shagai ankle bone game from Mongolia

Description

Shagai (Anklebone) games are an important part of Mongolian traditional games. There are myriad kinds of anklebone(shagai) games which attract both children and adults. Researchers identified 80 variations of Mongolian ankle bone games, such as “Catch Ankle Bones”, “Flick Anklebones”, “Horse Race”, “Wrestling”, “Set Four Difficult”, “Calculation”, “Guessing”, “Comply Four Colours”, “Construct A Star”, “Cat Taking”, “Vow”, “Nine Wisdoms”, “Birth of Camel” and “Multicoloured Turtle”. After finishing everyday duties and during the occasions that happen once a year, such as carding a goat, shearing of sheep, and felt making during which they gather all relatives and neighbors, Mongolians play games like “Throw White Wood”, “Multicoloured Turtle”, and “Catch Ankle Bones”. Children mainly play flicking shagai and running horse race. Anklebone(shagai) games are important merrymakers, and at the same time, they help to develop intelligence, increase creative thinking and exercise hand, finger movements, challenge eyesight and concentration as well as foster collective identity.