Background 

This object throwing game was observed being played on Mer Island in the Torres Strait late last century. The game is named after the beans of the Kolap tree which were used as throwing objects.

Players

Two players form a team to compete against another team or the game can be played with one player against another

Equipment

• Two mats (softball bases, rubber mats or towels) are laid at a distance of 5–7 metres apart

• Use bean bags (for younger players), coins, large buttons or flat bocces to represent the kolap beans

Game play and basic rules

Two players sit (or stand) behind each mat. The players who are partners are placed diagonally opposite each other. Each player has four kolaps which they try to throw to land on the mat opposite them. One player has their turn. The kolaps are collected and the player on the opposite team at the other mat has their turn. Continue in this manner.

Scoring

Players score when their kolap lands on the mat. The kolaps must land completely on the mat to count as one point. A combined score of 20 finishes the game for a team.

Lahal is a traditional game of First Nations people. The game pieces consist of 11-13 sticks and 4 bones. The sticks are also painted in different colors for different reasons and are made of different types of wood. The bone game pieces are made of antlers or bone. Two teams play consisting of one to many players. Five players to a team is ideal. The objective of the game is to win sticks by guessing where the unmarked bones are in the opposing teams hands. Drumming and singing with your team helps distract the opposing team. The team that gets all the game sticks wins the game.

The purpose of playing is to bring people together or to bring back happiness and spirits to lift the hearts of others. The game is played at many occasions, celebrations, and gatherings.

Rules and methods have changed a lot throughout the years. The games in the past would last many days sometimes. Nowadays games usually take place within an evening or occasionally will last a whole day. As well in the past drums were rarely used. Instead a long board and sticks were used to keep a beat to sing to. It was considered special if you had a drum in the past to play. In the historic times the people would come in on horseback and gather at someone’s homestead to play in the evenings where a challenge happens to another person or team. Rattles, horns, drums, and such things are used in the present day. Different sizes of drums would produce different sounds. Songs that are sung pertained to the bands, or family, and some are borrowed from another band by way of asking.

Due to the historic suppression of cultural ways the game of Lahal was almost lost. It has since been restored due to cultural prominence.

The game always starts with an open traditional game where the men play against the women. The prizes played for could be anything that is of special value or many different traditional items. Examples of such things could be purses, game sets, scarves, etc. In the historic times prizes could be valuables such as horses, and trade items. This differs quite a bit from the present day prizes, which include money, televisions, and many modern accoutrements.