Cultural Games Trail Launches

Map of game sites in the inner city of Ōtautahi.

Te Kōrero Tākaro | Stories of Play is an oral history project that celebrates the diversity of Aotearoa and connects people across different cultures, faiths and generations through play.

The Te Kōrero Tākaro Play Trail launches in Ōtautahi Christchurch Central City on Race Relations Day, 5.30pm Friday 21 March, at the Snakes and Ladders game, outside The Piano - 142 Armagh Street. Come play with us, everyone is invited!

Along the trail, players can have a go at some traditional games. At the Arts Centre, a video installation features chapteh from Malaysia and Singapore and hacky sack from Aotearoa. A marbles game will be installed outside the Christchurch Art Gallery and a snakes and ladders board beside The Piano on Armagh Street. At The Commons (on the corner of Durham and Kilmore Streets), participants can have a go at the Fijian game of pani.

Audio collected through community-based interviews is available to listen to via QR codes installed alongside the games (listen here). You’ll hear the origins of Snakes and Ladders as an Indian game to teach morality and memories of playing Marbles from seven different countries and Pani in Fiji.

The project also invites participants to share their own memories of play via an online interview and file upload portal.

This is a collaborative project developed by InCommon, Our Stories Project and GapFiller Pae Tākaro, funded by the Christchurch City Council, Ministry for Ethnic Communities, Rātā Foundation and with thanks to 53 generous supporters via Boosted.org.nz.

Marbles game site outside the Christchurch City Library.