Our ancestors have left behind many folk games for future generations to play during various festivals to create fun and increase mutual relationships. There are many Khmer folk games such as the King Game (Sdach Jang), Teanh Proat, Leak Kon Saeng, Choul Chhoung, Jarb Kon Klaeng Game, etc.
Among all these games, the Champa Champei Game “ល្បែងចំប៉ាចំប៉ី” is a game that young people play for fun, especially during the Khmer New Year or their free time. This game can be played at night or during the day. And the game is played in slightly different ways depending on the region.
How to play
- Phase 1: Players must first choose a number of female and male members, with an equal number of male and female members and no limit to the members. Then choose one female and one male to be the leader.
- Phase 2: Players on both sides must sit in a row on chairs, with about 10 meters apart.
- Phase 3: The female leader must name their group of girls one by one, and the male leader does the same. After naming their group, the male and female leaders must come to the center and do the rock-paper-scissor. Then the win leader who wins the trick (the rock-paper-scissor) will start to blindfold a teammate of their opposite side and the blindfolded person has to open his or her hand. Then, the win leader calls out the name of his or her team member to hit the hand of the blindfolded team member.
- Phase 4: After hitting the hand, he or she quickly runs back to their original spot. The leader who wins the trick will unblindfold his hand and the blindfolded person to walk to the front of the win leader team and guess who hit his or her hand.
Determining the winner and loser
If the guess is correct, the one who hit his hand must be removed from his or her team and sit on the other side (considered to lose one point). If the guess is wrong, the blindfolded one must also be removed. They play like this until only one member of one side is left, which means that one team loses. Then the losing team must do everything the winning team orders.
