Trihvaa, or Ukakakas, or even Uka, is a popular game in Estonia. It is also known as tri, afaator, and tuki-tuki. Lots of kids and even adults are playing this game. This game’s origins are from the game hide-and-seek. Why are there so many different names for these games? The reason for this is that Trihvaa is played in southeast Estonia, and Ukakas is played in all other parts of Estonia. Trihvaa was already played by Baltic German children, and the name of the game probably comes from the German word treffen (it translates to: to meet, to bump into, but also to run into). The name Trihvaa has been used until recently, for example, in Saaremaa and around Viljandi.
For this game, you will need at least three players. Usually it is played with up to ten people, but there are actually now limits on how many players are there. Before the game starts, you should pick the area where there is enough room for playing the game. It would be good if the area had some places to hide, and you also needed room for running. You would also need a wall or a tree, or it can also be a door or some place for the person who is going to look for other people to count the numbers and also where you can trihvaa the people you find. You also need a person who is called “trihvaameister” (direct translation would be thrivaa master).
This is the way the game is usually played. The way the game is played may differ a little in different parts of Estonia. People who are going to play it have to pick one player who is going to be the first “trihvaameister.” He or she has to stand against a tree or other agreed object, which is also called “home”, and start to count. There is no rule for the numbers you have to count, but it usually falls between the numbers 20 and 200. The counting is usually agreed upon at the start of the game. It should be enough for the other players to hide at the same time. When the “Trihvaameister” starts to count the numbers, the others stand in a circle around him or her at the beginning. During the reading, the reader must not peek. The others, however, must hide. When the reader has finished reading, he or she starts looking for the others. When he or she finds someone, he or she runs back to “home”, pats it, and shouts, “HOME… (name) HOME!” or they can say “Trihvaa ….. (name) closed”. The first person to be found is the next to count the numbers. The other players, however, must be able to get to “home” before the reader sees them and can hit “home” or say “Trihvaa closed”. They also have to touch “home” and shout “HOME, HOME, I AM FREE!”. It can also be played so that if the last player, who has not yet been bagged and beaten, reaches the tree, the reader will not be able to caught him or her before he or she does. Then he screams, “THRIHVAA, ALL ARE CLEAR!” Then the previous reader reads again, and the game starts all over again.
In conclusion, this game is really popular all over Estonia and is probably played in other countries as well. This game is also good for your physical health because it involves a lot of running, and you have to be outdoors to play it.
Sources:
https://leht.postimees.ee/7248510/ak-viguriga-kaardid-trifaa-voi-uka-uka
https://www.scribd.com/doc/35070747/Trihvaa-ehk-uka
https://liigun.ee/opime-ouemange/