One traditional sport that tourists to Malaysia should not miss watching is top spinning. Top spinning has been played by the Malays since time immemorial, and has reached a fairly high level of sophistication. In the olden days, top-spinning competitions among villages was a serious affair. A competing team might secure the services of a pawang gasing (top “sorcerer”), who would perform certain rituals such as fumigating the players’ tops with smouldering kemenyan (Styrax benzoin) to endow cheap soccer shoes them with supernatural powers. Some pawang bless the tops by chanting mantras. Air jampi is sometimes given to the players to drink to boost their confidence, and taboos are observed before and during a fiercely fought game. Enthusiasts throughout the country play several types of tops — they are called by many fanciful names, and differ mainly in shapes and sizes. Examples are Gasing Lang Laut (Sea Eagle Top), Gasing Pari (Stingray Top), Gasing Payung (Umbrella Top), Gasing Merlimau (Lime Top), Gasing Bugis, Gasing Riau, Gasing Talar Johor and Gasing Pahang. Enriching this variety are tops from Sarawak and Sabah, such as Gasing Pontianak (Vampire Top), Gasing Bajau (Bajau Top), Gasing Kundasan and Gasing Borneo. Perhaps the most impressive tops are the Gasing Uri (Spinning Top) and Gasing Leper (Flat Top) of Kelantan. With a weight of 6 kg and a height of 8cm, the Gasing Uri has a band of tin around it that helps to prolong its spin. Another monster top is the Gasing Leper, which tips the scales at 8kg — its iron or tin band accounts for 60% of its weight. It is only 6cm high. A recent innovation has been the Gasing Concord (Concord Top), which stands 12 cm high but has a low centre of gravity because of its short stem and concave shoulder. Just as timberland boots cheap philatelists handle their stamps with utmost care, top-spinning enthusiast take great pains to care for their tops. Fungus, insects and bacteria can easily attack a top. Proper storing of a top is essential so that it will maintain its colour and shape, have a long life span as will as perform effectively. After a top has been played, it is cleaned of any dirt sticking to it and allowed to dry in an airy place. Drying under the sun is a no-no as the sudden evaporation will cause the top to crack. One way to store a top is to use a one half of a coconut shell. A hole is made on the convex base and the shell is turned upside down. The top is allowed to rest on the shell, with its peg sticking into the hole. Another storage method is to stick a bamboo upright on the ground and rest the top on its upper end. When there are several tops to be stored, a criss-crossed frame of bamboo can be used. The tops are placed in the empty spaces ecouteurs beats of the frame. The successful launch of a top depends not only on its design but also on the cord used. It is usually made of cotton, straw or the bark of the terap tree. One end is tasselled so that it can wrap around the top, and the other end is looped. The looped end goes over the wrist of the player. In terms of design, players usually use one of four types of cords: long and thin; stout and short; long tapering; and short tapering. The long and thin cord which measures 4 metres is usually used by players in Johor, Pahang and Kelantan. The short and stout cord is only 1.5 metres long, and is widely used in Negeri Sembilan. Resin is usually cheap pandora smeared on its tasselled end to enhance its grip. The long tapering cord is the most popular and measures 2 metres long; finally, there is the short tapering cord which is used for striking. Top-making demands great skill and knowledge, which is passed down from one generation to another.