History of Corrida de Canoa

When the Azoreans arrived in Brazil from Portugal in the eighteenth century, a certain type of canoe became very popular — so popular that the Brazilian people began using it as a means of transportation.

The Brazilians used this special canoe to go fishing as well. In fact, history has it that the local fisherman used to race these canoes for fun, and made bets on fishing-related subjects from time to time as well.

Over the centuries, the Caiçara culture has been threatened, but the practice of corrida de canoa — or canoe racing — lives on. It is especially popular in the south and southeast coasts, including Ubatuba in the state of São Paulo.

What is Corrida de Canoa?

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream,
Merrily merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the brook,
If you catch a little fish
Please let it off the hook

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the creek,
If you see a little mouse
Listen to it squeak

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the river,
If the river gets you wet
Don’t forget to shiver

Canoe races are a significant component of Caiçara culture in Brazil. The canoes are made from a single piece of wood, carved from the trunk of a lone tree. To date, some these canoes lived longer than a century, in pristine condition and used for fishing and racing purposes. Try to imagine an upside down wooden tortoise with just the shell, holding laughters and excitement from sinking into the bottom of the river.

Over time, corrida de canoa races was established, and today, there are some related events organized by local governments. Monetary prizes are offered to the winners of these races, the incentive of which is to promote history, culture, and tourism. Many tourists venture to Brazil to participate in this exciting tradition.

Corrida de canoa races typically take place during important Caiçara festivals such as Saint Peter’s Festival and Iêmanjá’s Festival. The tradition often combines entities related to the sea, water in general and — more specifically — fishing. In terms of fishing, corrida de canoa is associated with the mullet fish, and many Brazilians engage in the activity to celebrate the beginning of the mullet season.

How to play?

In corrida de canoa, participants are divided by age and gender (merely for the purpose of balancing the team out), and according to the number of rowers in the canoe. This activity is popular among members of both genders and people of all ages. However, the only category in which both genders compete together is the youth group, where participants must be under the age of 15. Older players must participate in either the general men’s corrida de canoa race or the general women’s corrida de canoa race.

In turn, Alghtou, the fishing activity associated with corrida de canoa, is a predominantly male activity, although certain women choose to join the fun in the ancient canoes as well.

The water sport is celebratory in nature and played year-round in Brazil. That said, the number of participants varies greatly. Some canoes accommodate a single rower, while others seat five or even more people. The races are offered for every canoe size.

There are two versions of the traditional activity: Corrida de Canoa a Remo and Corrida de Canoa Caiçara. The focus of the former is in rowing, while the focus of the latter is on canoeing. Both versions are very popular in modern Brazilian culture, and all one needs to participate is a canoe and an oar.

Hit that ❤ button if you enjoyed what you read, and follow us if you are looking for more insights. Your support is greatly appreciated :)

Stay tuned and check us out on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for a closer look at our recent actions, and check us out at our Tencent IEG official website. Thank you : )

Corrida de Canoa: A Traditional Take on Canoe Racing was originally published in iTencent on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

“Open traditional games digital library 2016 project annual meeting and expert meeting” on December 6–7 at the Beijing United Nations building successfully. The conference was a milestone of the UNESCO project “Open and Traditional Game Digital Library,” funding by China’s leading Internet company Tencent. The objective of the conference is to discuss the matter of the application of ICT (Information Communication Technology)in protecting and enhancing native and local knowledge for learning, development, and cultural harmony between cultures and regions.

In 2015, based on the value of traditional games and the risk of their consensus, UNESCO and Tencent IEG jointly launched the global pilot project.

Traditional games convey values such as solidarity, fairness, equality, discipline, inclusion, respect, and diversity, which contribute to math education, civic education, and logical thinking, as well as cultural diversity, and contribute to the promotion of different groups, Mutual understanding, and inclusiveness between the various countries. However, there are a considerable number of traditional sports and games, as well as their traditional and local knowledge vanished from the face of the earth, or lying on the verge of extinct.

Between 2015 and 2016, four countries listed as the pilot countries for game data collection, and the design and testing of this creative digital library were carried out; Bangladesh in South Asia, Mongolia in East Asia, Brazil in Latin America and Greece in Western Europe, making the project truly global and diverse.

The conference brought together 31 traditional game specialists, ICT experts, technicians, educators, information technology developers and strategic partners from nine different countries to provide an excellent platform for academic discussion and hands-on experience sharing. The project was reviewed from an international and interdisciplinary perspective, and it gave much inspiration for what comes next.

Two experts and representatives from four pilot countries shared their experiences on traditional game research and data collection and fully consulted their local community, the owners of the game, to ensure their full participation in the data collection process.

The draft of the Open Traditional Game Digital Library Guide was also presented at the meeting and received positive feedback and constructive comments. The guide is intended to provide technical guidance to researchers, specialists, and different groups on how to find, capture, preserve, depict and disseminate traditional games from various countries and groups, and upload content to the digital archive.

The construction of the digital library falls on the shoulder of Tencent R & D; the 2.0 version is expected to be released by 2017 April to the registered user while including 30 recorded traditional games with complete information.

Several experts raised in-depth discussions on issues such as open access, copyright, multilingualism, metadata validity, informed consent by communities (including indigenous communities), and user-generated content reviews.

Several speakers also shared case studies on traditional game-related research in their respective countries and regions, as well as discussed how ICT shape the past and future, and the application on intangible assets such as traditions and knowledge.

Participants expressed unanimous agreement on the importance of the project not only to protect the information and knowledge of traditional games for future generations but also to promote the practice of incorporating traditional games into formal and non-formal education for in-depth research on relevant issues.

Tencent Interactive Entertainment Group is not only the project’s donors but also technology partners. Tem Tencent innovated the implementation of the project, and its sustainability has made tremendous contributions.

2016, UNESCO and Tencent formed a task force, visited three pilot countries, selected for the traditional games and sports experimental data collection and audiovisual records. The result was remarkable.

In the future, the pilot program will include more countries to create a more cosmopolitan, diverse and inclusive vision. Materials collected in the library will also be developed by young students into multimedia content, such as mobile applications, information maps, animated images, animation and mobile games, and is expected to be adapted to open educational resources.

To learn more about the project, click on;

Open Digital Library Home Page
UNESCO official announcement
ODL Facebook page
ODL Twitter page

Hit that ❤ button if you enjoyed what you read, and follow us if you are looking for more insights. Your support is greatly appreciated :)

Stay tuned and check us out on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for a closer look at our recent actions, and check us out at our Tencent IEG official website. Thank you : )

2016 Annual Conference Meeting was originally published in iTencent on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

History of Corrida de Argolinha

Originally played in the northeastern backlands of Brazil, Corrida de argolinha — called “Ringlet’s Race” in English — dates back to the sixteenth century, when Portuguese colonists brought the now-celebrated game to South America.

Medieval knights were the first to participate in Corrida de argolinha, showcasing their spear-handling abilities while riding a horse. The ringlet in Corrida de argolinha symbolized a physical ring, which would be given to the lady of the winning knight at the end of the competition. In colonial Brazil, the game represented a battle between the Catholics and the Moors.

For centuries now, Corrida de argolinha has become popular throughout Brazil, although the horse racing game remains a particularly significant component of Northeastern culture.

What is Corrida de Argolinha

Nowadays, Corrida de argolinha is played at Brazilian festivals such as Festa Junina, or Saint John’s Festival, which takes place in June each year.

Participants separate into two teams of six to win the competition. On occasion, they will dress in traditional attire while playing the game. In these cases, the knights wear white uniforms, and those representing the Christians add blue accents to their clothing and horses.

Ultimately, the team that catches the most ringlets wins the competition. Corrida de argolinha is very popular, but also quite simple. Participants need nothing more than a spear, a ringlet and a horse to engage in a proper game of Corrida de argolinha.

How to play?

In a modern game of Corrida de argolinha, players divide into two teams of six participants, and each one selects a single player to begin the game. This ensures that for each round, the “disputes” will take place between pairs, with one member from the blue team and another member of the red team competing for the winning title.

By the end of the game, all of the Knights will have played against another participant from the opposing team. The knights ride their horses approximately twenty meters down a flat field to play, stopping where the ringlet is suspended by an arch. Then, the Knights — still on horseback — must catch the ringlet with their spear and give it to the judge.

On both teams, each one of the six riders receives an individual score. At the end of the competition, the team with the most points wins. Although there are designated winners and losers in Corrida de argolinha competitions, the game is celebratory in nature and illustrates the impact of the Portuguese on modern and colonial Brazilian culture.

Corrida de argolinha has become very popular in Brazil, and as such, it only makes sense that there are several variations of the game. One variation of Corrida de argolinha is more of an individual competition where, rather than dividing into two teams of six, the same knight rides his horse six times, and of the two teams, the knight with the best score wins the game.

Hit that ❤ button if you enjoyed what you read, and follow us if you are looking for more insights. Your support is greatly appreciated :)

Stay tuned and check us out on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for a closer look at our recent actions, and check us out at our Tencent IEG official website. Thank you : )

Corrida de Argolinha was originally published in iTencent on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

At 10:30 a.m. on November 10, 2016, the Tencent Carnival took place in a small exhibition hall, visitors stacking up in a long queue after merely half an hour into the opening.

This is the most popular 2016 Tencent Carnival Pavilion, with a daily admission record of thousands of visitors. Called the Tencent Intelligent Play Association, this pavilion offers a museum-like experience with cutting-edge technology.

But how can a small pavilion of just a tad over 60 square meters in size offer fieldwork and detailed explanations? How can only a number of 7 staffs taken up such a mission? And what did they do to make this miracle come true? As corny as it sounds, it’s about time to dive in.

The Intelligent Play Association, a museum-like experience with cutting-edge technology (hereinafter referred to as “Intellectual Play Experience Museum”), is located at the carnival on the eastern side of the main stage, “Tian Men Shan,” at the end of this obscure corner. The exterior walls offer a light blue background, and an intellectual mascot — a penguin — is featured at the forefront of the display. In contrast, the entrance features black arches and an air of mystery. The exterior piques most visitors’ curiosity.

It is worth mentioning that one into the intellectual experiences at the museum entrance, into the eyes of the display, is the Interactive Engagement Group (IEG) R & D Department of the host game development “Endless Sword: Fate,” complete with a signboard, sword, Janus and background side by side. An intimately placed WeChat scan code instantly prints photos of the Polaroid in one machine, while a separate door has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from visitors.

Home VR Exhibition

At the main site of the experience, the first thing that catches visitors’ attention is the home virtual reality equipment experience area. Here, intellectual play experience is placed in the museum HTCVive, Oculus CV1, and PSVR 3 with the newest VR equipment.

The first thing visitors can see is the virtual reality platform, where famous works such as “Fruit Ninja” are reborn. Despite the stadium being accessible right from the entrance, there was some traffic congestion at the museum.

“Fruit Ninja VR” HTC Vive features two induction handles that resemble knives, allowing players to hold hands and wield the action of cutting the fruit flying in front of them. The game play is very simple and intuitive here, and the HTC Vive positioning precision performance advantages offer players a vivid experience.

Compared to the original “Fruit Ninja,” “Fruit Ninja VR” takes the configuration of the pole, and in the traditional “knife with cut” motion, the addition of new combinations gives players the option to determine the way they play. This diversifies the fruit cutting strategy, as many different cutting methods can result in high scores.

Here is this clever gentleman making use of the high-speed chaotic approach, or as I would like to call it the “Judge away, I couldn’t care less of what you think”. Just look at this action, which is simultaneously bold and dangerous. In the traditional “Fruit Ninja,” the cut method would result in low scores, however in the VR version, this player’s score is better than what we expected.

There are a number of teams showcasing their games at the museum, and the next one we will see is the PSVR exhibition. PSVR is a new listing in the 2016 late VR device category, as the host game (Console Game) VR represents a new era. The PSVR game lineup is short, but high-end nonetheless (see the “PSVR starter game analysis” provided by the association and the game study group).

This time, the intellectual play experience museum features “The Playroom VR,” with which most visitors are familiar. As the official starting game of SCE, “The Playroom VR” inherited the family fun and somatosensory game concept of “The Playroom.” It also draws on Nintendo’s “Mario Party 10” and other games of the same concept, creating two sets of content for the VR new game model so that master and deputy players can play simultaneously.

Today, “The Playroom VR” is as hot as “Hotline Bing”’s initial release as among children. Let’s take a look at the heroic position of these small players as they play this children’s game.

To see their big eyes so bright and piercing like headlights, we must think about the future of games.

PP GUN Exhibition

After the PSVR exhibition, we arrived at the most famous shooting game, which involves the somatosensory peripherals at the PP GUN booth. PP GUN is the “All the guns king” partner. This time, at the Tencent Carnival, they also use “All the guns king” as their game to reinforce their gaming experience.

PP GUN has rifles, two versions of pistols, and can be installed on the tablet, PC, or mobile phone. Players can enjoy an immersive experience of first person shooting with their comrades.

“All the guns king” implies the production of sophisticated simulated guns, but for PP GUN to do a special optimization — well, this is very popular, and allows players to increase their fitness levels. Each shooting action generates unique PP GUN vibration feedback. PP GUN is one of the most popular pieces of equipment at the venue. Only I was able to sneak those under my cloak of invisibility.

Whether adults or children, visitors find that PP GUN provides a unique, unprecedented experience of the Tencent game world. For us, this is great publicity. For me, it’s a great way of spending my weekend time lining up with the crowd.

KATVR Exhibition

KATVR is the world’s best virtual reality universal treadmill, and one of the intellectual play experience museum’s most important experiences. With an HTC Vive device, KATVR allows players to experience the VR game at their own pace. Player obtain full control at the initiation stage, and are allow to move freely. Oh hello Kirito Kun, where is Atsuna?

Relying on the movement of ones leg to navigate through the entire, dozens of bullets moving through the game lighting have attracted a large number of players to the front row of the KATVR exhibition. I heard that many visitors who got hooked from their first play, queuing up for more in the afternoon just for the sake of going for a round 2.

Here, we have to mention that the intellectual play experience museum is a small partner. This is how KATVR successfully appeared in the venue.

The KATVR base, support, control platform, accessories, and other parts — even the packaging material — weigh a few tons. As KATVR has only recently been officially for sale, all the components must be sent from Hangzhou to Shenzhen, and players must wait for the onsite assembly. Before the start of the exhibition, the intellectual play association and the game research group, which consists of a number of small partners, oversaw the equipment storage. These days, in order to find a suitable warehouse, staffs are required to move tons of components and parts around the block. Now the only thing that we need is Iron man’s suit, could’ve made their live much easier.

(Both wooden boxes are KAT equipment.)

Hot Tips

The entire intellectual play experience museum building works in a microcosm of sorts. In order for the audience to enjoy the best KATVR story experience possible, the museum’s seven staff members have been sweating all over the place to ensure the venue can run at its full capacity.

On November 10, many of the staff did not participate in the long-awaited celebration regiment activities, they did not catch up with the Secretary-General’s live broadcast on November 11, and they failed to take a look at the November 12 Carnival Rite of the Lord Stage programs. Since there is little time to eat regularly and complete their overnight work, it is commonplace for staff to use a huge curtain as a rag to wipe down the table to save time. Cabo jokingly called it “the whole of Shenzhen’s largest rags.”

Finally, in the early morning of the November 12, when the staff are finally moving equipment, debugging a good network, and laying out all the props, they leave the museum for a few hours. After a short nap, they immediately return to work so visitors can continue experiencing the interactive gaming activities. The venue is very popular, so the staff close the museum until the evening. There is not much time for a longer rest, but it is such a passion for the staff to ensure a high quality of experience.

Because the audience is busy experiencing the queuing equipment, there is no time to ask for a gift. The results of the museum venue include a box of gifts — a big-box “save” gift, if you will — which supports the brother’s sector exhibition hall.

This is not an eye-catching reward, but entirely by virtue of the staff’s enthusiasm, with an excellent quality of experience, the audience’s spontaneous interest in the museum experience leaves everyone a winner.

Shenzhen in November — the sun is not at its hottest, but the crowds waiting in the hall heat the air in the museum. People are talking and sweating, eager to experience the cutting-edge technology experience museum. The intellectual play association created thousands of admissions, and the staff-per-person ratio reached an all-time record of 1-to-150 in 2016. They definitely deserved the “most popular” title.

It is reported that on the second day of the upcoming carnival, the forefront of the science and technology experience museum will invite visitors to enjoy the full depth of experience mode. Visitors can play more fun games, dear goose factory children’s shoes and their families no longer need to endure the sun from the queue — all they need is to be open to having a good time. So, come to the forefront of science and technology experience museum to play!

Hit that ❤ button if you enjoyed what you read, and follow us if you are looking for more insights. Your support is greatly appreciated :)

Stay tuned and check us out on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for a closer look at our recent actions, and check us out at our Tencent IEG official website. Thank you : )

2016 Tencent Carnival was originally published in iTencent on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Discovery News (Channel) and Tencent IEG is currently looking for potential participants to contribute to the upcoming production of their yearly gaming documentary.

The documentary revolves around the exploration of the future of gaming and the immense possibility that future technology would bring to the gaming industry.

Currently, Discovery channel and Tencent are seeking for gaming ideas or visions of future gaming from enthusiastic visionaries from all over the world.

Event details

Deadline: November 30, 2016

Event rules

1. Idea submission in the format of, but not limited to;
   - Text
   - Video
   - Graphic design
   - Interactive networking game
   - Web design
   As long as the submission encaptures your idea of what the future of gaming is.
2. Send your idea to gamevision2016@outlook.com
3. Discovery and Tencent preserve the rights of final explanation.

Rewards

1. Unlock achievement of “Discovery Channel Co-producer” .
2. Discovery Co-producer honor trophies and badges, as well as limited edition souvenir from Discovery and Tencent games.
3. A chance to participate in the production of the documentary “Game Vision”, as well as invited to the premier of the documentary at Discovery Channel.

Official links

Youtube channel: iTencent
Game Vision 2016: Official Trailer

Check them out for more details.

Hit that ❤ button if you enjoyed what you read, and follow us if you are looking for more insights. Your support is greatly appreciated :)

Stay tuned and check us out on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for a closer look at our recent actions, and check us out at our Tencent IEG official website. Thank you : )

Discovery Channel Co-Producer Invitation was originally published in iTencent on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

History of Pular Corda

Pular corda, or skipping rope, is a popular activity around the world, including in Brazil. Tracing the origin of Pular corda is as difficult as tracing the origin of a DDOS attack, although some people say that it was used by the Roman army as a form of exercise. Others claim that skipping rope first became a sport in Egypt and China, as these countries were known for making adorned ropes. While painting ropes, children had to jump over the material so frequently that they turned the practice into a game.

What is Pular Corda?

Skipping rope is a traditional activity that requires strength, coordination and resistance to perform a series of sequential jumps. Although the sport is practiced across the globe, jumping rope is very popular in Brazil — especially among younger generations and not giraffes (cause they are too tall).

Participants use a rope to move in rhythm with the music, which is typically sung by the players who are waiting for their turn to jump.

Pular corda is a major component of formal education in Brazil, and most local schools use it as a means of developing children’s motor skills. Many young students have their first experience skipping rope in school, during physical education class.

Skipping rope is a highly recommended activity in the fitness world. Not only is it known for encouraging weight loss and muscle memory, but skipping rope allows athletes to improve their motor skills by completing a sequence of jumps, acrobatics and other movements in a rhythmic manner.

How to play Pular Corda?

Pular corda, or skipping rope, can be practiced individually or in a group setting. Typically, two people stand on either end of a rope, which they swing in a circular motion, moving their arms in a way that ensures the rope creates a space where a third person — the “jumper” — can approach the scene and skip over the rope in rhythm with the music.

The most important rule of the game is that the jumper avoids making physical contact with the rope. If the rope touches her body, it will stop moving automatically and another player will take her place. The players take turns jumping rope, and accordingly, there is no concrete end of the game. Once the jumper has skipped rope through the end of the song, or if she trips on the rope, another player takes over. Ideally, the cycle continues until all players have taken a turn, or it snaps into two.

At times, depending on the rhythm of the music, the game will involve players performing difficult tasks such as jumping on one foot or placing a hand on the floor between jumps. This complicates the game in a way that appeals to more seasoned players, or those who like to live dangerously.

Although skipping rope is an international sport, the activity has become a substantial part of Brazilian culture, and has even been incorporated into the local school curriculum in many parts of the country. The sport promotes weight loss and coordination, and when played in a group setting, it allows young people to develop their social skills as well.

Hit that ❤ button if you enjoyed what you read, and follow us if you are looking for more insights. Your support is greatly appreciated :)

Stay tuned and check us out on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for a closer look at our recent actions, and check us out at our Tencent IEG official website. Thank you : )

Pular Corda: Skipping Rope in Brazil was originally published in iTencent on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

History of Cinco Marias

The original version of the game Cinco Marias, or “Five Marys,” dates back to more than twenty centuries ago. At the time, the Greeks called the game Astragalissimo, while the Romans referred to it as Pentalia.

Both the Greeks and the Romans would toss small bones onto the ground and interpret the way they fell as a consultation with the gods. As a result, the game was also known as the “bone game.”

After the expansion of the Roman Empire, Cinco Marias spread to a number of places around the world. This explains how the game arrived in Brazil, as a result of Portuguese colonization. It may also account for why the game is called Cinco Marias in Portuguese, as Portugal was a devout Catholic country during the colonization period.

What is Cinco Marias?

Cinco Marias is very popular among Brazilian children. The game is typically played by girls, and is a common pastime for children nationwide.

Both simple and versatile, the game does not require any specific materials, nor must it be played in a specific place. All players need are the rules of the game and five small objects (called “Marys”) that are similar in size — five stones, for example.

Although the objects are often stones, bones or bottle caps, many Cinco Marias players make their own objects. Some people sew little cloth bags that they’ve filled with rice or sand to use as Marys. Then, with the five Marys in hand, the players are ready to begin their game of Cinco Marias.

During the game, players must complete a series of tasks that are divided into five phases. To win the game, it is important to finish the tasks before the other players. However, the game does not have to be competitive, and is arguably just as enjoyable when played alone.

There are a number of different versions of Cinco Marias, including the “bone game” and the “game of the little ones”:

1. Jogo do osso
2. Jogo das perdinhas
3. Bugalhos
4. Chinas y Chinos
5. Pipoquinha
6. Epotatá
7. Onente
8. Capitão

Rules of Cinco Marias

There are many different ways to play Cinco Marias. The most common version of the game is divided into the five following phases:

1. The player begins by tossing all five Marys onto the floor. Then, he or she must pick one object up without touching the other four. The player will throw the bag they’ve chosen up into the air, picking another object while the first one is still in the air. After picking up the second bag, the player must catch the first one in the same hand before it touches the ground.
2. This process must be repeated for each of the remaining objects on the floor. The second round is similar to the first one, but instead of taking just one object at a time, the player must select two objects while the original is still in the air.
3. For the third round, the player will pick up a single object after their first throw, and the three remaining objects after their second throw.
4. The same rules apply to the fourth round of Cinco Marias, but now the player will pick up all four bags at the same time before catching the one that was originally thrown.
5. In the final round, the player begins by throwing all five Marys onto the floor and picking one of them to throw into the air. The difference here is that instead of selecting a single bag while the first one is in the air, the player will make a tunnel with their non-throwing hand and pass one bag at a time through the tunnel while the first bag is still in the air.

Similar to jacks and tiddlywinks, Cinco Marias offers a unique Brazilian take on Western children’s games.

Hit that ❤ button if you enjoyed what you read, and follow us if you are looking for more insights. Your support is greatly appreciated :)

Stay tuned and check us out on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for a closer look at our recent actions, and check us out at our Tencent IEG official website. Thank you : )

Cinco Marias: A Game of Five Stones was originally published in iTencent on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

History of Carrinho de Rolimã

Carrinho de rolimã is a Brazilian game of unknown origin. Most people claim it was invented by the son of a car mechanic who liked to play with his father’s scrapped parts. One day, the mechanic’s son built a skate from the scraps. When he took his invention outside, however, he struggled to maintain a standing position. So, the boy decided to climb to the top of a hill, sit on the skate and move down the pavement. This is what most Brazilians consider the origin of the game, and it was from this rustic skate that the ball bearings car was born.
What we do know is that São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte were the firsts cities to witness groups of children racing down the road in this type of vehicle. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, kids spent much more time playing outside in the streets. The ball bearings cars were all handmade, built locally by the Brazilians. The children played carrinho de rolimã in order to get the ball bearings — which were used as wheels — to complete small tasks. They would fix the wheels into the wooden body of the car, and the vehicle would be ready for racing.

What is Carrinho de Rolimã?

Originally a recreational activity for children to enjoy in their spare time, carrinho de rolimã has since become quite competitive. The outdoor game can be played year-round, and is currently popular among children and adults of both sexes. It is a major part of Brazilian culture, and consequently, carrinho de rolimã has become a part of informal education throughout Brazil.
In the 1960s and 1970s, when the game first began to spread across the nation, the road traffic in the big cities decreased significantly, and the children could play more safely on the roads. This is one of the main reasons why carrinho de rolimã initially appeared in big cities such as Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Belo Horizonte. These cities featured significantly more paved roads than smaller Brazilian towns. With the growing traffic nowadays, the game has almost disappeared entirely in the big cities, although it is still typically found in inner cities.

The construction of the cars is an important task for the players, as well as a major component of the game. The wheels of the vehicle, as mentioned above, are made from a specific part of old cars called ball bearings. Players get the wheels at the mechanic’s and build the body of the car with wood. The two front wheels are fixed into a mobile piece of wood, which allows the car to make swift turns. In turn, the brake is a small piece of wood that simply touches the ground when needed.

How to play?

Once the car is built, the player is ready to participate in a race. All the participants line up to begin the race, and the winner is the first person to cross the finish line. The most important rule in carrinho de rolimã is that players are not allowed to touch the ground in order to speed up their vehicle.

Nowadays, there are a number of institutions throughout Brazil that promote carrinho de rolimã races — some even divide the cars into different categories. In these cases, the participants pay a registration fee, and the winners are given prizes such as brand new cars and money. Safety is a priority in carrinho de rolimã races, and most sponsored competitions require that players wear protective gear such as helmets, elbow pads and gloves.

What began as a popular game among children in the late 1960s is now a major part of Brazilian culture. To this day, carrinho de rolimã races remain popular in Brazil.

Hit that ❤ button if you enjoyed what you read, and follow us if you are looking for more insights. Your support is greatly appreciated :)

Stay tuned and check us out on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for a closer look at our recent actions, and check us out at our Tencent IEG official website. Thank you : )

Carrinho de Rolimã: A Brazilian Game of Mechanical Origin was originally published in iTencent on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

On 29th of October 2016, NEXT IDEA Film Festival and NEXT IDEA Youth Actor Contest Finals successfully closed the curtain in Shanghai Poly Grand Theater. Tencent youth film and television talents selection project, which lasted for six months, finally came to the perfect ending.

In the final stage, In the final, the performances were absolutely stunning. In a total of five performing teams performed one by one.

The work “Actually I love you” of a team from the Nanjing Arts Institute caught the spotlight, winning the 2016 NEXT IDEA Youth Actor Championship. The actor Yang Zhen won the best young actor award, and the political work “Laugh? Cry!” from the Shandong Youth College together with the work from the Communication University of China and Guangzhou Institute “Forced marriage” shared the second and third places.

The organizing committee for the 2016 Tencent youth film and television talent selection project screenwriters and directors presented awards to the winners.

NEXT IDEA established in 2012, sponsored by Tencent Group, which is one of the most influential Youth Innovation Talent exploration projects in China, directed by the Tencent group. The NEXT IDEA Youth Actor Contest acts as its sub contest. The best ones are screened under three categories: director, screenwriter, and actor.

The purpose of this project is to explore and bring up young screenwriters, young directors, and young actors. There is a hope to provide a prosperous platform to aspire young talents, to help explore and bring up young artists. To the final scene, the Organizing Committee specially invited the current NEXT IDEA image ambassador, the famous director, actor, screenwriter Chen Sicheng, meritorious actor Alan, Entertainment CEO Zhang Kaiyi, actor after 90 Dong Zijian to become the members of the jury to select young film talents.

Before the game, Chen Sicheng expressed his expectations to the contestants. He mentioned, “The competitors participating today, including the young friends determined to work in the industry, need to stay calm. Remember, enthusiasm always comes first, then comes the mentality. It is impossible to do a good job without focusing and dedicating to what you are doing.”

Growth is the key

The program lasted longer than five months; the current NEXT IDEA Youth Actor competition cooperated happily. We selected five teams into the final race through elections in professional colleges, online national film star competition areas, searches directed by drama clubs among a significant number of people and many other channels. They were from the Shanghai Conservatory Of Music, Nanjing Arts Institute, etc. Also, there were five universities, which separately mounted the platform to stage their real contest plays. Not to mention, there were ten possible new incomers from the Beijing Film Academy, Beijing Dance Academy and other institutions, who also brought excellent performances to the table as well. In the final scene, several guests of honor from the jury also separately graded and commented on the five participating teams. At the same time, the organizing committee carried out live broadcasting through Tencent live broadcasting, Tencent, QQ hosting, Tencent video, iOS iPhone Entertainment, Longzhu broadcasting, Huya broadcasting, 360-degree broadcasting, a all-rounded media coverage without a single blind spot.

It is worth mentioning that a bold innovation was made throughout the project: in addition to the “harsh” requirements to perform live. Each team also had to play an original microfilm in the final scene to push everyone over the edge, just joking.

The purpose of it is not to push them down into the pit of hell fire but to get the best out of all the performers. Facing the challenges, the contestants withstood the pressure with excellent performances of microfilms and brilliant shows and received thunderous applause from the audience. Moreover, the scene evaluation of each actor received excellent comments. Chen Sicheng mentioned, “The devil lies in the details, you could only become a great actor by paying attention to details no matter where you are, or what you are doing”.

A flawless ending

During this grand ceremony, in addition to the performing categories, the two categories of screenwriting and directing produced respective winners.

Since the start of 2016 NEXT IDEA young screenwriter contest on 31st of May 2016, original literature scripts and the screenplays adapted by Tencent IP were collected from the whole country, covering 500 universities nationwide. Totally, more than 400 full-length scripts collected. They were reviewed by veteran filmmakers and professors, and selected from both literature and market fields.

Zhu Congqian and Li Han won the 2016 NEXT IDEA Award as best young screenwriters, and Tencent vice president, president of Big Dream Pictures Studio Mr. Chen Hongwei delivered them the cup and medals in person. Moreover, Big Dream Pictures shall officially announce this year’s complete list of outstanding young screenwriters in this November.

About NEXT IDEA Youth Innovation Contest

After four years of practice and exploration, the Tencent NEXT IDEA Innovation Contest has established an innovative platform covering games, literature, animations, films and other cultural and creative fields connected with innovations and technological talents.

The purpose is to select outstanding works of art and brilliant talents to combine the Intellectual Properties of Tencent and Comprehensive Entertainment roots to help plenty of young talents in the film industry to spread their wings.

This year Tencent invested an unprecedented amount of resources into the film industry and demonstrated its attention and determination towards the film industry and human resources.

Hit that ❤ button if you enjoyed what you read, and follow us if you are looking for more insights. Your support is greatly appreciated :)

Stay tuned and check us out on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for a closer look at our recent actions, and check us out at our Tencent IEG official website. Thank you : )

Tencent IEG: NEXT IDEA Film festival was originally published in iTencent on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

History of Capoeira

Capoeira emerged in Brazilian colonial times, mostly in the slave-holding coastal cities. In the seventeenth century, the Portuguese brought people from Angola, then a Portuguese colony, to enslave in Brazil. The people of Angola had a ritual called n’golo in celebration of men entering adulthood. In English, the term means “zebra,” and it was said that young people would imitate male zebras in the way they pursued females.

These rituals were forbidden in Brazil at the time, but the Angolans considered them a game. Before long, they had added new components to n’golo. When Angolan slaves ran away, they would hide in the local vegetation, called Capoeira in Portuguese. The Brazilians would send people to capture them, but the slaves attacked these individuals with their martial-art-style n’golo movements from inside the vegetation. When the Brazilians returned without the slaves, they claimed that they had been attacked on the Capoeira. That is how the practice got its name.

After some time, the practice of Capoeira was forbidden, so the Angolan slaves added instruments and songs to disguise the ritual, transforming it into a dance.

Then, after the abolishment of slavery, Capoeira was again deemed criminal when Master Bimba, a Salvadoran fighter, brought Capoeira into mainstream Brazilian culture. The game remained illegal from 1890 to 1940.

Detailed Description of Capoeira

Since 2008, UNESCO has recognized Capoeira as an “intangible cultural heritage.” The game is typically played in the city of Salvador, located in the state of Bahia. Black culture is prominent in Bahia, which is where most Brazilian traditional centers are located.

Although Capoeira is considered a fight, there is no physical contact between the players. There are no winners or losers in the game, and the fight simply follows the rhythm of the drums and a unique instrument called the berimbau. Maybe that is why Capoeira is often confused for a dance.

The conga drum is the most important instrument in Capoeira circles, and rhythm is a major component of the game. In fact, drums serve many purposes for those who participate in Capoeira. During the years it was considered a crime, drummers would warn participants to abandon the ritual by playing a unique beat called a cavalry.

Now there are two primary forms of Capoeira. One is called Capoeira Angola, and Master Pastinha is the force behind this version. This kind of Capoeira is more traditional and closer to the way the slaves played the game. It maintains traditions such as African rituals and more rhythmic music. Also, with more complex movements, this type of Capoeira is considered both slower-paced and harder, with traces of dissimulation, theatricality and maliciousness.

The other form of Capoeira is the Regional Capoeira. This version was developed by Master Bimba, who methodized the Capoeira by developing teaching sequences for the game. Bimba called his Capoeira “Bahia’s regional fight,” which accounts for how the Regional Capoeira got its name. His objective was to add structure to the game by establishing specific movements. By methodizing the Capoeira, Master Bimba helped develop a hierarchy among participants, measuring players’ knowledge based on the colour of their cords.

Rules of Capoeira

As far as the rules of Capoeira go, participants must stay in a circle. Both musicians and fighters form the Capoeira circle, where two people enter to play. The objective is for these two players to synchronize their movements, simulating a fight without touching the opponent.

The main fighters must introduce themselves before they begin the game. Then, after a period of confrontation, anyone in the circle can ask a player to leave, to ensure all participants have a chance to enter the ring.

The players forming the circle clap their hands to the beat of the drums and sing songs with lyrics about the struggles of the black population. Typically, the instruments playing in a Capoeira circle include the conga drum; the berimbau, a standard string instrument; the caxixi, a rattle of sorts; the pandeiro, a tambourine; and the reco-reco, a percussion instrument.

In turn, there are six types of blows in Capoeira. These blows include mortals, or the opponent’s possible death; traumatizing blows, which involve extensive damage to the opponent; unbalancing blows, which knock the opponent down; dodges, or defense from the opponent’s attacks; escapes, which escalate the action; and flourishes, which add beauty to the game and help to confuse the enemy.

Moreover, that is Capoeira, a unique Brazilian game of “world heritage” status, according to UNESCO. A fixture at festivals and competitions in Brazil — specifically in the state of Bahia — this combination of combat and dance pays tribute to the nation’s colonial history.

Hit that ❤ button if you enjoyed what you read, and follow us if you are looking for more insights. Your support is greatly appreciated :)

Stay tuned and check us out on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram for a closer look at our recent actions, and check us out at our Tencent IEG official website. Thank you : )

Capoeira: A Brazilian Game With Historical Significance was originally published in iTencent on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.