Tokadal is one of the traditional games of the Betawi people. Betawi children usually gather to play Toladal.

Tools

What are the tools needed? This game uses round wood that has been cut according to its size. The wood used is usually jackfruit wood, crystal guava wood, sapodilla wood, and several types of wood that are considered firm.

The length is ± 40cm for the beater, ± 10cm for the lizard, and the diameter is between 2.5 - 3cm. Other tools include a hole ± 5cm deep and ± 5cm wide or two bricks placed parallel to each other ± 5cm apart.

Players

This game is played in groups. Each group consists of a minimum of one person and a maximum of six people, or unlimited if, for example, all children want to play tokadal.

How to play

After the two groups are ready to play, the leader of the group, called the commander, will draw lots called a suits. The suit is meant to determine who will play first. For example, if the commander of group A wins the suit, he will start the game first, and the losing group will guard. The tokadal game is played in several stages:

Stage I:

Player number one will start poking the lizard cub in the hole and then hit the lizard cub as high and as far as possible. If the lizard cub is caught (called a bale) by the guarding group, then player number one dies and is replaced by player number two in the group. If the lizard cub is not caught, the guard group will throw (nyambit) the borer. If the borer is hit, it dies. But if not hit, then the game continues.

Phase II:

Players hit the lizard child held in one hand as hard and as far as possible. If the guard group catches the lizard child, then the first group player dies. If caught, the game continues as in stage I. But this time the distance of the lizard cub from the hole will be counted by using a bat and get a score according to the number. The distance or length of the bat is worth one.

Stage III:

Shaking the lizard cub. The lizard cub is placed in the hole and then vibrated (hit) until it is lifted up and then hit as far as possible. The number of hits determines the score. One hit is worth one, two is worth 10, and so on in multiples of 10. The counting method uses lizard children, as agreed. The winner is the one who gets more points between the two groups.

The game ends if one of the groups gives up or gets too tired and bored. If they are not bored, the game continues.

Source: Ragam Budaya Betawi - Department of Culture and Museum 2002.