Figure 1.-- Here we see Naples street kids playing the ancient game of morra in 1894. It is perhaps the oldest game still played. Here four boys were playing. Once yoy get beyond about five players the game becomes unwieldy. Thus image is interesting beyond just morra. American school textbooks emphasize the povery of inner city immigrant communities at the turn of the 20th century. And of course this is accurate when compared to modern times. But the comparison should be made with contemprary comditions in Europe like the boys here. In addition to the obvious poverty also important is the fact that these boys also certainly did not attend school while most American immigrant children did.

There are two diiferent types of games. This includes outdoor/indoor games and active/passive games. By passive we mean not requiring pgusical activity. many ewquired very active intelectual efforrt. These two types largely overhapped. The outdoor games were more acrive and the indoor games more passive, although there were exceptions. We notice Italian children like other children playing both types of games. The most common form of outdoor/active games became sports, but this was not the case in the 19th century. And younger children did not have the skills needed for sports and girls did not have the same interest in sports. In any case we will deals with sports separately. We note a range of other active outdoor games. Many if these games had less formal rules and did not require the same level of skills as sports. Surely the most popular outdoor/active game is tag. Childen of all ages above the todler age could play and it was enjoyed by both boys and girls. Another popular game was war games under different names. Like play war and cowboys and Indians in America. This was essentially outdoor role playing with small groups, almost always boys. Some sound very familar with different names. We note Guardie e Lardi (Cops and Robbers). It sounds rather like the field game Capture the Flag, not like the informal Cops and Robbers we used to play in America. Lupo Mangia Frutta (Wolf Eating Fruit) is another team field came. This is sort of like Go Fish without the cards. Strega Ghiaccio (Ice Witch) is a tag came where the witch (it) feeze tags the other children. Piovra (Octopus) is a particularly popular game. It is another tag game with a different twist, less running than most tag games. Players tagged become baby octopuses, but have to stand still, they can only tag players who come near. There are also many indoor or more passive games like cards which we see on the previous page. We do not have much information on the popular Italian indoor games at this time. Here we see boys playing cards, but are not sure what game they are playing. An especially interesting game is morra which we see here (figure 1). All that is needed is your hands. No one knows its origins, but it is known to date back millenia to ancient Greece and Rome. It can be played by two or more players indoors or outdoors. More than five or so becomes unwildly. The game is played by each participant revealing their hand, simultaneously extending any number of fingers and calling out a number. A player successfully guessing the total number of fingers revealed by all players combined scores a point. This may be the oldest game still played.

Outdoor/Active Games

The most common form of outdoor/active games became sports, but this was not the case in the 19th century. And younger children did not have the skills needed for sports and girls did not have the same interest in sports. In any case we will deals with sports separately. We note a range of other active outdoor games. Many if these games had less formal rules and did not require the same level of skills as sports. Surely the most popular outdoor/active game is tag. Childen of all ages above the todler age could play and it was enjoyed by both boys and girls. Another popular game was war games under different names. Like play war and cowboys and Indians in America. This was essentially outdoor role playing with small groups, almost always boys. Some sound very familar with different names. We note Guardie e Lardi (Cops and Robbers). It sounds rather like the field game Capture the Flag, not like the informal Cops and Robbers we used to play in America. Lupo Mangia Frutta (Wolf Eating Fruit) is another team field came. This is sort of like Go Fish without the cards. Strega Ghiaccio (Ice Witch) is a tag came where the witch (it) feeze tags the other children. Piovra (Octopus) is a particularly popular game. It is another tag game with a different twist, less running than most tag games. Players tagged become baby octopuses, but have to stand still, they can only tag players who come near.

Indoor/Less Active Games

There are also many indoor or less active games. These games are played in many different countries, usually with different names and all kinds of playing variations. A good example is blind man's buff. We see it being played in many countries, including Italy. In Italy the game is called 'mosca cieca'. (blind fly). It can be played outdoors, but only with spatial limitations. It is a kind of tag game. Italian genre artist, Giovanni Battista Torriglia, leaves us the game being played in an Italian peasant home. We see cards which we see on the previous page. We do not have much information on the popular Italian indoor games at this time. Here we see boys playing cards, but are not sure what game they are playing. An especially interesting game is morra which we see here (figure 1). All that is needed is your hands. No one knows its origins, but it is known to date back millenia to ancient Greece and Rome. It can be played by two or more players indoors or outdoors. More than five or so becomes unwildly. The game is played by each participant revealing their hand, simultaneously extending any number of fingers and calling out a number. A player successfully guessing the total number of fingers revealed by all players combined scores a point. This may be the oldest game still played. Board games are some of the most popular indoor games. We do not yet have much information about them. And of course in the 21st century, computer games have become enormously popular, especially amog boys.

Outdoor Games

There are all kinds of active outdoor games. Some were played all overEurope. Some have small differences and some are uniquely Italian. Nascondino (hide-and-seek) may be one of the most widely played games. All you need is two players, but a larger number makevfor more fun. Here the it counts for a short period to give the others time to hide. Then the hunting begins. Each time a player is found, the seeker yells, "Tana per [name]". The games usually goes on until every hidden player is found. But is one of he hiding players manages to run to the beginning and yells "Tana libera tutti!". This saves all the hiding players. And another round is played. An Italian take on tag is Lupo Delle Ore. One person becomes the wolf--the it of standard tag. The wolf their back and all the other others stand in a arc line. They ask the wolf what the time is. The wolf responds by shouting out a number. The other players then take that number of steps towards the wolf. At a time of the wolf's choosing, he shout out that he is hungry and chases the others to tag one. The player tagged then becomes the wolf. There are many variants like Lupo mangiafrutta (The fruit-eating wolf). We suspect that all the wolf games have Roman origins. Strega Comanda Color (the witch commands the color) is another tag game. This time the it is a witch who begins the game by shouting out a color. The other players have to run and touch something that is that color. If nobody is caught before they reach something of that color. If someone is tagged becomes the new witch. Cacio al Fuso is a bowls game and played by adults as well as children. Some kind of stick is erected in the game area. Balls are rolled toward the stick. This game developed in northern Italy. It was originally played by adults with cheese wheels rolled toward the stick. Campara was the Italian version of hopscotch. It is believed to have had Roman origins. There are various versions, but are all based on jumping between the lines of a grid drawn on the ground. Really active games have to be played outdoors, although some like mosca cieca (blind man's buff) can also be played indoors. This is a perenial favorite and played in many differernt countries, albeit with different names.It is believed to have had Roman origins.

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Created: 11:54 PM 1/18/2017
Last updated: 8:52 AM 6/16/2019