How To Main: Kejar-kejar

Welcome to the second instalment to our incredigood How To Mainseries: made up of step-by-step and stick-figure-assisted guides to games we used to play as kids! Created by awesomefun artist and Main Dengan Rakyat proponent chi too.

(In case you didn't know, Main Dengan Rakyat is a community project designed to "reclaim public spaces" like Dataran Merdeka by getting peeps to play traditional games there. We can vouch for the fun factor. Just remember to pack some serious SPF rating stuff.)

Onwards: learn all about kejar-kejar!

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HOW TO MAIN KEJAR-KEJAR

This game, probably the best traditional game ever (it's Tag lah), requires at least 3 players. But the more the merrier, really; 3 people playing kejar-kejar is pretty bloody boring, like Archie but with less cartoon catfights. I'd suggest 20. But if you are like me, and don't have many friends to begin with, around 10 bodies will suffice.

Step One:
Designate a play area. Ensure that all players are clear on the boundaries of the playing field, too avoid unnecessary strife later. 

Step Two:

Among the players, choose someone to "Jadi" (be "It"), as seen in figure 1.0. Determinant minigames like "lat-ta-li-lat" or "one two som" are usually fair ways to choose the person who "Jadi". If all fails, I suggest bullying.

Step Three:

The "Jadi"-ed person has now the harrowing task of chasing everyone around -- kejar-ing them, basically -- flailing about in an attempt to make physical contact (figure 2.0). If contact is achieved, "Jadi" will have to shout: "Jadi!" (figure 3.0), announcing to all and sundry that his/her grope victim is the next "Jadi".

Step Four:
In the course of such tomfoolery, players who are not currently "Jadi" can pull a "safe". All a player has to do is squat down and shout 'safe' (see figure 4.1).

This tactic is not as foolproof as it sounds. One is only 'safe' when fully squatted, and even the most limber of us take a moment or two to achieve total squatted-ness. 

This player is now immune to the touch of the "Jadi", though he/she will be forced to remain squatted in place. This situation persists until a fellow player comes to his/her rescue and tags him/her (see figure 4.2; see figure 4.3 for close-up).

Once a "safe" player is thus rescued, he/she can resume running -- but this means he/she is no longer immune to the "Jadi".

Step Five:
The game continues ad infinitum, or until recess ends. 

Additional Notes:

There are 2 special circumstances in which the "Jadi" is relieved of its task without the need to touch anyone:

1. A new person wants to join the game (figure 5.1). The newcomer automatically will become "Jadi".
2. All the non-"Jadi" players are "safe" (figure 5.2). In this refugee-camp-esque situation, the "Jadi" will count to three; the last person to rise out of the squatting position becomes the new "Jadi".

The "Safe" House:

The safe house is a variation of the "safe" system, suitable for squat-impaired mat sallehs. An area -- typically a designated cordon, tree trunk, or lamp post -- functions as a sanctuary (figure 6.0), where the touch of the "Jadi" does not communicate its gross infection. Once in the safe house, however, occupants are trapped, and may only be released by free players.

Wah-lau-ey! So fun!

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How To Main is written/illustrated by chi too and presented by Main Dengan Rakyat.