10 Things You Should Know About: Gasing

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1.It is believed that the gasing was introduced to the Malay Archipelago by Middle Eastern traders, who conducted trade in Malacca. It was a popular game during the time of the Malaccan Sultanate. Even today, gasing pangkah is renowned in the state of Malacca, where gasing competitions continue to be held.

2.The term for the spinning top in Malay, gasing, is a portmanteau or a blend of two words: “ga-” or “ka-” refers to kayu or wood, the main material used to make a gasing, and “-sing” refers pusing or spin, the moving quality of the gasing.

3.The gasing may have different terminologies depending on the country and its respective regions: in Indonesia, different regions have specific terms for the gasing. While the Riau Islands refer to the gasing as it is, people in East Kalimantan refer to gasing as begasing, whereas in Yogyakarta, the gasing can have two different names depending on the material of the gasing: wood tops are called pathon, while those made of  bamboo are called gangsinga.

4.The gasing can come in various shapes and styles, which may vary based on the region. One of the most common shapes include the berembang-shaped gasing, which takes its namesake from the berembang fruit. The shape of the gasing is important, as it determines whether the gasing can spin or strike well.

5.The gasing may also have other unique shapes that may represent cultural aspects of the region; for example, the gasing jantung is aptly named due to its similar shape to a banana heart, a popular ingredient in Malay cooking.

6.Gasing was a fun, traditional pastime for farmers in the past, who believed that playing the gasing would beget a bountiful harvest. Farmers often challenged each other by playing gasing after working hard during the harvest season.

7.The choice of wood to make a gasing is critical, as it determines the balance of the gasing. The types of wood often used to make a gasing include cengal, ciku or mangrove. The quality of the wood has to be hard and malleable, and any slight imperfections in the wood, such as holes or cracks, will affect the balance of the gasing.

8.In order to successfully ‘launch’ a gasing, it is important to take note of how the string is wound around the gasing. The tautness and neatness of the wound string is vital to a gasing’s launch; a loose and unkempt string would cause the string to unravel or result in a weak spin.

9.There are two different types of gasing tournaments that remain popular today: gasing pangkah (striking match); gasing uri/pusing (spinning match). Gasing pangkah requires each contestant to strike an opponent’s gasing in order to push it out of the circle, or to make the gasing lose balance and topple over. In gasing uri/pusing, the contestant who spins their gasing longest wins the tournament.

10.The longest, non-stop gasing tournament was held in 2012 in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. This record was made by Zulkarin Isa, who has achieved many accolades in gasing pangkah for over 20 years.