The sun shines all over Athens. It is 3 o’clock in the afternoon and people take a shelter under the long side porch of the Odeion Athinon (or Athens Conservatoire). On the southern side of the building two tables have just been placed side by side and a small group of people assembles, away from the hustle-bustle of other visitors. Even so, it is a bit chaotic. I enjoy that. We are invited to sit and play Be ta oyunu (or five stone game), an ancient game “that was probably originated in Central Asia and is said to be at least 2000 years old”. Little stones lie on one side of the table and they are distributed among the six of us, who just joined the game: “you should take those, which better suit in your hands.” Artists Nevin Aladağ and Hiwa K show us the first steps. They both have played before. Many many years ago – they say. I have a look at everyone’s hands. It is the turn of the man who sits next to me. The stones slip between his fingers. He only needs some failed rolls for us to realize the game is not as easy as it looks like. Nevin suggests to train a bit before we start playing. It is all about practice – she says. “You have to look at the stone you throw, while you have a feeling of the one you have to catch.” We all get motivated and want to give it a try. So there we are, like children on the playground making our little Greek rocks fly around and over the table, all at once. We laugh when they hit each other and we applaud when someone catches the stone on the fly according -or not- to the rules of the game. After a couple of throws no one has the stones, that were chosen at the beginning of the game. We share them all. Two more people, probably drawn by our joy and enthusiasm, have a seat with us. They are curious about the game, so we start over again, By the time we feel a bit more confident, we go to the next step: “now you have to grab two at a time”, “and then three…, four!” “But never touch the ones you are not suppose to grab…” “Now you throw them from the palm and catch them on the back of your hand.” The newly arrived know different rules, so we start over again. The game is endless (and not recommended for impatient learners).
