Somali Searching Games

G. Marin

la·l (Da·ro·d) = ςaddo-ςaddeisi (Issa·q)

[Page 503] A team game played by children on bright moonlight nights. A circle is drawn some 10 feet in diameter called hero, "pen, enclosure (Da·ro·d)," or "four white maro" "clothing sheets," are placed on the ground to mark the four corners of a gola, "stable" (Issa·q); this serves as a home base. A charred piece of wood, ¼ to ½ foot long and about 2 inches thick, is thrown some distance while everyone keeps his eyes closed. As soon as the sound of the falling log is heard, a general search for it begins. When one of the players has found it, he must try and reach home by speed or wile before anyone of the opposite team can touch him on the hair and shout se·man. If he succeeds, his team scores a number of strokes on their side of a main line drawn on the ground. Each team leaves a few "goal keepers" near the base.