Kaulinan Barudak: Traditional Sundanese Children’s Games
What kaulinan barudak are
Kaulinan barudak are the traditional games that Sundanese children play with songs, rhythm and simple rules, most often outdoors in village lanes, yards and open fields. The word kaulinan means play and barudak means children, and together the phrase describes a whole body of play that has been handed down from older children to younger ones across West Java. These games need little equipment and no adult supervision, and they show how much of Sundanese childhood has been built around shared rhythm, quick movement and cooperation.
The games are not organised into a fixed list, and different villages and families keep different versions of the same game. In a village setting the children’s version is often called kaulinan budak lembur, the play of village children, and the same games carry a different flavour in a town or a city neighbourhood. What unites them is the combination of song, movement and a clear end that the children agree on before they begin.
The games children play: engklek, ucing sumput and galah asin
Among the best-known kaulinan barudak is engklek, the hopscotch game that Sundanese children call sunda manda. Squares are drawn in the dirt or chalked on a path, and the player hops through them on one foot, keeping balance while picking up a small object from a square. The game is known by other names in other parts of Java, including dampu and loncat kodok, and it is one of the simplest games to start with a stone and a patch of ground.
Ucing sumput is the Sundanese name for hide-and-seek. One player counts with their eyes covered while the others find a hiding place, and the game ends when the seeker finds the last hidden player or when the hiders run back to a base. It needs nothing but a few houses, trees or walls, and it is still played in the lanes of some city neighbourhoods.
Galah asin, also called galah ucing, is a chase game in which two teams try to cross a line guarded by the other side and return to their own base without being touched. It rewards quick feet and sharp judgement, because a player who waits too long is caught, and one who runs too early is trapped. The game is usually played on a flat yard or a village lane with the boundary marked in the dust.
Oray-orayan, the snake game, is a group game in which the children join hands in a line and move as one body while the front player tries to catch the tail. The snake only works when the whole line moves together, which makes it a clear picture of cooperation.
Songs, rhythm and the counting rhyme
Many kaulinan barudak begin with a counting rhyme. Children chant a short verse while touching or pointing at one another in turn, and the child who is on the last word is out or chosen. The rhyme gives the game its fairness, because nobody can be singled out by an adult or by a player who wants to be in charge. The rhythm of the rhyme also trains children to listen closely and keep time, skills that are useful in other kinds of play.
Songs are used in other games as well. A song sets the speed of a chase, marks the moment to change direction or signals the end of a round. Children who know the songs by heart can run a game without a leader, and the group remembers the words together. Because the songs are passed on by ear, each group can change a verse to suit its own needs, and new versions appear as the games move between neighbourhoods.
Games that build speed, rhythm and cooperation
Several kaulinan barudak are chase games, in which one group tries to catch another or reach a safe place before being caught. These games build speed and quick judgement, and they teach children to read the movements of others. A chase works best when the players know the boundaries of the play space and agree on what counts as caught. A game that stays fair keeps the children playing for longer and lets the younger players join in without being overwhelmed.
Other games rely on rhythm. Children clap, step and turn in a set pattern while a song is sung, and a mistake puts the player out or sends them to a new position. These games require attention and timing, and they help children learn to keep their movements in step with others.
Cooperation is built into most of the games. A team game needs every child to know their role, and a child who helps a younger player understand the rules gains respect in the group. The games reward those who include others and keep the play moving, and children learn quickly that a game falls apart when one player takes over.
The values behind the play: silih asih, silih asah and silih asuh
Kaulinan barudak are commonly linked to a set of Sundanese community values often grouped under the phrase Catur Silih. The terms silih asih, silih asah, silih asuh and silih wawangi describe mutual affection, mutual learning, mutual care and mutual good name, and the games are one of the places where children practise them. A child learns affection by including a smaller player, learns to sharpen their mind by listening to the rules, and learns care by keeping an injured friend in the game.
In Sindangkerta village in Tasikmalaya, twelve kinds of these games are kept, each tied to one of these values. Other communities keep different sets, but the principle is the same across West Java: the play carries the community’s expectations into the next generation.
Equipment and the open-air setting
The equipment for kaulinan barudak is simple. A few stones, a piece of cloth, a stick or a rope may be all that is needed, and many games need only the players themselves. The space is equally simple: a lane between houses, a yard, a field or the edge of a village square. Children mark boundaries with a line in the dust, a line of stones or the trunk of a tree. The lack of equipment is part of the appeal, because any group of children can start a game as soon as they meet.
Congklak, the two-player board game that uses holes in a wooden board and small seeds or shells, is played in the same open spaces. It is not strictly a children’s street game, but it sits alongside kaulinan barudak in many homes, and it teaches the same counting and patience.
How the games are passed on
Kaulinan barudak are passed from older children to younger ones through play itself. A younger child watches the older children, joins in at the edge of the group and gradually learns the songs, the steps and the rules. Adults rarely teach the games directly, because the children do the teaching. This system keeps the games alive, because each generation takes responsibility for the next one. It also means that the games change slowly, as children add or drop verses and adapt the rules to suit their group.
The process is a good example of informal education. Children learn to remember long songs, follow complicated patterns and respect the rules, all without a formal lesson. A child who has learned many games is recognised in the neighbourhood, and the knowledge becomes a basis of standing among the children.
Kaulinan barudak and Sundanese culture
The games connect to the wider culture of West Java in several ways. Many songs use the Sundanese language, and their rhythms share something with other Sundanese music and dance. The games also reflect the values of the community, including respect for others, shared effort and the importance of fairness. Children who grow up with these games absorb a sense of how a Sundanese community expects its members to behave, and that sense shapes their adult life.
The games are part of a larger picture of Sundanese play, which also includes music, dance and the traditional arts of the region. Children who play kaulinan barudak often grow up to take part in these arts, and the rhythm they learn in the games carries over into the music.
Where a visitor may see kaulinan barudak
The best way to see kaulinan barudak is to visit a village in West Java on an afternoon or evening when children are outside. Ask a host or a neighbour whether there are games being played nearby, and watch from a respectful distance. Children are often happy to show a visitor a game, and some will explain the rules with great care. Visitors who join in should follow the lead of the children and accept the rules of the game.
Festivals and school events in West Java sometimes include a display of traditional games, and these events give a good overview of the variety of play. Ask at a local school or cultural centre to find out when such events are held.
Why kaulinan barudak still matter
Kaulinan barudak show that a rich culture of play can exist without special equipment, formal schooling or expensive places to play. They teach rhythm, speed, fairness and cooperation, and they keep Sundanese songs alive in the mouths of children. For anyone interested in how a culture is passed from one generation to the next, these games offer a clear and joyful example. They also remind visitors that some of the most valuable parts of a community’s heritage are found in the everyday play of its children.
Frequently asked questions
Are kaulinan barudak the same as modern games?
No. They are played with songs, counting rhymes and shared rules rather than with screens or manufactured toys, and they are learned by watching older children rather than from a book.
Do the games still get played today?
Yes, though less often in the open lanes than in the past. Many of the best-known games, such as hide-and-seek and hopscotch, are still played in villages and some city neighbourhoods.
Can an adult join in?
Yes, if the children invite them. Follow the rules of the game, and let the children decide the pace.
For the wider setting of Sundanese life, start with the Sundanese culture guide. The Sundanese language guide explains the speech that the songs and rhymes are sung in, and the Sundanese pantun guide covers the verse form that shares the same playful rhythm. For how the community marks its major family occasions, the Sundanese wedding guide describes the customs in general terms.
Related guides: jentreng, Si Kabayan beside other folk tricksters, ngeuyeuk seureuh, Cikalong silat: what the Cianjur style is.