Chapter Three- Korbo/ Gengu/ Koresh

A Brief history of Korbo/ Gengu/ Koresh Cultural game

Korbo is a commonly used cultural sport game especially in the Southern and
Benishangul regional states by our forefathers and mothers and it is still common in many
parts of the country.

The origin of Korbo cultural game is the hunting practice of young men before going to
the actual hunting in a bid to target a javelin throw to the necessary point. The training is
not a one day practice rather it is a practice that continues until the trainees will develop
the required strength, agility and speed to target the required javelin throw to the targeted
point.

According to historical evidences, Korbo cultural game was mainly used at Sidamo,
Welega, Bale and Arsi Regional State. The evidences also show that Korbo cultural
game is colorfully held in both sexes around 1980 to celebrate Annual Farmers’
Association Sport Festive in the Bale Region. This clearly indicates that the sport was
loved by the farmers and pastoralists.

Nowadays Korbo cultural game is a sport having all rounded activities and is expanding
all over Ethiopia. Various games are being undertaken with it throughout the country at
the moment.

Rules and regulations of Korbo cultural game

Rule One

Article 1: Meaning/ Definition/

1.1. Kurbo is a cultural game on which there are two players representing a team and
one of them rolls the circular ring like object called Kurbo on a specified given
area and the other player throws a javelin like material named shaft to stop the
Korbo. A player who stops the Korbo and scores more points will be the winner.
Rule Two
2.1. Types of Korbo game
The following are the types of Korbo games
2.1.1. playing to stop the Korbo ring which rolls on the ground while moving and
stopping on a specified region
2.1.2. Playing to pass the shaft through the Korbo ring which was thrown on the
air while moving and stopping on a specified region
2.1.3. Playing to stop the Korbo ring which rolls on the ground while riding a
horse.

Rule Three
Article 3: Size and content of Korbo playing field and playing materials
3.1. Size and content of the playing field
3.1.1. The playing field of Korbo cultural game has to be a leveled surface which
enables to roll the Korbo ring without any difficulty and can easily pierce
the ground.
3.1.2. For the game held by stopping and moving on the ground
3.1.2.1 The throwing spot of the shaft for men has 10 meter length and a
width of 10 meter. And it has a length of 7 meter and a width of 10
meter.
3.1.2.2 The rolling region of the Korbo for both sexes has 10 meter length
and a width of 1.25 meter.
3.1.3 For the game played on /in the air
3.1.3.1. The throwing spot of the shaft for both sexes has 10 meter length and
a width of 1.25.
3.1.3.2. The length from the spot where the Korbo is released from the air to
the throwing point is 6 meter for men and 5 meter for women.
3.1.4 For the game held using horse riding
3.1.4.1 The place where the horse stumps into has 80 meter length and 5
meters width for both sexes.
3.1.4.2 The ring of Korbo has a length of 30 meter and a width of 2 meter
from the stumps into area of the left and right.
3.2 Size and content of the playing materials
3.2.1. Size and content of the playing shaft
3.2.1.1 The shaft of Korbo cultural game is made of different types of wood
and has a sharp metal which has a length of 30 cm at its tip
3.2.1.1.1 For a game held while moving and stopping on the ground
3.2.1.1.2 The length of the shaft including the sharp metal on its tip is
two meter for both sexes. And it has a weight of 650-700 gm
 for men and 600-650 for women. And for youths its length is
1.50 meter and a weight of 550-600 gm.
3.2.1.2 For the game held on a horse and on the air

3.2.1.2.1 The length of the shaft for both sexes is 2 meter and it has a
weight of 650-700 gm for men and 600-650 for women.
3.2.2 Size and content of the Korbo ring
3.2.2.1 The ring of Korbo is made of a special wisteria, plastic tube or metal
in a circular form
3.2.2.2 For a game held while moving and stopping on the ground
3.2.2.2.1 The width of the circular form of the rolling Korbo is 30cm
and has 7cm thickness for both sexes.
3.2.2.3 For the game held on a horse and on the air
3.2.2.3.1 The width of the circular form of the rolling Korbo is 45cm
and has 7cm thickness for both sexes.

1.25 M
10 m
7M
10 M

3M

Rule Four
Article 4: Number of players of a team and their dressing

4.1. Number of players

4.1.1 One team may come up with one thrower of the shaft and one roller of the
circular Korbo
4.2 Dressing of the players
4.2.1 A player should wear a dressing that reflects the culture of his locality
4.2.2 If the cultural dressing of the locality is not suitable for the game, then the
player can wear sport wears.

Rule Five

Article 5: Rules and regulations of the game

5.1. The players will select a lottery chance for the order of throwing
5.2. The player to start will be identified in accordance with the lottery
5.3. A player may undertake the game without passing the limit of the throwing
following the ring of Korbo
5.4. The players will only undertake the game based on the lottery order they got.
5.5. The roller of the circular Korbo will repeat the roll again if it doesn’t roll beyond
3 meters. And if the roller is not able to properly roll for 3 consecutive rolls, then
the thrower team mate will miss one throw.
5.6. One throw will be given for the competing players before the actual game as a
trial.
5.7. A player will miss one throw if he couldn’t undertake the game while the Korbo
is rolling straight for more than 3 meters.
5.8. A thrower will get one point if he/she stops the Korbo ring throwing the shaft at
the middle inside area of the rolling region. And the player can also register points
by stopping the Korbo on the lines as the lines are part of the playing field.
5.9. The game of Korbo has three rounds and each round has two throws. And totally
the game has six throws in all the three rounds.
5.10. If a player stabs on the ground while stamping his leg on the lines of the throwing
region, the point will be disqualified whether he scores a point or not
5.11. The roller and thrower of the Korbo game could exchange their position at the end
the rounds.
5.12. The winner will be identified by adding the points scored in all the three rounds of
the game.
5.13. If the team finishes the game with an equalizer, the winner will be identified with
the stabs at each of the rounds. And if they are still equal with the points, one
round will be added. And if they are still unable to win to each other, one
additional throw will be given for them to identify a winner.
5.14. If the two teams are still not able to win each other with the additional one round
and one throw, one of them are led to win with a lottery chance.
5.15. A player will be disqualified from the game if he comes after the given regular
start time and if the game is already started.
Rule Six
Article 6: Point scoring and End of the game
6.1 If the thrower stops the rolling Korbo at the right place with the shaft, two points
will be given.
6.2 If the shaft falls down shortly afterwards of stopping the rolling Korbo, one point
will be given.
6.3 One point will be given if the shaft goes at the middle of the Korbo and falls
together with it.
6.4 No point will be given if the shaft goes out through the Korbo or if the Korbo
goes out from the shaft.
6.5 No point will be given if the shaft stops by stabbing the body part of the rolling
Korbo
6.6 The game of Korbo will be held with three rounds for a knockout game
6.7 The game will be over with three rounds.

Rule Seven
Article 7: Forbidden acts and Penalties
7.1. Forbidden acts
 7.1.1 Nagging with referees during the game and disvaluing and rejecting the
decisions of the referees
7.1.2 Verbally or non-verbally abusing or insulting referees, coaches, team leaders
or members of the committee who are in charge of managing the game and
trying to fight with them.
7.2 Penalties
7.2.1 A player who violates the acts mentioned on the point 7.1.1 above will be
given an oral warning and yellow card if he/she/ repeated that violation for
the second time. And if the player made that act again for the third time
he/she/ will be given a red card and suspended from the game.
7.2.2 A player who violates the act mentioned on the point 7.1.2 above will
directly be suspended from the game with a red card.
7.2.3 A player who violates the acts mentioned on 7.1.2 above may get warning to
suspension from the game after the case is seen by the technical,
competition and protocol committee.
Rule Eight
Article 8: Duties and responsibilities of Coaches, Team leaders and
Referees
8.1 Duties and responsibilities of Coaches and Team leaders
8.1.1 They should be present before 30 minutes to the game locality
8.1.2 They should advise and educate their players to play with the required sport
discipline
8.1.3 Registering their players on time and presenting them during the
competition
8.1.4 Team leaders should come on time when needed for meetings
8.1.5 They are the first responsible bodies for the disciplinary misconducts of an
individual player or their team
8.2 Duties and responsibilities of Referees
8.2.1 The numbers of referees in the Korbo cultural game are two in number.
These are:-
 8.2.1.1 One main referee
8.2.1.2 One point scorer referee
8.2.2 Duties and responsibilities of the main referee
8.2.2.1 The main referee should be present before 30 minutes to the game
locality
8.2.2.2 Arranging a throwing order for the players based on a lottery
chance
8.2.2.3 Showing a red flag for the roller and the thrower after checking
that the players are on their right position
8.2.2.4 He/she puts down the red flag and shows yellow flag to
communicate that the roller should roll the Korbo and the thrower
should throw the shaft.
8.2.2.5 Controls weather the thrower has stamped or passes of the
throwing lines
8.2.2.6 Giving the right point for the shaft thrown based on the rules of the
game
8.2.2.7 Signs the point’s registration list presented to him by the point
scorer referee after checking it carefully
8.2.2.8 He/ she also shows the points scored to the point scorer referee
with fingers and symbols.
8.2.3 Duties and responsibilities of the point scorer referee
8.2.3.1 The point scorer referee should be present before 30 minutes to the
game locality
8.2.3.2 Registers the players by carefully looking at the competition cards
and carefully checking their names.
8.2.3.3 Call the names of the competing players with the order
8.2.3.4 Puts a sign and a note on his list when the main referee shows
signs about the point of the thrower.
8.2.3.5 Checks weather the players come on the playing place with the
right time or not and cancels those players that have not come on
time.
 8.2.3.6 Shows the results registered to the competing players and
spectators
8.2.3.7 Gives the list/document/ of the game to the responsible bodies after
letting the main referee and he himself sign on it.
Rule Nine
Article 9: Dos and don’ts of coaches, team leaders and referees and the
prevailing penalties
9.1 Don’t do’s for coaches and team leaders
9.1.1 If a team plays against a sport discipline, they should not go in to
unnecessary dialogues and act violently rather they need to report to the
responsible bodies.
9.1.2 Insulting or abusing and acting unethically with the referees
9.1.3 Aggravating the violent act of players instead of calming players who are
going out of the sport discipline.
9.1.4 Verbally or non-verbally abusing the referees and members of the
committee. And fighting or trying to fight with them
9.1.5 Behaving and acting unethically.
9.2 Don’t do’s for referees
9.2.1 Showing impartiality to the decisions made between the teams.
9.2.2 Deciding in favor of a team after receiving bribes
9.2.3 Managing the game after using alcohols, Drugs and illegal stimulating
plants.
9.2.4 Talking without a manner to competitors, coaches, team leaders and other
officials and showing them disgrace.
9.2.5 Showing disrespect to teams, team leaders and officials
9.2.6 Deciding against the rules and regulations of the game
9.2.7 Abusing the competitors, team leaders and members of the committee. And
fighting or trying to fight with them
9.2.8 Behaving and acting unethically

9.3 Penalties
 9.3.1 Penalties for coaches and team leaders
9.3.1.1 A coach who violates the acts mentioned from 9.1.1 to 9.1.5 will
get a penalty ranging from warning to suspension from the game
after seen by competition and protocol committee.
9.3.2 Penalties for the referees leading the game
9.3.2.1 A referee who violates the acts mentioned from 9.2.1 to 9.2.1 will
get a penalty ranging from warning to suspension from the game
after seen by competition and protocol committee considering the
national referee rules and regulations.
Rule Ten
Article 10: The End of the game
10.1 The end of the game
10.1.1 The cultural game of Korbo is played in the knock-out stage with three
rounds