Trending ASIAN TOY : Lato-Lato

Lato-lato is a game where players swing a plastic ball up and down, making a “clacking” sound as they do so.

Lato-lato is derived from the Buginese word latto-latto, which means “making clacking sounds” and is spoken by the Buginese people of southern Celebes (Sulawesi) in Indonesia. In Italian, it also means “side,” which may help to explain why the lato-lato balls are swinging sideways.

Lato-lato also goes by the names katto-katto, etek-etek, nok-nok, and toki-toki in Indonesia, which may have come from the sounds the toy makes while it is played.

Trivia

It’s a frequent misperception that lato-lato is an Indonesian invention.

Lato-lato, however, is believed by several Indonesian news sources to have come from the United States, where it is known as “clackers.”

Prior to becoming well-known in the 1970s, it first debuted in the 1960s.

Background

When it was initially created, it was considered harmful.

The balls were constructed of acrylic or tempered glass in the 1970s, when the toy initially gained popularity in the United States.

This implied that when hit during play, the toy would occasionally break and shoot forth shards. As a result of wear and tear, the handles would also crack.

Modern Lato-Lato

Modern lato-latos are now produced using polymers to reduce breaking.

The lato-lato challenge gained popularity after the lato-lato on TikTok went viral. The goal of the challenge is for participants to be able to get their lato-lato to ‘clack’ in rhythm for as long as possible. It is best performed in a group environment with a minimum of two players.