Go Philippines: How to Play Turumpo

Turumpo or trumpo is a native Filipino game which is a popular as outdoor game in 80's. Turumpo's shape is a combination of half sphere on top and conical section at the bottom where the common iron nail is attached. The body size usually varies from 4 to 6 cm in height with the nail 2 to 4cm in length. The wooden material is usually hardwood such as "bayabas", "ipil", or "sampaloc" so that it will be durable from the hits of other player during the group game. Playing turumpo is manipulated using "tyate", an 80 to 100 cm string to be twirled starting from nail tip to the half of wooden body then throwing it in the flat ground. "Tyate" has a single knot at one end and a knot with "tansan"(cover of glass soft drinks) on the other end.

Playing "turumpo" has many variations, it can be played by a group or by single only in a form of exhibitions. Exhibitions is done by spinning it in the flat concrete surface and observe how is the duration and quality of its spinning. We called it "kangkarot" if the spinning is not balance that makes it easy to stop and makes irregular movement, usually happen if the nail was not attached in center or the nail is not sharpened. We called it "matining" if the the spinning of "turumpo" is smooth and will take longer time to stop. Another exhibition is by throwing "turumpo" in the air and catching it with your palm or with the "tansan" in the end of "tyate".

Playing "turumpo" by group is more exciting, but prepare for the possible damage of your "turumpo". Usually it is played by 2 to 6 person in a flat sandy loam ground. A 30 to 60cm circle is drawn in the ground using the nail tip of one player's "turumpo". Before the game starts, each player will spin their "turumpo" in the ground simultaneously, the first "turumpo" stops spinning will be the "taya" and putting his "turumpo" in the center of the circle. Other players will now start in hitting the "taya"on circle with the player having the 2nd shorter time of spinning will throw his "turumpo" first. If the striker hits the "taya" out of the circle while his "turumpo" is still spinning, it is consider a valid hit and he will punish the "taya's" "turumpo" by putting it fixed on the ground with its nail then hitting it by nail of striker's "turumpo". If the striker did not hit the "taya" he will be in danger of becoming the next "taya" because while his "turumpo is spinning outside the circle, the present "taya" has the option of picking it up by his "tyate" and catching it by hand. If the striker hit the "taya" and his "turumpo" makes "baldog" (not spinning), he will join the first "taya" together inside the circle. A strike with spinning sidesway called "sikad" is consider a valid strike. The technique to make your "turumpo" will spin after you strike on ground is by making sure that you twirl the "tyate" tightly. This group game will tend your "turumpo" to damage after many times of playing.