Nostalgia: ‘Kati’ was for checking girls’ panties

If there was one childhood game boys loved besides cha baba na cha mama, then it surely was kati.

 It was a girls’ game, mostly starring one lass akiwa kati kati, hence the name, with other girls trying as much as possible to hit her with what was a small ball fashioned from jwala.

Hitting the legs of the girl at the centre was one way of making them ‘ban’ and get out. To avoid that, a star player rolled her skirt, tucking, the hem into her laced panties.

Cute Njambi had very nice white panties that made many boys experience some abnormal freedom around the loins as she jumped up to dodge the ball and avoid elimination.

 The beauty of kati — which was best played when it was sunny - was that the ball could be made from rolled old socks and played anywhere with space. Juja Road, back in the day, had acres of space and though boys also played kati, it wasn’t as much fun as watching Njambi falling, legs up!