Chrysi board vourvouna

βουρβούνα μὲ σανίδι (vourvoúna me sanídi)

Source term: Βουρβούνα μὲ σανίδι

vourvoúna: a Greek imitative name for a humming whirled toy, shared in Chrysi by the board and the toothed bark disc.

In Chrysi, a village in the Kastoria district of Greek Macedonia, children played from about the age of five until twelve; once primary school was over they went to work beside their parents. Among their games were two kinds of vourvouna. One was a disc of thick pine bark with a toothed rim, spun on a doubled string. The other was a little board, five centimetres by ten, thinned along its edges and tied at one end to half a metre of string with a loop for the hand. Whirled hard, it turned over and over on itself and gave out the characteristic hum from which it took its name.

Αὐτὴ ἡ κίνηση δημιουργεῖ ἕνα χαρακτηριστικὸ βουΐσμα, ποὺ ἀπ᾽ αὐτὸ πῆρε καὶ τὸ ὄνομά της.

This motion makes a characteristic hum, and from it the toy took its name.

Andreas P. Stefopoulos, Makedonika 12 (1972), p. 369

Particulars

Object

A small board about 5 by 10 cm, thinned along both sides, with a little hole at the centre of one short end, tied to a string 50–80 cm long that ends in a loop for the hand.

Function

Children’s sound toy, whirled hard by the loop until the board spins about itself and hums.