Figure 1.--This is a game of blindman's buff painted by Russian artist Rybakov Gavriil Fedorovich (1859-1905). It looks to have been painted in the late-19th century. It was called the game of blind manners.

Blind Man's Buff is essentially a group game in thevtag family of anciemnt origins. It is played in countries all around the world. evare developing pages on different countries because for some reason it was a popular subject for artists. with diiferent names and a variety of rules. We notice many French artists depicting fashionable adults, presumably aristocrats, mostly women playing the game in lovely outdoor settings. We do not know for sure if peasants played the game, but we do know that no one painted them if they did. After the Revolution in became more of a children's game. It was in many ways a perfect children's game. All you needed was a blindfold, it could be played indoors or outdoors, children of all ages could play, both boys and girls, and only a few players were needed. The standard game is played by blindfolding a player and then disorienting him or her by spinning the blonded payer around. The other players, who are not blindfolded, have fun by calling out to the blind player or even touchung him and dodging away if he comes close. There are various thoughts about what 'buff' meant. Some times the blinded player was struck and buffeted given a little push giving rise to buff. When the blinded player manages to touch one of the other players, he is released. There are many variants. In some the blinded player has to guess the name of the person he touched to be released from the blindfold. We are not sure about Britain, but Americans commonly say 'bluff' instead of 'buff'. This is probably a linguistic corruption. The game can be played both outdoors and indoors, although outdoors, spatial limits have to be established. Like other tag games, both boys and girls played it. Like many other traditional games, it seems much less popular than it once was. We are not sure why, perhaps the taunting aspect in our snowflake world.

Description

Blind Man's Buff is essentially a group game in the tag family of anciemnt origins. It is played in countries all around the world. 'Blind man's buff' is English-American name. The game is variously known in Europe: France, colin-maillard; Germany, Blindekuh ('blind cow'); Italy, mosca cieca ('blind fly'); Russia, the game of blind manners; Spain, gallina ciega ('blind hen'); and Sweden, blindbock ('blind buck'). It is also played inmny other regions. The game is played in many areas other than Europe. In Papua New Guinea the game is known as kamu namu.

Terminology

There are various thoughts about what 'buff' meant. Some times the blinded player was struck and buffeted given a little push giving rise to buff. American susually say 'blind man's bluff. This is probably a linguistic corruption.

Location

The game can be played both outdoors and indoors, although outdoors, spatial limits have to be established. Ideally the game is ideally played in a spacious area, such as in the country or in a large room. It should be played in an area free of dangerous obstructions that the "it" player might run into or stumble over. The nany indoor paintungs, however sgow ir being played in croded rooms.

Gender

Like other tag games, both boys and girls played it

Countries

We are developing pages on different countries because for some reason it was a oarticularly popular subject for artists. Genre artists depicted children playing different games, byt blkindmans's buff was a particular favorite. It has different names from country to country. We are developing pages on America, China, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Russia. We do not have any early English images of blimdman's buff. We do have have Tudor (16th century) and Stuart (17th century) references. It was an adult game. The diarist Samuel Pepys reported a game played by his wife and some lady friends (1664). We see many esquiste rococo images of beautufully dressed French women and some men playing the game (18th century), but childrem only appear later (19th centyry). A Chinese version was depicted in a 1912 school book picturing uniformed school childre, We are not sure if this means it was a western import as it is claerly a Westerm influenced school. A Japanese woodblock published at the turn-of the 20th century shows girls dressimg up in kimonos playing the game. The blind-folded girl must not only touch one of the other but do so while carrying a full cup of tea. [Miyagawa] The idea being to help the girl develop eaqisit control of their posture and refinement of movement. Children in Bangladesh played 'Kanamachi' which meant blind fly. The blind-folded player trys to catch one of the others who run around repeating 'The blind flies are hovering fast! Catch whichever you can!' which of course helps the blind folded player locate them.

Rules

There are also a variety of rules. The standard game is played by blindfolding a player and then disorienting him or her by spinning the blonded payer around. The other players, who are not blindfolded, have fun by calling out to the blind player or even touchung him and dodging away if he comes close. When the blinded player manages to touch one of the other players, he is released. There are many variants. In some the blinded player has to guess the name of the person he touched to be released from the blindfold. A popular children's variant 'Marco Polo'. It is played in asiming pool, but wit the it player closung his eyes rather than be blind folded.

Chronology

The earlest example we have noted comes from ancient Greece. It was for some reason called called 'copper mosquito'." The game was played in England during the Tudor period. There are references to its recreation by Henry VIII's courtiers. We notice many French artists depicting fashionable adults, presumably aristocrats, mostly women playing the game in lovely outdoor settings. Presumably a court diversion. We do not know for sure if peasants played the game, but we do know that no one painted them if they did. After the Revolution in became more of a children's game. We have much more infornatio from the Victorian era. We see paintings from all over Europe. It was in many ways a perfect children's game. All you needed was a blindfold, it could be played indoors or outdoors, children of all ages could play, both boys and girls, and only a few players were needed. Like many other traditional games, it seems much less popular than it once was. We are not sure why, perhaps the taunting aspect in our snowflake world.

Sources

Shuntei Miyagawa. Woodblock Print Kodomo-no-Asobi (Children at Play) (Matsuki Heikichi: Tokyo, 1899).

Created: 4:38 AM 11/2/2019
Last updated: 4:38 AM 11/2/2019