Author: Professor Dr. Caroline Janssen[1]
Prologue: Jo & Larry Garrett
In our story “Funny Money: Playing Marbles on Notes and Coins” (https://thesecretlifeofmarbles.com/funny-money-playing-marbles-on-notes-coins/), we write that while living and traveling in the Middle East (between 1985 – 2001), we never saw adults or children playing marbles. Also, we never saw marbles for sale in any of the souqs and markets. We travelled to small villages as well large cities like Dubai, Amman, Istanbul, and Manama.
Well, shortly after the story was published our colleague Wendy Leyn, who lives in Zandvoorde in West Flanders, a municipality of Zonnebeke, and I communicated with Professor Janssen who sent us information which is an excellent counterpoint to our story. She very graciously agreed that we can share the information online.
Professor Janssen’s Story
Marble playing used to be a popular game in Kuwait, and any older Kuwaiti will remember having played it.
The bank notes of the fifth series, issued in 1994, introduced scenes from everyday life as it once used to be (1/4 dinar: girls playing traditional games; ½ dinar: boys playing marbles).
Here one sees that playing marbles is seen as an integral part of the traditional cultural heritage of Kuwait, because it was a popular pass-time of the old generation.
The banknote’s post-war context and climate of nostalgia
The invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein of Iraq in 1990, which led to the first Gulf War, was a traumatic event which shook up every-day life in the Emirate at all levels of the society: not only those in charge, but also the common people including foreign and migrant workers were deeply affected.
It is after freedom was restored in 1991 that new bank notes were issued, the fourth series since the Kuwaiti dinar was launched. It was necessary for the recovery of the economy. Significant amounts of dinars of the third series had been stolen during the war and had disappeared; therefore, it was decided that the third series was rendered invalid. One understands, the fourth series came into being under pressure of time.
The fifth series, to which the banknote with the marble players belongs, was issued shortly after, in 1994. [2] This beautiful series is marked by nostalgic images connected to Kuwait’s past and traditions; they have a homely atmosphere. It is almost as if they were there to comfort people, to help them heal, by reminding people of times when all was calm and safe, and people were connected to each other. In 2014, the sixth series gave a more modern twist to the Kuwaiti dinar.
Marbles Is an Ancient game: Some Background
The game was called lebat etyal (‘game of marbles’) or ‘teela’ (‘marble’)[3] in Kuwait.
The game itself is very old and playing marble games is a widespread phenomenon. Marbles are found around the world, in very ancient settings; in tombs as grave gifts, in pyramids and other locations. The Ancient Egyptians, the cultures of the ancient Indus Valley (Mohenjo Daro)[4], the Aztecs, the Greek, the Romans, … it seems that they all liked to play games.[5] The game of marbles is considered as one of the most ancient games in the world. It is thought that it was played by humans even long before these ancient cultures took shape. This is no wonder as it can be played with very simple means: clay balls, nuts and round pebbles were used before marbles were made of ceramics and glass.
Sholeh Rezazadeh
In fact, in a recent Dutch novel written by the Iranian refugee Sholeh Rezazadehere is a scene in which contemporary nomad children play a primitive game of marbles with walnuts.
The scene is embedded in a dialogue between two childhood sweethearts. Here too we see a link between the marble game and nostalgic memories.[6]
With mass production of marbles in the early 1900s, playing marbles became a highly popular pass-time in the first half of the 20th century. Kuwait, at the time, was a British protectorate, and it was situated on trade routes linking India, East Africa and the Red Sea. Like other aspects of modern culture, the glass marbles easily spread over the world, and there were tournaments; the game lost some of its appeal after World War II, although there was a revival in the 1970s which lasted well into the 1990s.
The Role of Marbles Today & the Statue[7] in al-Shaheed Park in Kuwait
Today, with the spread of television, social media and video games, most children do not play anymore like they used to do, not in Kuwait and not elsewhere. But older generations still feel fondness of a game that was so popular when they grew up.
We can see an expression of this nostalgia in Kuwaiti culture not only on the banknote but also in a modern statue[8] in the beautiful al-Shaheed Park in Kuwait City. The statue and its location confirm that playing marbles is felt as an expression of traditional Kuwaiti life. The park that was built as a green lung in a desert city in 2013, commemorates the victims of the first Gulf War, when Kuwait was invaded by Iraq. It is focused on environmental themes and the celebration of cultural diversity and heritage. The statue shown above with the marbles can therefore be interpreted in this light.
Al-Shaheed Park in Kuwait City
Al-Shaheed Park (‘Martyr’s Park’), where the statue of the marble players ornates a beautiful plaza, harbors the Memorial Museum and the Habitat Museum. Local history, arts and nature are celebrated here, which confirms our interpretation of the meaning of the statue.[9]
Playing Marbles in the Gulf
While Jo and Larry observed that the game was not visibly present when they were travelling the region, on YouTube one finds visual materials which confirm its popularity, when one googles the game of ‘teela’ in the Arabic script. That t clips are shared and available confirms that the marble game is still seen as a cherished part of the cultural heritage of Kuwait and other countries in the Gulf Region.
There is a clip from Dubai, at Jumeirah Beach (with English subtitles), that is very explicit about the value of the game, and one from Qatar, where playing marbles ‘revived’ on a national sport day.[10] There are l photos on a clip from Marina TV, a livestream platform from Kuwait that broadcasts to the whole Middle East. I is from a series ‘The nineties … where have they gone?’, which tells us that at the time the game was still popular.[11] Dr. Adil Muhammad ‘Abd al-Mughni, who authored different books about Kuwaiti culture, is cited by Kuna.net (Kuwait News Agency) as an authority on the marble game. In an article devoted to the tradition of the marble game, he shares that in the past, Kuwaiti children used to go to school with pockets full of marbles so that they could play at any time. Different types of marbles had special names and there were various ways of playing it, which he describes in detail.[12]
In Conclusion
In Kuwaiti society, especially during the days of the holy month of Ramadan,[13] when families gather, there is a tendency to revive the tradition of playing games together. We see that traditional board games and card games, both local and international, are being played. A game like marbles is still a lot of fun, and excellent for bonding, in family settings and youth clubs.
The older generations who have fond memories wish they could revive the past to share the experience with their children and grandchildren, because of the feelings of bonding the game aroused. They are aware of the importance of passing down traditions, from one generation to the next. The banknote can therefore be interpreted as to the expression of an ,heartfelt wish to keep the community together, or as Sheikh Sabah, the former Emir of Kuwait (2006-2020), eloquently expressed it:
“Building a nation’s civilization is an ongoing process that never stops. It entails working on all aspects of a nation. After all, generations are like waves, taking over from one another—just like the sea, which wouldn’t be a sea if it weren’t for one wave taking over from where another left off.” His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah[14]
Epilogue: Jo & Larry Garrett
Dr. Janssen stays remarkably busy in the Department of Languages and Culture, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy at Ghent University. She researches and produces papers such as the brilliantly titled “Thirteen bones and a skeleton….” Her students, study, and research, keep her busy: she often works right across weekends.
So, we are very pleased that she found the time to respond to Wendy and then to us and that she gave us such an insightful counterpoint to our original position. While we were not fortunate enough to see children and adults playing marbles,[15] we know now that that does not mean that marbles and marble play does not exist in Kuwait and across the Gulf region.
And marble play is such an integral part of the tradition, heritage, and cultural values that is has served as a bonding agent for Kuwait over time.
When Michelangelo was 87 he is reported to have said Ancora Imparo “I’m still learning”. And so are we! Thank you, Professor Janssen.
References
- You can read her biography @ https://biblio.ugent.be/person/801000628638 (1/27/2024). Dr. Janssen is a professor specialized in Near Eastern and Islamic Studies, at Ghent University in Belgium. Her research includes literary texts in Classical Arabic and cuneiform studies (ancient script and culture of Mesopotamia). ↑
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwaiti_dinar ↑
- Teela is the “small glass ball” or marble. We learned online that the game is played in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates as well as in Kuwait. You might want to check “Teelah: Popular Qatar’s Multiplayer Game” @ https://qatarjust.com/teelah-qatar/ (1/27/2024) Jo & Larry ↑
- See “Harappan Civilization in our story “Circles, Triangles, & Holes” @ https://thesecretlifeofmarbles.com/circles-triangles-holes/ Jo & Larry ↑
- Although mainly focused on board games, Irving L. Finkel, British Museum, Ancient board games in perspective: papers from the 1990 British Museum colloquium, with additional contributions. London, includes information on marbles as well. ↑
- Sholeh Rezazadeh, 2023, “Er is een berg die op mij wacht” [translation: There is a mountain that waits for me], Amsterdam. This ecocritical novel in which a story is told from the perspective of a river has not been translated into English. The passage reads, in translation: “Do you remember how often we used to play with walnuts, together with the other kids? We used to dig a hole in which we had to throw them from a distance. Whoever was first to get the marble into the hole, had won. But others could kick your walnut away with their own.” “You never hit my walnuts. Do you remember that the other boys used to laugh at you because you had made a headband or chain with flowers for me, instead of wrestling with them?” ↑
- This sketch of the “Marble Player” statue in Al Shaheed Park was produced by Debbie S. Sellman, DS WEB Design+. Thank you very much! ↑
- You can see the real statue @ https://nl.pinterest.com/pin/824229169280438040/ (1/27/2024) . Al Shaheed, spelled different ways in English, translates as “the martyr” and the park was thus called to honor the victims of the invasion of 1990. The project is still under expansion, the third phase should be completed in the beginning of 2024. ↑
- More about the park where the statue stands, which is actually quite interesting to people like me, can be found @ https://www.greenroofs.com/projects/al-shaheed-park/ (1/28/2024). Jo & Larry: The photographs in Greenroof’s slideshow are breathtaking considering that Kuwait City has a hyper arid desert climate. ↑
- From Dubai: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2807367116249243From the Qatar Cultural and Heritage Event Center, on the occasion of National Sport Day: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1864756707012220 ↑
- From Kuwait: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls/ ↑
- Source: https://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2629693&language=ar; one can get an impression of the contents of this article which appeared with the aid of Google Translate, but I recommend to have it translated by a specialist as the translation is unreliable due to the technical terms that are used. ↑
- Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community. During a full month, Muslims do not consume food nor drinks from daybreak to dawn. At the end of the day when the fast is broken special dishes are eaten in a spirit of togetherness. It is a time for nightly visits to family and friends. Even if today people tend to be absorbed in a modern lifestyle, Kuwait has its own local traditions that are cherished or fondly remembered (https://kuwaittimes.com/ramadan-traditions-of-kuwait/). ↑
- There are a number of excellent sources on the Internet about Sheikh Al-Sabah’s life. For example, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabah_Al-Ahmad_Al-Jaber_Al-Sabah (1/28/2024). Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, ruler of Kuwait, was born in Jahra, Kuwait, on June 16 1929 and he died September 29 September 2020. He was Foreign Minister of Kuwait 1963 – 2003 and Prime Minister 2003 – 2006. Sheikh Sabah was 91 when he died, and thus he was a member of the “older generation” who could remember, and treasure, historical traditions of Kuwaiti society. ↑
- Considering the heat and other environmental factors, and the love and focus on family in Kuwait, we have begun to wonder if the reason we did not see marble play is because, unlike in the West, marbles are most often played indoors on the carpet? But the pictures and testimonies cited above indicate that it was indeed played outside. ↑
