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59. Ki-mo-ki-mo - Jackstones
[Page 228] Played by two or more persons with a number of small stones (po-ha-ku). Each player has his own stone, called a-li-i, "chief." The game is practically identical with that played by children in the United States. The stones of all the players are placed on the ground; one begins by tossing his stone up, grabbing the others, tossing them and catching them all together. He continues until he misses. It is employed for gambling purposes. Of this game Ellis1 says:
"Timo, or timo timo, was another game [of Tahiti]. The parties sat on the ground, with a heap of stones by their side, held a small round stone in the right hand, which they threw several feet up in the air, and, before it fell, took up one of the stones from the heap, which they held in the right hand till they caught that which they had thrown up, when they threw down the stone they had taken up, tossed the round stone again, and continued taking up a fresh stone every time [Page 229] they threw the small round one into the air, until the whole heap was removed."
Dieffenbach2, speaking of New Zealand, says: "Another game is called tutukai, and is played with a number of pebbles."
Of the game in Samoa, Wilkes3 says: "Lafo litupa is played by two persons, who place about 50 beans of the Mimosa scandium before them; then taking up four at a time, they throw them up in the air, and catch them on the back of the hand; the player who catches l00 soonest is the winner."
Williams4 describes the lavo of the Fijians, "a game at pitching the fruit of the walai (Mimosa scandens). The fruit is flat and circular, and from its resemblance in form to money, money is also called ai lavo."
Notes:
1. Vol I, p. 227.
2. Vol II, p. 32.
3. Vol II, p. 136.
4. Page 127.
Last update February 3, 2010