One of the popular national games in Kazakh is named Asyk. It is a children's game that played in the summer and winter by two boys. They would practice throwing sheep bones at a target from a distance and catch them if they hit it. If they landed a bone, they could take one from their opponent. If they missed, they could continue throwing until they missed and their playing partner would get the chance to take a prize. Each player uses his or her Assyks to knock out the other players with the focus on the position of the bone. And a number of the “asyks” had been drilled with holes. Additionally, this is the beginning of gambling (dice) and is made clear by this game, as well as its social functions that people used to resolve disputes.
Some rural areas in Kazakhstan still play Asyk. This famous Kazakh traditional game is a long-standing tradition. Each player has their own set of ‘Assyks’, traditionally made out of talus bones shaved from sheep, and a ‘Saka’ dyed in bright colors.
From ancient times until today, the Kazakh people have played “asyk” (playing with lamb bone). This game still retains its value among the Kazakhs, as it is also commonly played by the Turkic-Mongolians in East Kazakhstan. The materials for this paper were collected during excavations in East Kazakhstan in 2014. Researchers found about one hundred forty asyk related to asyk from the primitive era.
Asyk game is an outdoor activity, which develops children's analytical thinking and physical state, fostering friendships and social inclusion. The element concerns the majority including members of the Federation ‘Assyk Atu’ Game, and the broader community of practitioners, primarily children between the ages of four and eighteen. In addition, it is a good model for fostering a sense of unity among people regardless of age, ethnic background, or religious affiliation. It is widely practiced at festivals and celebrations, and the community plays a key role in safeguarding the tradition and making it known to other ethnic groups in Kazakhstan. Today Asyk has become a national symbol of childhood. By observation as well as by radio and television, older boys attempt to transmit it to younger ones in order to inspire children to play Assyk and familiarize people with the culture itself. Hopefully, the young generation will keep safeguarding this game in the future.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/kazakh-traditional-assyk-games-01086) (https://en.dimashnews.com/kazakh-asyk-and-their-counterparts-in-other-countries/#:~:text=The%20rules%20of%20the%20game,in%20auls%20and%20in%20cities.) (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09720073.2015.11891911) (https://www.orexca.com/kazakhstan/culture/games.htm)