Trobriand Cricket
- 1 carved wooden bat
- 1 ball made of wound plant fiber or rubber
- Traditional decorations and body paint for players (optional but customary)
Two villages field teams of any size, sometimes dozens of players per side, and take turns batting and fielding much like standard cricket.
A bowler pitches the ball toward the batter, who tries to strike it as far as possible into the surrounding field to score runs by running between marked points.
Fielders chase down the ball while performing chants, dances, and songs that mock or celebrate the batting team's performance throughout the match.
Between innings and big plays, both teams often pause for dancing and singing that can extend far longer than the actual playing time.
Local custom dictates that the host village's team is traditionally allowed to win, keeping the match's true purpose focused on strengthening alliances rather than pure competition.
The match concludes with a shared feast provided by the host village, closing out the social gathering the game was built around.