Chigoro Dando means "thumping sticks" and the word "dando" means "long stick" in an Indian language. It is believed that people from India introduced this game to African children.
What You'll Need:
How to Play:
- 3 smooth sticks or poles that are about 5 feet long and 3 inches thick
- At least 3 players
To play Chigoro Dando, you need 3 players. If you have more than 3 players, you can rotate turns after each player is out.
Did You Like This Activity?
- Lay two of the sticks about 4 feet apart on the ground parallel to each other. Then, lay the third stick across the center of the other two sticks. The sticks should resemble the letter H.
- One player (the jumper), stands with one foot on each side of the middle stick. The other two players sit on each side of the middle stick so that they can move it up and down.
- To begin, the two players who are sitting raise the middle stick up and down together in a rhythmic motion. They should tap the middle stick against the parallel sticks to make a rhythmic noise.
- The player standing in the center must now hop and step lightly onto the middle stick in rhythm every time it hits the parallel sticks. They should step one foot at a time onto the stick.
- Players watching can clap and make up a chant to the beat of the sticks knocking together.
- The two players holding the middle stick should increase the speed they hit the sticks together. As they increase the speed, the player in the middle should step on and off the middle stick faster and faster until they miss. If they miss, they are out.
- Once a player is out, they get to be one of the players who sits and taps the sticks. The person they replace gets to be the next person in the middle.
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