Finally, in the year 2000, the modern versión of tejo was declared the national sport of Colombia. There are even professional leagues and teams! That said, most people still see this sport as a fun game.
Rana
Some people attribute the origin of the rana to an ancient Inca legend. In this culture, the frogs were revered for their magical powers. On festive days, people would throw gold pieces into the lakes. If a frog jumped and ate the piece, the shooter was given a wish. Rana was a game that had mystery and required dexterity. Dance and joy were mixed together in it!
Have you figured out what rana means in English? I'll give you a hint: it’s a creature!
Yermis
Although the origin and history of yermis is a mystery, it is clear that this game has been played for more than 60 years, mainly by children. It is likely that it originated by the Caribbean coast of Colombia from the influence of baseball. Also, it is unclear why it is called yermis! There are some myths or legends around this fun game, but the truth is, it is a typical, traditional game of Colombia. It is played from San Andrés all the way in the north, to Leticia, all the way in the south.
I learned about all of these different traditional games, but the only game I got to play was rana. When I was in La Macarena, Francisco, my tour guide, explained how the game works:
Rana consists of a table with holes on a horizontal plane that have different values. On the sides vertically, there are also holes that have higher values. Doesn't sound too hard, right?
