Top-Spinning is Still Part of Belizean Culture

Schoolchildren have their own culture. During their break time, they engage in whatever game is trending. With the advent of technology and the internet, that may be less so for children who prefer to stay connected, but for those of us who grew up in an era when cell phones and the internet were non-existent, there were the seasonal games. In today’s edition of Kolcha Tuesday, we bring you the art of spinning the top. And while it was difficult finding a guy who would readily volunteer his skills making a top dance, there were a couple women who did. News Five’s Marion Ali brings you one of the cultural games that has somehow remained through the decades – spinning the top.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

The sight of a top spinning may bring back fond memories for those of us whose childhoods were punctuated by this traditional children’s game. Many of us can remember when boys competed for bragging rights by making their top spin the longest. Dr. Miguel Depaz is now sixty years old, but he remembers his childhood very well and spinning top was one of many highlights.

 

Via phone: Dr Miguel Depaz, Played Top as a Child

“I could remember the top being red, white, and blue with a sharp point, and we used to change it so that we could gamma meaning poke the other guy’s top or try and split the top that was on the ground. And so some of the boys were good at it. I was not too good at it.”

 

The art to getting a good spin is knowing how to wind the string around the top.

 

Via phone: Dr Miguel Depaz

“You wrapped from the bottom of the top to the head, so it was upward, but yes, we had to do a first loop on the head of the top and then once we had it wrapped we would unleash it with a sudden jerk, a hand movement. Normally we make that hand movement outwards and then we bring it inwards and then that would unleash the card and allow the top to spin.”

 

 

Top spinning was predominantly a male-oriented game at primary school, but we could not find a boy who was willing to spin the top for our camera. Instead, we found a woman who does it with prowess. Having a brother growing up meant that Nikita Black had to learn all the games, including those that were traditionally played by boys. She does so now for relaxation.

 

Nikita Black, Top Spinner

“I have an older brother and back then, of course, there was no technology, no phone or anything, and the best part of growing up – tops, marbles, jacks and ball, board game and so forth. It’s a bragging thing. I’m a girl, I can do it. I can beat you as a boy. It’s fun and my brother used to also get the pleasure of bragging that his sister can also do it. And it brings a thrill too when it starts spinning – damn, I did it. That’s what basically relaxes my mind. It does relax the mind because it brings back a childhood memory and nothing beats a childhood memory.”

 

There aren’t many children who spin tops today, compared to the past few decades; however, this game is still part of Belizean culture. The main supplier for tops is Simon Quan Store. Anora Flowers is a sales clerk here.

 

Anora Flowers, Sales Clerk, Simon Quan Store

“The children, mostly from Holy Redeemer, they want from Baptist, and St. Ignatius, they come and buy because they love tops, especially the boys. Children love tops, and marbles. They buy most of the time.”

 

 

 

The kind that’s available is made of a lighter material and its tip is flattened, as opposed to the pointed tips that were once popular. Flowers says they spin just as well.

 

 

 

 

Marion Ali

“I find that when I pick one up, it’s not as heavy as the top that I used to know about in my day. Does it still spin as good? Do you know anything about that?”

 

Anora Flowers

“Yes. You want me to spin one for you?”

 

It took Anora a few tries, but it has nothing to do with the design of the top. She admits that she has forgotten the art of spinning tops over the years. It’s an art that Nikita Black says she wants to not only keep but pass on to her children.

 

Marion Ali

“You pass it on to your kids?”

 

 

 

 

Nikita Black

“I do pass it on to my kids and an advice I would like to give to parents. Most of all with today’s technology, try to take it away, go in the yard, be with your kids teach them something that will have bring, have a memory for them.”

 

Marion Ali for News Five.