Jarb Kon Khlaeng or catching the chicks Game (ល្បែងចាប់កូនខ្លែង) is a game that teenagers often play during the New Year. The game is not only for the New Year, but can also be played in free time from work or class. Playing this game can teach people to be careful in protecting themselves and their families.
When playing the game of catching kites, they usually assign a large person to be the leader of the flock, called the “Hen (Meh Moan)”, and assign several people to be the chicks. Then they choose another person to be the “Khlaeng (Barn Owl)”, waiting to catch the chicks.
Before playing, they all make a small fire. The one who is the hen must order her chicks to hold each other’s waists, standing in a row and walking. At the same time, the hen says a mocking word to the Barn Owl:
“ចាប់កូនខ្លែង (the barn owl catches the chicks), ប្រលែងកូនអក (let go of the baby hawk eagles), ពពេចញ៉ែកញ៉ក (sounding of Oriental White-eye), កូនអញតែមួយ (my only chick), ជីអន្លុងដាំត្រកួន (Dig a hole and plant the morning glory), ទន្សាយរត់ពួន (the rabbits run and hide), ត្រកួនឡើងលាស់ (the morning glory grows)ុំទៀនមួយគូតាំងយូបាំងព្រះ (Light a pair of candles, the umbrella shading the god), លើកដៃសំពះ ដូនៗសុំភ្លើង (raise your hands in greeting, and ask grandma for light).
While the one who is the Barn owl stands and pretends to be innocent. When he hears the hen and chicks screaming, the barn owl walks towards the fire and asks for light, saying, “ask grandma for light!”. Then the hen replied “the fire is gone”. The barn owl continued, “Please give me a piece.”
Once heard, the hen said, “Give the one who is the most stubborn,” the barn owl started chasing and catching the one who was behind her. The hen tried to protect her chicks from the barn owl, and the chicks tried to cling to each other tightly, running up and down, afraid that the barn owl would catch each one of them. Sometimes the barn owl catches the chicks one by one until they are all gone, but sometimes it only catches one.
The way of playing the game of catching the chicks shows the essence of awakening everyone to have various strategies and methods to protect themselves and their family members and relatives in the event of an emergency or disaster.
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