#174 Luksong Tinik

Luksong Tinik (literally ‘jump over thorns’) is a classic Filipino outdoor game which consists of two teams with an equal number of players (from WikiPilipinas). Each team chooses a leader, usually one who can jump the highest who is called the ‘mother.’

Players decide which team gets to play first. Two players serve as the base of the tinik (thorn) by putting their right/left feet together (soles touching gradually building an obstacle or ‘tinik’). A starting point is set by all the players giving enough space for the jumping players. Players of the other team start jumping over the tinik followed by the other team members.

If they all successfully jump without touching any of the feet of the base players, the next degree of difficulty follows. The base players then extend their right/left hands one on top of the other (fingers spread apart to indicate thorns). The other team continues the same jumping routine until the base players have used all their feet and hands.

The routine continues until the jumping team fails to jump over successfully and accidentally touches the fingers of the base players. Should this happen, the jumping team’s leader or mother gets to jump to redeem the other player who missed the earlier jump. If the leader misses that jump, the teams exchange places and the game starts anew.

Luksong tinik is a sure way to test children’s agility in these days when kids are addicted to videogames.

Mabuhay ang larong Pinoy!