The chunias
Traditional game played at Easter in Sifnos
"TSOUNIA", the Easter Greek BOWLING!
How to play:
The setup
It consists of 9 stakes 60 cm high, which narrow towards the top, the "chunias", and a wooden ball, the "joaki".
The 8 stakes are set up in threes, forming a square, at a distance of about 40cm from each other and the last stake, the "nine", is set up in the center.
Players
At the beginning, the men agree on the final number of points and the amount of money each loser will give to the winner, who usually offers them to the girl he is paired with.
To determine their turn in the game, the "joaki" is placed at a distance of about 40 meters and each man throws a "chuni", trying to get as close to the "joaki" as possible. The first player to play will be the one who threw his tsuni closest to the jack, etc.
Then, and in order of play, each man chooses a girl, who in the game is called "bird" and is usually his chosen one. The bird will play alternately with him, in the same team. The points each girl brings are added to those of the man.
The game
The teams take turns throwing. Each player throws a second time (skountima), if of course he has succeeded in the first. If no chuni is hit on the first shot, the shot is called a "kouklos" and the player loses his turn. If he succeeds, he throws again from the place where the ball stopped the first time and after the fallen pins are set up.
The "birds" play from a shorter distance.
The points
The aim of the game is to be the first to reach the set number of points. Each dropped chuni counts for one point unless only the "nine" falls and only on the first shot, in which case it counts for nine points.
In the event that each pair exceeds the pre-agreed number of points, then their score is halved again.
The chunias are revived every Easter Sunday by the Cultural Association of Sifnos.
