro anap mo la" is a game wherein an object (say, a ring) is passed around within a circle of mourners while singing. It is played by young men and women during wakes. The person caught with the object at the time the song finishes is punished by being made to choose between "truth" or "consequence."

Sipa (bukoy in Pangasinan) is a native kicking game in which the player uses a sipa, usually made of a washer tied with plastic straws or its equivalent. This is tossed in the air and kicked with the right (among boys) or left (among girls) side of the feet and repeatedly kicked until it falls on the ground, and that is the time one loses one’s turn.

Sungka is a game common to many Asian cultures. It is played with a wooden board with seven smaller dips or holes on each side, and two bigger holes on either side, and shells or stones. The rule is to collect more shells than your opponent.

Tatsing, from "touching," is an outdoors game in which a square is drawn on the ground, then coins, often 25 centavos, are placed inside by different players for betting. The players take turns hitting the coins inside with another coin. When a coin is hit and gets thrown outside the box, the hitting player wins that coin. The hitting goes on until all the coins are won. In place of coins, tansan or tin bottle caps are used after being honed like coins. Tatsing has variations, like the tatsing na kahay sigarilyo, which uses discarded cigarette packs. Different brands of cigarette packs have different values.  Marlboro and Philip command higher value. One bunch of Marlboro packs equals 10 Newport or Champion packs, and so on.

Teks or tex is a game of flipping and betting on little message cards with amusing cartoons with caption or text – with stacks of spare teks as bet. The game is played by flipping at least three cards in the air using the thumb and pointer finger, with each card coming from a player. The cards then land on the ground, and the card that faces a different direction wins the round.

Telepono-telepono is a pair of tin can telephone attached by a string or wire and used as play telephone. 

Thread the Needle or paplesa'y panagdeyeng na dagum is a game that requires two persons or a couple, in which one holds a needle while the other holds a cotton thread. The fastest couple who can insert the cotton thread into the needle's hole wins the game. 

Tinopak tsinelas or tupak tsinelas involves lining up one of each player’s slippers at a distance and hitting the opponent’s slippers with the other piece so they are pushed or thrown upon the line.

Touch the Color is a game in which the "it" directs all players to find any object of the color he or she chooses and then catches anyone who is unable to find such a colored object, at which point the loser becomes the next "it."

Touching Ball is played by teams on opposite sides, wherein two players serve as hitters, and one player is in the middle as the "it." One side throws the ball at the opposite side and tries to hit the one in the middle (the "it") while the person on the other side tries to catch the ball that is thrown. The "it" runs from side to side to avoid being hit. If the "it" is hit, then the next person in the team takes his turn as the "it." This was one of the most common and most liked games in the '50s-'60s.  

Tug of war is, of course, a game that aims to show which team is collectively stronger through the use of a long rope by which the opponents tug at each other at the same time.

Tumba lata (tumbang preso, presohan) is a popular street game involving three or more players. Each player is given a patok (pamato), which is a big throwaway item (could be slippers or a shoe). Six to 8 meters from the throwing line, a semi-flattened empty tin or plastic container (the size of an 8 or 12 oz. tin) is set upright. As the inmate, a player is chosen (usually through Jack en Poy). The prisoner will keep an eye on the void. The other players stand at the throwing line. They take turns throwing their patok at the empty tin, trying to knock it down. As soon as the can is knocked down, the prisoner must put back the tin in upright position before he can tag any of the players attempting to recover their patok. If the patok becomes too close to the tin in an upright position, so that the prisoner can step on both with one foot, the owner of the patok becomes the new "prisoner." The prisoner can also tag the players while recovering their patok outside the throwing line. After each throw, a player must recover his patok. Should he be tagged by the prisoner before he reaches the throwing line, he becomes the prisoner in the next game.

Locally, a chant may be whispered before a player hits the can: "Kuros bukot, agka natatakot." (Roughly, "Have no fear.")

Tupa or tupaan is a Mayflower festival game of throwing a husked coconut against another husked coconut. The coconut that does not break is the winning coconut. This game has reportedly evolved into a pustaan or betting game.

Yoyo-playing was a fad for a time, but it has always been part of the local tradition.

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In the days when children loved basking under the sun and bathing in the rain with no care in the world, they had reason to explore their innate creativity and get to convert trash into treasure or make use of anything around them, including plant parts and insects, as playthings. 

Kotse-kotse or toy cars are made using a flat sardine can or plastic bottle, with the wheels often made of broken old slippers. Karkariton or toy carts may also be made using bamboo or wood.

Paper boat, paper plane, paper batiwag (propeller), and paper flower are local origami of sorts using scraps of paper to create these fun objects. Lumbaa'y baloto or paper boat race is usually played during flood or when it has subsided. Kids also folded paper into not just toy boat, airplane or jet plane, but also into other forms such as container/box, ball, flower, gun, hat, fan, envelope, star, bat, etc. A handkerchief was also folded to form a banana with peels dangling and then a baby lying on a hammock. This practice brought simple joy and cheap, clean fun.

Paltugan (baril-barilan) is using palpaltog or play guns, particularly a wooden gun that makes a rattling sound. In place of a store-bought gun, any wooden stick may be used as improvised guns in a make-believe war.

Banbantolin race, lumbay bantolin, usila'y dalig, or dalig-dalig is very common game among young boys. It is patterned after the Tour of Luzon cycling race during the 70s. It is a race on how fast participants can run while rolling a used motorcycle tire. The first racer who reaches the finish line wins the race. 

Gumamela flowers are traditionally pounded and mixed with water to make bubbles with the help of leaf stalks as improvised stemmed ring.

The girls, in particular, accessorize by using cassava (kamoteng kahoy) leaves together with its red leaf stalk and turn them into necklace or bracelet and even clip for their hair.

The boys pretend to smoke cigarettes using old cassava stems as sitsigarilyo, with the soft middle tissue pushed out.

Sanggol-sanggol is played using the hooked petioles of acacia leaves, which are made to cross and wrestle against each other. The owner of the stronger hook, of course, emerges as the winner.

There is the use of putok or putok-putok, the dried pods of a common weed, the violet-flowering hairy wild petunia (Ruellia tuberosa), to play popping tricks by putting them on water or using one's saliva.

Panag-gigang or genggeng is spider fighting or wrestling, which groups of grownup boys love. Spiders spinning webs in surrounding vegetation are collected and kept in matchboxes and fed insects. On the day of the fight, a pair of spiders are placed together on a stick and made to duel until one of them dies from a bite or is kicked out of the stick.

Panagsibaweng is catching sibaweng (salagubang, a common brown beetle), tying it to a thread and whirling it around, so the poor insect is forced to fly and make a soft buzzing sound. The same is done with another beetle, the green salaginto.

Baboy-babuyan, or catching antlions in their own dust trap using one's hair, was also a common pastime. One sings "sener-sener, sener-sener" until the antlion emerges from its hiding place.

Speaking of dust, kids of yesteryears would make mounds of dust, create a hollow on the top using their elbow or knee, urinate on the crater, and leave it until it hardens. Then a contest would ensue on who gets to have the biggest bowl of mud.

Kids also caught dragonflies, cicadas, and crickets and played with them.

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Footnotes: 

1. In local games, impiang is a way of choosing the “it” like bato bato pik. The would-be players place their hand on top of the others’, then toss them at the same time and bring them down with either the palm facing up or facing down. The one whose palm faces a direction different from the rest becomes the “it.” Impiang is accompanied by the expression, “Maibaaaaa... taya!” (The one who is different shall be "it.")

2. Amamayo is another term for plaything. It also means to take care of something.

3. Other most popular parlor games during Christmas parties and the like include Bring Me, My Mother Goes to Market/Mary Goes to Town, Trip to Jerusalem, and Stop Dance.

4. Note that other board games such as chess, Scrabble, Boggle, Monopoly, Games of the Generals, Snakes and Ladders, Tic Tac Toe, and Backgammon have also become popular starting in the postwar/American period (except for the chess, which used to be called by its Spanish name, ahedres).

5. Games that are out-and-out gambling games have always been popular as well. Examples are mahjong and bingo, but these are excluded from the list for being out of scope.

Contributors: Jojo Malicdem, Oscar Ora, Alicia de Guzman (pongkit), Resty Odon, Clarita F. Tagab (diola camatis), Joey Ferrer (salbatana), Josephine Austria (pic-pac-bong, tupaan), Dan Sagun (pic-pac-bong), Tessie Reyes, Joseph Quinto, Macario Garcia (Follow the Leader, Marco Polo, Langit Lupa Impiyerno, kitkit aparador, kinalitan, itpereket, impiang, Penpen de Sarapen, Dunkin Donut, impugod, pagi), Januario Cuchapin, Joel Camacho, Boyette Santillan Poserio, Marciano J. Flores, Napoleon Junio, Raymund Marcos, Perfecto Beltran, Jeremy Cabatbat, Lorenzo Cyr Bancolita, Andrea F. Umoypa, Ludovico Aquino Mejia Jr., Elmina Paras, Waldy F. Canalita, Gilda Ferrer Capitly, Marivic Pornea, Khornjun Doloque, Roger Bato, Maynard Lalas, Raul J. Ramos, Zel Apol, Maria Luzviminda Cayabyab, Yhammel CM MC, Carmelo Casingal Mabutas, Bernabe Mercado, Lumen Gabertan-Celemin, and the rest of the members of Bayambang Culture Mapping Project who reacted positively to and thus validated the contributions.

Original mappers of panagsibaweng and panag-gigang: Christopher C. Bancolita, Mariel C. Fabrigas, Bayambang National High School, Senior High School; Adviser: Mr. Christopher  Q. Gozum