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As for the other half of the world, we have the Western
yo-yo, the yo-yo that we are familiar with which has a string tied
to an axle connecting two discs. Though that may be the case, if

we dive deeper into this culture, there's actually a lot more under
the surface, the ‘special yo-yos’, which are the modified ones,
are truly worth our time to discover and introduce to the world.
I was first introduced to the yo-yo by a relative at a dinner party.
This fascinating ball-thingy that could roll down and bounce

back up at will and even do simple tricks made me curious about
the whole concept of this toy.

If we were to talk about the history of the Western yo-
yo, we would have to start from the Greek times when it was then
called “bangalore”. Over the years, the yoyo has changed and
evolved into something new, something different. Special ‘ off-
string yo-yos’ are closing the gap between the West and the

East. Yo-yos without a string might sound like a wild fantasy but
they exist and are used worldwide.

One major disparity between the West and East is the
amount and popularity of competitions. There are usually
plenty of Western yo-yo competitions and championships
while diabolo competitions are rarer if viewed from a global
perspective. This is my own opinion of the popularity difference

between the two.

In short, I believe that both yo-yos are a culture the world

needs to give more attention to. Both of them have entertained
me a lot and made me view some of these lesser-known cultures
differently. If given the chance, definitely pick up a yo-yo, no
matter a diabolo or a regular one, think of it as taking up a new
hobby, it could be the first step towards becoming the next yo-yo

world champion.

Illustration by Wong Cheng Hui
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