Holen: Marvelous Marbles

The origin of marble-playing have been found in countries all over the world and according to historians, marbles may have been played by children in Egypt, Rome, and North America during ancient times. Marbles used by people during those days were not like those of today. They used stones, clay balls, bones, polished nuts and fruit pits. In modern times, marbles evolved into marbles made of glass, china and real chips of marble.

Marbles, locally known as Holen or jolen, is one of the traditional games played by Filipino children before the coming of new technology that occupy their time nowadays. Its fun to play this game because it’s less expensive that you can use the marbles again as long as it will not lost. The mechanics of the game has two parts: first, the type in which the players try to knock their opponents’ marbles out of a circle with their own marble. You should hold the ball in your hand then throw it to hit the player’s ball out of the playing area. It is played a more precise way by tucking the marble with your third finger, the thumb under the marble, the fourth finger used as to stable the marble. You aim at grouped marbles inside a circle and flick the marble from your fingers and anything you hit out of the circle is yours. Who ever got the most marbles win the game. You can also win the game by eliminating your opponent by aiming and hitting his marble. You have to be a sharp shooter to be a winner. And second, the type in which the players try to hit a target and roll their marble through a hoop or into a hole by rolling, throwing or knuckling the marble.

The benefit of the game holen is that, it can give you fun and enjoyment. You can gain more friends and bonding with the player. Even at the young age, it may develop your sportsmanship that you can bring as you get old playing with the other game. This game can also enhance the coordination of your senses and you have to focus in hitting the ball. And most of all it can create a harmonious relationship with the other.

As a child before, I used to play holen with my friends and classmates in school. It really entertain me when I play marbles because I seldom win the game and that’s give me an idea to know the techniques of the game. These activities nourished our heart and soul. These games played not only an important part in the learning process as children, but it had a positive influence on physical, mental, emotional, and moral being of the person.