The Ancient Outdoor "No-Grid" Games List
Learn a new way to play outside inspired by ancient games from around the world.
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Dear Sovereign Souls,
The $260 billion global video games industry is still growing fast. Billions of people - many with their brains still forming - spend hours indoors in the virtual worlds of PUBG, Fortnight, GTA, Minecraft, Super Mario, League of Legends, Resident Evil, Call of Duty and the rapidly spreading Metaverse. The latter is expected to be valued at $800 billion by 2024 alone!
But here’s the thing…
With the exception of playing Pokémon Go, most video gamers are deficient in the basic elements that support human life:
movement,
sunlight,
fresh air, and
nutrients.
At the same time, exposure to extreme neurological stimulus is high. Billions of people are literally changing how their brains process information.
For many, this will place them on a path towards physical decay and mental dependency. Even worse, some argue that we already are digital slaves. And worse than that, while much of the supporting data is being suppressed, there are powers who openly promote this to be our future.
But everything in moderation, right?
Not really. According to many studies, our brain constructs our reality. It can’t tell the difference between what’s real or imagined. In either case, if you kill a zombie in a video game or in real life, the effects on body and mind are the same.
Now, let’s add the potential and (known) objectives of the Metaverse to the mix. Remember the 2009 movie Surrogates? This ain’t no pin ball. Are video games and movies using predictive programming and grooming us for transhumanism?
As you ponder all that…let’s wind back the clock for a bit.
Let’s explore a few alternatives to digital playgrounds. Because play we must. It’s natural human behavior; a survival drive. Now add some sunlight to the mix (supplements alone won’t do it) and you have a powerful remedy for a healthier mind, body and soul.
And here’s the best part: most of these games are absolutely free.
They require no credit card, no deposit, no coupon code, no subscription, no account, no login, no electricity, no equipment, no uploads, no power-ups, or upgrades, and no giving up personal information! It’s a no brainer (pun intended).
- The Thriver
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This Week's Tactic
Week #36 - How To Have Fun Gaming If The Power Goes Out
Goal: Learn & Play An Acient, Traditional Outdoor Game
Skill Verb: Play
Level: Easy
1. Ampe
Yes, Ampe is a children’s game. But, there is no reason why adults couldn’t play it, too. Let the inner child break a sweat with this one. It’s a very active jumping game and includes clapping and singing (if you wish). It almost looks like a dance. This traditional Ghanaian game needs at least two players. However, 4 and more players are more fun.
To play the game, the players are grouped in a semicircle or row. One player is the leader or “it”. The leader and the first player in the group jump up simultaneously, clap their hands, and thrust each one foot forward. If both players happen to have the same foot forward, the leader (it) wins a point. If they are opposite then the other player becomes "it" and now plays against the next player in the group. This is repeated until the a player gets to 10 points to win the game. Let’s hope your off-grid shower works now!
2. Tsìdìł
The stick game is traditionally played by Dine’ women before the sun sets. To play the game, you need forty, similar sized pebbles, a stick for each player, and a dice. The dice is made of three flat sticks. Each piece is painted white on one side and black on the other side. After throwing the pieces, the combination of white and black equals a number. Here’s a video showing this in action.
Forty pebbles (the sky) are arranged in a circle on the ground with gaps after 10, 20, and 30. The gaps represent the Colorado, Rio Grande, Little Colorado and San Juan rivers. All players start out at the same spot. The first player drops the 3 wooden sticks into the circle, then accordingly moves its piece clockwise along the pebbles. If the piece lands in the river, the player will have to go back to the start. If the any of the dice fall outside the circle the player will have to skip a round. The game represents movement through the circle of life. It is a sacred time to talk about life and to understand events in the context of life in proximity to nature and its creatures. The game ends at sunset. There are no winners or losers. Life just goes on.
3. Gilli Danda
The 2500 year old Indian street game Gilli Danda is similar to Cricket just far more simple. It’s still played in various parts of Asia and is even popular in Turkey. The English call it Tipcat. It only requires 2 sticks and a (12 feet diameter) circle drawn in the dirt. In its center is another oval shaped hole across which one of the sticks will be placed.
To play the game, the gilli (a 3 inch short stick) is placed across the oval center hole. After a coin toss, two teams of (any) equal number, alternate between batting and fielding. Using the danda (a 2 feet large stick), a player flicks the gilli off the ground and bat it hard. If the batter misses to strike the gilli three times or the other team catches it midair he/she is out. The distance between the center hole and where the gilli will land is measured in lengths of the danda stick. That number (runs) is added up to the total score of the team. Once all batters of the first team have taken their turns the other team starts batting and trying to beat the opponent’s score.
4. Knifes
This is about the Russian game нож (pronounce nozhi). Playing with knifes is not without danger. But, games are by original design a playful way to teach real world concepts and skills. And most of us should know how to handle knifes, don’t you think? You will need at least two players, a knife, and yes, the outdoors (or someone will not be happy to find traces of this game in their hardwood floors).
To play this game take the knife and draw a 2-feet diameter circle on the ground (outside, remember). Then, divide the circle in as many equal pie sections as there are players. Then, divide each pie in 5 sections (this doesn’t have to match exactly). The circle represents territory and each pie represents territory of a player. The goal is to throw and stick the knife into your opponents territory, one subsection at a time. Lost territory can’t be gained back. A player is out if all 5 territory pieces were hit by the other player(s). The last player to still have territory wins. Ura!
Opportunity
Here's a list of resources to find and learn more about (non-digital) games and plays:
Find out if you may suffer from Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD)
Learn more about board games from around the world
Get the book Forgotten Neighborhood Games (2004) by Scott Strother
Buy a beautifully made wooden board game on Etsy
Alright! Here you can play the African game Wari on the computer
Learn how to play Puca or Diketo: a game you can play by yourself, indoors AND outdoors
Watch this video about Native American games of intuition, mental focus, and physical skills
Action Steps
Learn about alternative games and have fun playing them outside
Unplug from digital games and play face to face with others (outside)
Thought
“By putting movement into your life, you might actually enliven your life beyond measure in ways you never before imagined possible.”
How often do you play outside? Let us know below.