Jukskei
Encyclopedia
Jukskei is a 200 year old folk sport (Afrikaans
: Boeresport) developed and played in South Africa
.
, South Africa, developed by "transport riders" who traveled with ox-drawn wagons. They used the wooden pins of the yokes of the oxen to throw at a stick that was planted into the ground.
The game was also played during the Great Trek
.
It was also played by the farmers from the Boland
on beaches.
Jukskei became an organized sport around 1939 when the first unions where established and rules where formalized.
Jukskei in South Africa is played at schools, club and provincial level, and there is an annual tournament in Kroonstad
in the Free State
.
Jukskei is also being played in Namibia and the USA. The three countries are affiliated to the International Jukskei Federation (IJF).
It is played in teams with usually four members each. Each member has two skeis (and thus two turns).
The playing field consists of two pits juxtaposed in opposite directions, so that play can take place in both directions.
Each time a team member knocks over the peg, he gets three points.
If the peg wasn’t knocked out, the team lying closest to the position of the peg, scores as many points as they have skeis closer to the peg than their opponent's closest skei.
The first team to get exactly 23 points first wins the game. If the team gets more than 23 points, they start from 0.
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
: Boeresport) developed and played in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
History
Jukskei is believed to have originated around 1743 in the CapeCape
Cape can be used to describe any sleeveless outer garment, such as a poncho, but usually it is a long garment that covers only the back half of the wearer, fastening around the neck. They were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon, and have had periodic...
, South Africa, developed by "transport riders" who traveled with ox-drawn wagons. They used the wooden pins of the yokes of the oxen to throw at a stick that was planted into the ground.
The game was also played during the Great Trek
Great Trek
The Great Trek was an eastward and north-eastward migration away from British control in the Cape Colony during the 1830s and 1840s by Boers . The migrants were descended from settlers from western mainland Europe, most notably from the Netherlands, northwest Germany and French Huguenots...
.
It was also played by the farmers from the Boland
Boland
Boland is a Irish surname . It may refer to:-People:Boland is a surname of Irish origin. The name refers to:*Adam Boland , Australian television personality...
on beaches.
Jukskei became an organized sport around 1939 when the first unions where established and rules where formalized.
Today
The sport is traditionally associated with the Afrikaners and in 2001 it was chosen by the SA government as one of the sports to be included in the Indigenous Games Project. Since then the game has started to gain popularity with young people of all cultures. There is usually a team of 4 players, of whom one is the captain, but it can also be played in pairs or singles.Jukskei in South Africa is played at schools, club and provincial level, and there is an annual tournament in Kroonstad
Kroonstad
Kroonstad is the third-largest town in the Free State province of South Africa, and lies two hours drive from Gauteng. In the 1991 census it had a population of 110,963...
in the Free State
Free State
The Free State is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Orange Free State Boer republic and later Orange Free State Province. The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans...
.
Jukskei is also being played in Namibia and the USA. The three countries are affiliated to the International Jukskei Federation (IJF).
Basic Rules
The object of the game is to knock over a peg that is planted in a sandpit over a distance of between 11 and 16 m (depending on age and gender).It is played in teams with usually four members each. Each member has two skeis (and thus two turns).
The playing field consists of two pits juxtaposed in opposite directions, so that play can take place in both directions.
Each time a team member knocks over the peg, he gets three points.
If the peg wasn’t knocked out, the team lying closest to the position of the peg, scores as many points as they have skeis closer to the peg than their opponent's closest skei.
The first team to get exactly 23 points first wins the game. If the team gets more than 23 points, they start from 0.