The game of archery and khuru and many other such
traditional games had always been a male domain. As a kid I used to see my male
relatives leave home early during holidays to catch up over a game of archery
or khuru. The womenfolk would follow their men a few hours later in their full
attire, armed with liquor, tea, sumptuous meals and snacks. While the men
played the women would compete with women of the opposing team over traditional
dances and songs.
Over the years, I have witnessed women doing things which
were once done by men. Women are proving that we can do what men have always
been doing, and as a woman I couldn’t be more proud. Women should do what we
must do; we should do what we want to do and that we enjoy doing.
Recently an article about a group of women playing khuru caught
my interest. I was going through the comment of the observers and of the
players. Very interesting indeed! So some people believe that the series of
forest fires are a result of the womenfolk straying out of their arena. That
was something I had never thought of, how interesting. Well, everyone is
entitled to have opinions and who am I to comment on it. I am not a feminist,
and certainly not a critic.
However, everyone is entitled to an opinion. I believe women
playing khuru or any other games are a good thing, provided it is played purely
for the joy of the game. As a woman, I would not support the idea of my
counterparts doing things to prove that we are equal to men, because I believe
we don’t need to prove anything to anybody. The moment we set out to prove our
equality, we accept the fact that we are inferior to men.
I am a woman and proud to be seen as one. For I am one of a
kind and nobody can take that away from me. Any day I choose to play a game of
khuru, I will not hesitate to come out and play it, not because I have to, but
because I choose to.
