Page 32 - JaKita 07th Edition 2021

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32 ART & CULTURE

Learn Sportiveness from

Wak Wak Gung

One of traditional Betawi games, wak wak gung, officially becomes
the intangible cultural heritage. The game teaches us things like
teamwork, hard work, democracy and sportiveness.

Wak wak he Betawinese should be honoured; their
Gung T been officially declared as intangible cultural
traditional game called wak wak gung has

heritage by the Ministry of Education and Culture in
2019. Ironically, kids don’t play the game often today.
“We could rarely see kids playing wak wak gung
Appointed as an intangible cultural nowadays,” said a member of Pakar Gerbang Betawi
heritage in 2019. Council, N. Syamsudin Ch Haesy to JaKita.

Known and played since the Dutch It is unfortunate, for wak wak gung is not merely a
colonial era. game. According to Syamsudin, the game holds
valuable lesson of sportiveness and teaches us the
Was at first played during full moon importance of social interactions. He, who is often
nights. called with the name Bang Sam, said the folk game
has been known since the Dutch colonial era. It can
Need as many as players. be played by both girls and boys, and “It is often
played during full moon,” said Bang Sam.
Played by boys and girls
He also explained historically, the wak wak gung
Accompanied by the song wak wak teaches kids the values of life, specifically in
gung. celebrating the independence of our nation and
bring happiness into it: since long time ago, children

Infographic: Tommy K.R.

7th EDITION 2021
7th EDITION 2021
Sarana Informasi Pemerintah Provinsi DKI Jakarta