1. Origin

Rumpuat Kakaran means playing with bamboo sticks. This game is very popular among local people in Tanimbar Islands, North Maluku, Indonesoa especially in islands such as Yamdena, Selaru, Seira, Fordata, Molo, Larat, and Labobor. Even though the game has developed and been recognized in late of 19^th century, the commencement of this game is still unknown. Players are demanded to demonstrate elegantly their adroitness and aestheticism in every movement. Hence, it is usual to perform the rumpuat kakaran in morning, afternoon, and even at night (full moon) so that the spectators can watch every single movements made by players      

2. Players

The Rumput Kakaran is usually performed by children whose ages (5-15 years). The game requires at least two players, and if played in group, each group will consist of five participants to ten. Each group has pelempar team and penadah team.    

3. Place and Tools

The suitable place for the Rumpuat Kakaran is a house yard or spacious land such as square and the tools used for the game is a bilah (bamboo stick). Length of stick is around 30-50 cm and width is 6 cm, and 60 cm-1 m with the same width for a child whose age is 4-6, and 7-15 years respectively. Those bamboo sticks called Kakaran in Yamdena dialect, and Temar in Selaru and Fordata dialect.  

4. Rule and Process of Game

Game is divided into seven steps;

1. Ngaiyebas; putting sticks on upside of foot
2. Ngadalam; putting sticks in footprint
3. Ngasier; putting sticks on outside of foot
4. Ngatur;  putting sticks on  knee
5. Ngasolan; putting sticks on head horizontally from forehead
6. Ngaborat; putting sticks on head horizontally from right side 
7. Rsitod; putting sticks on knee

The rule in each step is the same. The player who takes the turn (Pelempar) should bring the stick in each described positions above and move to the opponents (penadah). The pelempar should keep the stick until reaching the penadah and throw the stick to penadah, and if sticks fall, the pelempar will not scored, and the other way around. Group with the higher score is the winner.   

5. Cultural Value

Beside enjoyment ant attractiveness, the Rampuat Kakaran embraces several cultural values such as skill, creativity, team work, fairness and hard work. Skill at keeping stick in the various positions, accuracy at catching opponent‘s stick, togetherness in getting the points show that those values embedded in the game.           

Source

Suradi Hp, dkk, 1981, Perainan Rakyat Maluku. Ambon: Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan.

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