GUATEMALA
Having a Ball
By Claudia María Lara Galo
Antigua, Guatemala
Students in Guatemala enjoy a break in their school day that’s known as recess. During this time, when teachers stroll through the courtyard, they see boys and girls having fun with various objects that are likely found in other countries as well, such as:
- spinning tops
- jacks
- yo-yos
- marbles
- tic-tac-toe
And, of course, the very special pelota de tripa de coche, or rubber bouncing ball.
All these toys and games share several characteristics. Apart from bringing joy and entertainment to those who play, they are handmade and involve the mathematical concept of pi.
Gusty Game
The rubber bouncing ball is unique for several reasons. First, its name: tripa de coche. Tripa is a colloquial term for “intestine,” and coche refers to “pig” or “pork.” Although it’s up for debate whether these balls were originally made with pig intestines, nowadays other materials are used.
Before the colonial era, communities in Guatemala used hule (“rubber”) for various tools and household items, as well as for playing an indigenous sport with hoops and a springy rubber ball. This material is still used today to make balls that are known to all children for their ability to bounce very high.
The tradition endures in warm, humid regions of Guatemala:
- Petén
- Izabal
- Retalhuleu
There, rubber trees such as Castilla elastica and Hevea brasiliensis produce a sap or secretion. When mixed with other ingredients, this substance makes balls that are ideal for recess.
Rubber Roundup
In the department of Retalhuleu, artisans craft balloons that are inflated with a pump similar to those used for bicycle tires. They cover the balloons with many layers of prepared rubber. Each ball is painted with cheerful colors, forming circles on the surface. It is an art passed down from generation to generation. One family can produce up to 800 balls per week.
Retalhuleu stands out for its warm climate and the influx of tourists who enjoy the extensive facilities of the Institute of Recreation for Workers, which include hotels and amusement theme parks with a variety of games. A common sight is children playing with rubber bouncing balls in these places. Although balls made of rubber are sold less frequently now that cheaper plastic options are available, none can match the bouncing ability of the traditional version.
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Math Resources
- Looking out the window, I count 15 rubber balls in my backyard. My sister takes four to school for recess. How many balls are left in my backyard?
- I am having a party to play four corners. Six people and one ball are needed to play each game. How many balls do I need if I have 30 people come to my party? How about 24 or 42 people? What can I do if I have 33 people come to my party?
- My family can make 800 traditional rubber balls in a single week. Quetzales (Q) are the official currency of Guatemala, equal to about 0.13 US dollars. My family needs an income of at least Q1,500 per week.
- How much should I sell each ball for?
- Are there any other costs associated with selling these balls that should be included so that my family clears Q1,500 per week?
- I can store rubber balls by making stacks of them in triangular patterns on the ground. The top layer would be a single ball, the second layer would be three balls, the third layer would be six balls, and so on. How many balls will I have if my stack is two rows high? What if it is four rows high? How about 10 or 100 rows? Maybe this picture of the bottom layer of balls might help.
- The following pairs of numbers represent measurements I took to estimate the diameter (D) and circumference (C) of various balls (D, C): (2, 6.36), (4, 12.52), (10, 31.5), (2.55, 8), and (4.7, 15).
- Do you think it’s possible to find a ball with a diameter that is greater than its circumference? Why or why not?
- What unit of measurement do you think I used?
- What do you notice about the number pairs? Are they related in any way?
- Look up the value of pi. How do you think that number relates?
- Why are the ratios above not exactly pi?
Social Justice Question
The tradition of making traditional rubber balls has been followed for generations. However, making them is time consuming and expensive compared with factory-made balls. Guatemalan children can get mass-produced plastic balls for a fraction of the cost of handmade originals.
- What do you think should happen with the tradition of making these balls?
- What other traditions in other countries might be lost in a similar way?
- Have any traditions in your culture’s history been similarly lost?
Explore Further
- Guatemalan magazine article about the history of pelotas de tripa de coche
- Video in Spanish about how the balls got their name
- Video in Spanish about how artisans make the balls
- News story about the Maya discovery of rubber
- More information about parks of the Institute of Recreation for Workers
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