Dubai: Children around the world are hooked on to a game called "Charlie Charlie Challenge" that involves summoning an ‘ancient spirit’ named Charlie.
Two pencils and a piece of paper are needed to play the game. Players place one pencil across the other on the paper to form a grid of four sections.
The top left and bottom right quadrants on the paper have the word ‘Yes’ written in them and the top right and bottom left quadrants have the word ‘No’. Players start the game by chanting ‘Charlie, Charlie , are you here?’ to summon the spirit. If Charlie arrives, the top pencil moves. Having obtained Charlie’s permission to play, players then pose a question and depending on the answer, the pencil points to either a Yes or a No.
In the UAE, social media platforms are jammed with people posting videos of Charlie Charlie being played. In this frenzy, parents and authorities are grappling with the issue of children’s welfare. Many children have been reported to be filled with fear after playing the game, spooked by the idea of evil spirits visiting them.
While some argue that Charlie is a Mexican demon, a counter argument suggested that it was a marketing stunt for an upcoming movie titled ‘The Gallows’.
Captain Mohammad Hazim Al Suwaidi, head of the Ajman Community Police Department, in cooperation with Ajman Educational Zone, organised a lecture for students to explain the reality of the ‘Charlie Charlie Challenge’ and advised students to not believe in such tricks.
Hoax game
He urged them to think rationally when using social media and focus on positive content rather than disruptive ideas. Capt Al Suwaidi also carried out an experiment to prove to the students that the game is a hoax.
Salma Fathy, an Egyptian teacher in a government school, said that the issue has been blown out of proportion since summoning demons is not as simple as chanting a name with pencils stacked on paper.
“Schools [in the UAE] are now warning each other [of its dangers], teachers are concerned and the issue is getting exaggerated,” Salma said. “I have heard stories from teachers about one girl fainting and another girl falling sick after playing the game.”
Unfortunately, people follow trends or rumours without checking facts, Salma said. “They are not able to differentiate between fiction and reality.”
Rashni Gupta, a student, said she is no influenced by the game.
“I was one of the people who posted a video on my Facebook wall, but I was making fun of the Charlie Challenge,” she said. “I gathered my friends to make a video of us chanting and laughing about it while banging on the table.”
She believes that people fear the Charlie Charlie idea because they do not know the reality behind the hoax.
