Main Gasing

Top spinning is normally an 'East Coast Game' played by the adults - normally to be shown to the tourists; however we play them with smaller tops - like 10 cents each set (a top and a string to spin) from the Godong shop. Everyone will normally be equipped with a top, depending on how much money you have; it could be a small (a knuckle grab) or twice the size, which normally costs more. Even the 'nail' attached to the top make some differences. An 'axe shape nail (paku kapak)' will look 'brutal' and be scared of than the normal ones.

A circle is drawn on the ground. There will be two teams of 2 or 3 on each team. The defence team will have to place their tops in the circle and the spinner team will try to spin the top and knock out the tops in the circle. The main idea is to damage the top - either with a hole (made by the nail) or 'sumpik' which will cut and slit the top. Whoever can damage the other the most will be taken as the 'terror' ones. Sometimes it also depends on how long your top may spin; if there is still 'uwi' (still spinning) you may be regarded as a good top spinner.

Good top spinners may also show tricks on handling the spinning! One of it is to spin the top right of the string into your palm. If you could do that, you have mastered and graduated as a good 'terror' top spinner. We never knew the actual rules or the official way of top spinning; nevertheless, we have always played it our way - taught from other older boys brought down from generations to generations. When we get tired or when the game is over or when we are hungry, we go home!