Tura, March 3: In an effort to keep traditional games alive, students of ICFAI University in Tura organised two indigenous Garo games—Wa•pong Sika and An•ding Oka as part of the Varsity Week 2025.

The week-long event kicked off on Monday at the university premises and will continue until Friday.

While Varsity Week features a variety of competitions, performances, and cultural, literary, and fine arts showcases, the two Garo traditional games stood out as the most captivating events, with both male and female students enthusiastically participating.

Wa•pong Sika, often called the Garo version of tug-of-war, replaces the traditional rope with a sturdy bamboo pole. Instead of pulling, teams push against each other to force their opponents past a marked line. Traditionally, this game was played by young Garo men, particularly members of the Nokpantes (bachelors’ dormitories). An•ding Oka, another indigenous sport of the A·chik people, involves two participants pulling a bamboo stick in opposite directions—the one who manages to pull it toward themselves wins, while the one who lets go loses.

Alongside these traditional games, Varsity Week also includes various sports competitions such as chess, carrom, throw ball and a marathon.

The event was inaugurated by Dr. Alicia Gatphoh, Vice Chancellor of ICFAI University’s Tura and Shillong campuses, who attended as the chief guest. Encouraging students to balance academics and sports, she emphasised that platforms like these could open doors to Meghalaya Games, national-level competitions and beyond.

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