The Kuos Tro Loak or Hit the Coconut Shell Game “ល្បែងគោះត្រឡោក” is one of the many Khmer folk games. This game is played at any time, but it is often played during the wedding ceremony, when the groom is parading the wedding offering to the bride’s house. During this time, they often find young men, young women, or old men to play the coconut shell or Tro Loak to entertain the audience. In addition, this game can help players build muscle and make their hands agile.
This type of game only requires one person to play, along with two good coconut shells as instruments, with one hand holding one and the other holding one, and they beat each other in 7 rhythms: 1. knock above the head, 2. knock in front, 3. knock under the right armpit, 4. knock under the left armpit, 5. knock under the right leg, 6. knock under the left leg, and 7. knock behind the back. After knocking all the rhythms, they start knocking over again.
This game can be played sitting or standing. But generally, people play standing, walking, and singing along to the songs they know. When the groom parade to the bride’s house to give their gifts, or the bride goes to the groom’s house, the people who play the coconut shell or Tro Loak stand and dance to halt the groom from going up to the bride’s house or the bride from going up to the groom’s house. Then, the parents of both sides were concerned that their children would not stand for too long, afraid of getting tired or embarrassed. The parents gave wine, meat, or money to the player. The player agreed to open the way for them to enter.
