Touring to Revive Traditional Games

AMBROSIUS HARTO MANUMOYOSO

Mustofa Sam

“You’re playing shortcut games” is his allusion to whomever is regarded as having narrow views. It means that playing games is important to one’s life. This is what Mustofa Sam strives for by reviving traditional games.

By playing games, one learns discipline, compliance, sharing, cooperation, sincerity, acceptance, confidence, happiness, honesty, diplomacy, leadership, emulation and a series of other virtues of life.

Mustofa Sam, 31, believes traditional games can restore the collective memories the noble values of life among children and society. He recalls the message of his lecturer; being a hero in life starts with our own environment. This message and awareness prompted him to set up Kampoeng Dolanan (games village) at Jl. Kenjeran Gang 4C, Simokerto, Surabaya, in December 2016, when he was “forced” to be an executive of the karang taruna (neighborhood youth association).

“Initiating Kampoeng Dolanan was not difficult nor was it easy either as I had previous experience in community guidance,” said Mustofa when providing training guidance at the Surabaya Batik House, Jl. Putat Jaya Barat 8B, on Friday (11/3/2022). The storied building is a renovated version of the bar and café of a red-light district on Jl. Jarak, or Dolly, that has been closed since 2014.

When Dolly was closed, Mustofa through Yayasan Gerakan Melukis Harapan (Foundation for Fostering Hope) was in charge of providing guidance for youth education and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

After finishing his college studies in 2012, Mustofa was involved in an inspiring youth education movement with one of its program locations in Dolly. When Dolly was closed, Mustofa through Yayasan Gerakan Melukis Harapan (Foundation for Fostering Hope) was in charge of providing guidance for youth education and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“In 2016 I left the foundation after being tasked with promoting karang taruna so that in December I opened Kampoeng Dolanan,” said Mustofa, a 2009 graduate of electronic engineering of the Surabaya State Electronic Polytechnic (PENS). His initial activity was reviving children’s traditional games.

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The Exciting World of Traditional Games

The idea to boost Kampoeng Dolanan was supported by the public. Simokerto people made, sought, bought and delivered various tools and equipment for the games. There were caroms, dakon (board with holes and pebbles). Ropes for skipping, gatrik (wood strikers), marbles, egrang (stilts), wooden sandals, pictures, balls and much more.

KOMPAS/NINO CITRA ANUGRAHANTO

Parents and children play dakon together in the Traditional Children's Dolanan Festival, in Yogyakarta City, Saturday (11/24/2018).

The movement was later expanded with campaigns on Jl. Tunjungan during car free days on Sundays. From Simokerto, they traveled by minibus while carrying a number of traditional game sets. On Jl. Tunjungan, all the games were introduced and played along with visitors and the philosophy behind them was explained.

Important

Dakon, for instance, according to Mustofa, has the philosophy of depositing virtue and of mutual contribution. “The opponent’s hole is not filled in order that virtue is deposited in it. Meanwhile, the small holes of the opponent are filled because in life we are in principle sharing,” said Mustofa, also a graphic design graduate of the Indonesian Professional Promotion Education (PKBPI).

Likewise, in every game, the player who is the “object” is determined by hompimpa (with hands facing up or down) or suit (with one of three fingers pointed). The “object” or loser of the suit has to accept it. This is sincerity.

Another game is running after a kite whose string has been cut off. It often happens that one player catches the string while the other holds the kite. “To decide who is entitled to the whole kite or part of it, diplomacy is involved. If there’s no problem, it means they show sincerity and acceptance,” said Mustofa, who earned the Pioneering Youth 2017 award from the Surabaya Youth and Sports Office.

Since the opening of Kampoeng Dolanan, Mustofa and volunteers have identified at least 500 traditional games, 60 percent of which are played without tools.

Expanding

The oldest of two children of the Sudarsono-Hoszaimah couple later encouraged the further expansion of Kampoeng Dolanan in Surabaya. Mustofa brought this movement to various schools and campuses. In Mojo State Elementary School No. 3, a games corner was introduced to complement its reading corner. Positive changes have affected students: they observe timetables (discipline) and have the courage to remind others when mistakes are made.

Mustofa has frequently traveled by motorcycle alone, carrying traditional game equipment to be introduced to Central Java and West Java.

Besides schools and public spaces, the games movement also reached other villages in Surabaya. Thereafter, it expanded to Lumajang, Banyuwangi, as it toured East Java. Mustofa has frequently traveled by motorcycle alone, carrying traditional game equipment to be introduced to Central Java and West Java.

He has covered 1,000 kilometers, as far as Bali, promoting the games. On his journey, Mustofa buys traditional toys, which are distributed when campaigning in other places. Mustofa’s movement follows that of other activists, such as Zaini Alif, the founder of Hong Community in Bandung, which also preserves traditional games.

KOMPAS/NINO CITRA ANUGRAHANTO

Deputy Mayor of Yogyakarta Heroe Poerwadi (left) playing dakon with participants of the Traditional Children's Dolanan Festival, in Yogyakarta City, Saturday (11/24/2018).

Mustofa keeps urging Kampoeng Dolanan’s management to revive traditional games. He also continues to provide guidance for MSMEs. All this seems to implement his principle of life, which is to bring benefits to fellow humans.

Mustofa Sam

Born:Bangkalan, May 2, 1991

Experience:

- MSME Strategic Planning (2015-present)

- Chairman of Kampoeng Dolanan Surabaya (2016-present)

Awards:

- Young But Extraordinary 2015 and 2017, Radio Suara Surabaya

- Pioneering Youth 2017, Surabaya Youth and Sports Office

- Education:

- Simokerto State Elementary School No. 4, Surabaya

- Dapena Junior High School No. 1, Surabaya

- State Senior High School No. 7, Surabaya

- Associate Degree 1 in Graphic Design, PKBPI

- Associate Degree 3 in Electronic Engineering, PENS

This article was translated by Aris Prawira).