Brikicho? Banture, Brikicho? Banture! Nikuje? Hapana

Oh, so much fun was had back in the day! We would spend the holidays playing from sunrise to sunset. Then finally decide to go home because the aroma of burnt ugali and sukuma started calling your name.

Feeling guilty that you had so much fun with your friends and past curfew, you try tiptoe back home and act like you have been there all along. Of course Mom catches you and shouts, “Ukiingia na giza tena nitakusema kwa daddy.” You feel threatened and promise to come back early next time because you do not want to miss another day of play.

You wake up early the next morning, help cook breakfast and clean the house, so that when Faith from down the street comes knocking, there is no reason for Mom to say no. But then you have too much fun again. Then the cycle repeats till the schools open.

I mean, will the tech-savvy children of today really understand?

Let us at least try and engage them this holiday season with a few of the best games, as you relive the joy of being a child.:

Police and robber.

When you say it, you must have an intonation to it, “police and ro-bber“.

You would divide yourselves into two groups (the police and the robbers). Set a designated area that would be the cell. If you got caught by the police, then you had to stay in the cell until either party overpowered the other.

Brikicho

Many of you may simply call it “Hide and seek”, which needs no explanation. But we had our own African twist. After the seeker finished counting, they would say” Brikicho?” And the rest would answer “Banture!” “Nikuje?” “Hapana”. This would go on until no response was got, and the search would begin.

Kati

With the infamous Kati, put your craftmanship mask on and make a tiny ball out of socks and plastic bags. Wrap it until it is sturdy enough to easily throw. Then the two best throwers would be chosen. And the rest of the children ran in between them, trying to miss the ball. The game would go on until one person was left. A countdown would be set and depending on whether the last person finishes or is hit, they or the throwers win the game.

What a time!

We would really love to hear about the incredible games you played as a child. Tell us in the comments!