Sports History

It is impossible to pinpoint when the first sports were introduced. Because it is hard to imagine a period in time where kids didn't run races or engage in wrestling in the mud, it is obvious that kids have long incorporated games in their activities however, one cannot think about the evolution of sports as autonomous physical games for adults. Hunters are featured in prehistoric art, yet it is not possible to be determined whether hunters were hunting their prey in a state of desperate need or the joyous abandon of athletes. It is clear, however from the extensive icons and literary evidence from every ancient civilization that hunting was soon an end-all-be-all for the nobility and royalty. The archaeological evidence suggests the existence of ball sports as popular across ancient civilizations, as diverse from those of the Chinese or the Aztecs. If they were games and not rituals that were non-competitive like those in the Japanese football game kemari then they were considered to be sports in the strictest sense. The fact that it is not possible to simply assumed that they were games is evident from the evidence provided in Greek as well as Roman antiquity. It is evident that ball games were in the majority of cases, recreational activities similar to those suggested for health by Greek medical doctor Galen in the 2nd century CE.

Traditional African sports

It is not likely that the 7th century Islamic invasion of North Africa radically altered the traditions of sports in the region. For as long as battles were fought with bow and arrows the archery competitions continued to be used as a demonstration of the ability to perform. Prophet Muhammad specifically allowed horse races, and the geography of the region dictated that men competed against camels and horses. Hunters too enjoyed pleasure in riding on horses.

The most popular game in North Africa was ta kurt the mahag of the pilgrim ("the balls of the Mother of the Pilgrim") is one of the most popular Berber bat-and-ball game whose design was a strikingly similarity to baseball. Koura is a game that was more frequently played was akin to soccer (soccer).

The cultural diversity between the black Africans was more extensive than the Arab peoples living in northwestern littoral. Ball games were uncommon however wrestling of one form or another was commonplace. The nature and purpose of wrestling differed between tribes. To people like the Nuba in southern Sudan the ritual fights that saw the bodies of men were lavishly decorated and instructed, served as the main source of male prestige and the status of the men. In the region of Rwanda, Tutsi as well as the Hutu from Rwanda are among groups who held female-only competitions. Between the different peoples in sub-Saharan African, wrestling games were used to commemorate or symbolize fertility of the earth and human fertileness. In the southern part of Nigeria For example, Igbo tribal members participated in competitions every day on the eighth day during all three seasons of dry season. The hard-fought competitions were believed to have convinced the gods to give plentiful crops of and corn (maize) as well as yams. In those who were part of the Diola from the Gambia adolescents, girls and boys fought (though they did not compete against each other) at what appeared to be evidently an event that was prenuptial. Champion males were married to female counterparts. In other tribes, like those of Yala of Nigeria as well as in the Fon of Benin as well as Benin, and the Njabi from the Congo both girls and boys engaged in a fight. In the Kole they were the family members to the wedding couple and groom who engaged in a fight. The stick fights, which are believed to be less tied to religious beliefs were commonplace among many tribes that included those of the Zulu as well as the Mpondo from southern Africa.

Competitions for jumpers and runners could be seen throughout the length and breadth across the entire continent. In the time of empire colonizers and explorers were often amazed at the speed and agility that this "primitive" peoples. Nandi runners from Kenya's Rift Valley were able to cover distances at speeds which brought European runners to an almost physical collapse. Tutsi high-jumpers from Rwanda and Burundi reached the heights that would have appeared amazing had they not were captured in flight by Adolf Friedrich zu Mecklenburg's expedition to study anthropology in the early 20th century.

In the years before European conquerors introduced modern sports and discredited indigenous customs, the conversion to Islam has tended to reduce, if not entirely eliminate the religious aspect of African sports. However, certain elements of pre-Christian and preIslamic magic cults survived to postcolonial times. Zulu footballers do not rely solely on their coaches or trainers, but also on the assistance provided by the"inyanga" ("witch physician").

Sports History

Posted by Pro Service Appeal

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Sports History

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