Ampei is a children's game that you can play with any number of people. You can see it practically everywhere in Ghana. Normally played by girls, and instead of just being like a hand game where there's no real winner, this game runs with points. To play, you and one other person face each other, clap two times and jump twice. On the second jump you land with either your left or your right leg out, your choice. The way to win points is to have the result of your jump be what you call. Like calling heads or tails on a spinning coin, except in Ampei you decide heads or tails before you start playing and you can't change your choice throughout the game. The result of your jump can be either 'same' or 'different'. 'Same' means when both you and your partner put out a leg on the same side. For example, if you put out your right leg and they put out their left leg your toes would meet in the middle, forming a straight line, making it 'same'. 'Different' means when you put out a leg on one side and your partner puts out a leg in the other side. For example, you both put out your left leg making a sort of criss-cross in the middle, 'different'. If you call 'same' before you start playing and on every jump you and your partner's legs end up being 'same' you win. And the other way around. Every time it's your call you earn a point. You can play up to ten, twenty, however many points you like.
I might not be the best at explaining, so here's a visual:
(In the beginning of the video they stop suddenly, it's just because one of the student's mothers scolded them. I said it was fine. They keep going :D )
Hope this has been fun to see! It's sure been fun to play.
OK, so after your wonderful explanation, and the video, I think I get the jest of how the game is played, but I still don't think I have figured out how the points are kept. In the video it looked like they just kept going, and didn't really pay much attention to the points. How does it work when you have more the two? That part I don't get. The little guy who just kept jumping in with both legs, is kind of like what the Russian students I had would do when we played Rock, Paper, Scissors (Roshambo), they would pull out the "tank" that beats them all. LOL
ReplyDeleteIt is great that you were able to upload the video. That's pretty cool. I'll have to share with Mrs. Price so she can see if here students can figure it out. I'll see if I can get some video of them trying to play to send you.
Love ya,
Papa-O
Ha, the boy, Kingsley is totally not playing. He's just annoying them.
ReplyDeleteOnce you get pretty good at Ampei you just keep the score in your head. You keep track of your own points while your partner does theirs, but if you don't really trust them to be honest or can't keep count you have someone outside do it for you. As for more than two, I've never actually played it that way. I'll have to ask.
Good luck Papa!