Diketo

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Diketo is an indigenous game that can be played by one to 10 or more players. Players can be in teams or individuals. The games require a small hole dug on the ground or a circle or square shape drawn on a flat surface, pebbles or marbles (diketo). The number of pebbles may be decided by the players, however 10-20 pebbles each can be enough for a fun game. Additionally, each player requires one pebble/marble called Mokinto, which is usually slightly bigger than the other pebbles (diketo).

Rules of the game

Player who picks to be first will play first, those that picked 2nd will play second and so forth (picking who goes first is entirely up to the players, it is a first come first serve kind of thing.

Players agree on the number of diketo each must have (all players should have the same amount of pebbles e.g 10 each)

Players then agree which level (the level is called madis 1, madis 2 and so on) they want to have as the final stage to call it a game. It can be level 1-10 depending on how much the players want the game to be challenging.

At the beginning of the game, each player puts their pebbles in the whole/shape.

The player then throws their mokinto up, at the same time taking out pebbles as many as possible (it should be more than 1) with the same hand they used to throw the mokinto and then quickly catching back the mokinto. 

The player then throws the mokinto again to put back the stones into the whole/circle, with the same hand they threw the mokinto. This time the player leaves one pebble outside and keeps it. If the player manages to do this without failure to catch the mokinto or to leave one pebble outside, the player plays again, until they fail or finish all the stones from the whole.

If the previous player fails, the next player plays and so forth.

After the stones are finished from the whole, players count how many stones they were able to gather. If you have the number that each player must have (the number that players agreed to have at the beginning  e.g 10) or more, you can go to the next level, which is madis 2. Those that failed to secure their number, will remain at the initial level.

In level two, the game is the same, however, this time the player must leave two stones outside the whole/circle. If it's level three, the player in that level leaves 3 stones behind and so forth. In each level, those that fail to secure the agreed number e.g 10, will repeat that level on the next game.

The player(s) who reach the agreed level (won the game), can now start again to level one.


Comments

  1. BenadetteDecember 15, 2023 at 9:27 AM

    I have played this game before in Uganda, with the same rules. We called it Mabare. It teaches fair play.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sella (Kenya)December 16, 2023 at 10:23 AM

    This game is played in Kenya. It teaches calculation and dexterity,

    ReplyDelete
  3. NtozaDecember 18, 2023 at 2:02 AM

    We used to play this game as kids in South Africa, Eastern Cape. We call it Upuca instead of marbles we used stones to play. Instead of a hole we drew a circle. It teaches eye-hand coordination and calculation.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Pertunia MutheiwanaDecember 19, 2023 at 7:12 AM

    We played this game in Venda, Limpopo Province in South Africa. It taught us hand-eye coordination, social skills, accuracy, and the ability to wait for your turn. For example, we played it one person at a time and therefore taught patience to those who were watching the other person play while waiting for their turn. In Venda, it is known as Dzingedo.

    ReplyDelete

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