Paper short abstract:

The games are integral aspect of tribal culture of West Bengal.The texts vary according to their ecology and techno-economic levels.The games of physical skill require sound health and fitness of the players.The study shows the conservation of these games from applied anthropolological perspective.

Paper long abstract:

Play and games represent one of the variegated patterns of recreation, as cultural universal. The pattern of games and allied plansideredyful activities may be broadly categorized as games of physical skill, strategy, and chance and also may be played by individual and group or team.

The , traditional folk games are existing in many pre-industrial societies like tribal communities in West Bengal, the texts and contexts of which are integral part of their techno-economic levels and ecological settings. Most of the play and games are characterized by spontaneity, exuberance, and gaiety. Some games or playful events require sound health along with physical and mental fitness, motor skill, endurance, strategy without any direction, guidance and control of recreation leaders and trainers. The patterns consist of physical prowess as well as motor fitness , are found to be played among the tribal boys and youths mostly prefer to play spontaneous play and games of strategy and chance which also depict running, jumping, breathing, vertical stance, balancing the body, and many other play elements which require physical fitness of the players with cognitive aptitudes.

The present study highlights the ethnography of play and games of tribal communities of West Bengal on the basis of their ecological settings and levels of techno-economy. It also aims to show the interpretation of applied anthropological relevance and pertinence of conserving these folk games in their own age-old contexts. Finally, the suggestive measures may help the planners and policy makers for conservation of folk cultural elements under globalization.