Quinlones

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chinlone game in Burma

Chinlone (Burmese: ခြင်းလုံး ) is a traditional sport from Myanmar (Burma). Chinlone is a combination of sport and dance, a team sport without an opposing team. The idea of ​​chinlons is not competition, but it is just as difficult as "competitive" ball games. It's not about winning or losing, it's about how nicely the game is played.

Overview

A team of six players play the ball back and forth with their feet and knees as it spins in circles. A player stands in the middle, playing solo, creating a dance of various intertwined movements. He is supported by the other players who play the ball back to the center with just one touch, if possible. As soon as the ball hits the ground, the round is over and the game starts over.

The ball is woven from rattan and makes a special “click” sound when kicked, which is part of the aesthetics of the game. The players are allowed to touch the ball with six points: with the instep, the inside and outside and the sole of the feet, as well as with the heel and the knee. The game is played barefoot or with chinlone shoes, which give the player the greatest possible feeling for the ground and the ball. The typical playing circle has a diameter of six to seven meters. The ideal floor consists of dry, compacted sand, but it can be played on almost any flat surface.

History and tradition

One of the first photographs of men playing chinlons, taken around 1899
Watercolor of a game of chinlons from the 19th century.

Chinlone is over 1500 years old and used to be played for the Burmese royal family. Over the centuries players have developed more than 200 different ways of playing the ball. Many movements are similar to Burmese dance and martial arts. Some of the toughest tricks are played behind your back without looking. The shape is the most important thing with chinlones, for example the correct posture of hands, arms, body and head is given. Only when the form of a trick is right is it considered good.

Buddhism is predominant in Burma and chinlone games are an integral part of many Buddhist events that take place throughout the year. Up to a thousand teams play for more than a month at the largest festival of its kind. An announcer announces the names of the tricks and entertains the audience with clever word games. Live music from traditional orchestras inspires the players and shapes the style and rhythm of the game. The players play to the beat of the music and the musicians emphasize the tricks.

Both men and women play chinlons, often on the same team. Adults and children can also play in the same team, and it is not uncommon to see 80-year-olds playing.

In addition to the team game of chinlones (called "wein kat" or circle kick), there is a solo variant called "tapandaing", which is only played by women.

In order to play chinlons well, the entire team must always pay attention - if someone is distracted, the ball falls to the ground. All serious players experience intense concentration, similar to Zen meditation (“jhana”).

Related varieties

Chinlone is part of the family of soccer games played around the world. It is related to similar games in Southeast Asia as " Sepak Takraw " in Thailand , "sepak raga" in Malaysia , Singapore and Indonesia , "sipa" in the Philippines , "er" in Laos and "da cau" in Vietnam are known . A competitive version of the game, in which the ball is played over a net, was developed in Malaysia in the 1940s. Chinlone's roots could go as far as the ancient Chinese game “cuju” or “tsu chu”, which was recognized by FIFA as the oldest form of football. A similar game is played in Japan , where it is known as "kemari". Footbag has its roots in all of these games.

Web links