Traditional Sports Revive Identities “Indigenous sports must come back into practice”

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By Atlanta Mahanta

Indigenous games and sports, along with regional languages, music, literature, and architecture, should also be recognized as vital components of today’s worldwide mainstream culture. Their reconstitution is an indication of the “survival of the individual” and an opportunity to appreciate variety despite globalization. The traditional sports and exercises in the rural pre-industrial societies of the 19th century often appear as having their origin. Folklorists from the previous century were fond of the rural environment and made records. Traditional sports revival can help to save cultures and identities.

Traditional games assist young people to link their roots and identities with one another. Traditional games have unfortunately been missed or overshadowed throughout the world by online gaming. The practice of traditional sports not only helps with physical but also with mental health. It gives you confidence and the power of acceptance. In order to win a competition, it is a hard, long process of keeping the passion alive. It represents one’s origin and culture. Culture is a term that is defined by many in different ways. Traditional sports are a part of one’s culture and identity, and they can become a way of life.

For example, the word “Matrag” is a term in the Algerian dialect from the classical Arabic “mitraq”, which means “hammer” and which in French gave it the sound “matraque”. The Matrag defines both the Algerian martial art and the weapon used to practice it, which art is also often referred to as the “Algerian Cane”.
The origin of laamb is said to come from the countryside in Senegal where at the end of the harvest season men from the village would wrestle. It was a way to not only blow off some steam, but to also show off their strength and be declared the champion.
Nzango is a simple game for girls, which initially had been played during school breaks. It has gradually been gaining the reputation of sport recently. Codified with precise rules, it is played on a pitch measuring 8 meters by 16 meters, marked with a red central stripe and two blue ones on the sides. It’s played by two teams of 17 – eleven players and six reserves.

Traditional Sports Name	Countries of Africa
Abaogo	Ivory Coast
Butu	Namibia
El Matrag	Algeria
Abula	Nigeria
Croche	La Réunion
Engolo or Ngolo	Angola
Akseltag	Marocco
Dambe	Nigeria, Niger, Chad
Evala	Togo
Attam	Ghana
Dibeke	South Africa
Fantasia	Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Mali, Niger, Mauritania
Ayo	Nigeria
Donga	Ethiopia
Gabetula	Angola
Bassula	Angola
Draft	Ghana
Genna	Ethiopia
Béri	Senegal
Drie Stokke	South Africa
Gidigbo	Nigeria
Boers Wrestling Styles	South Africa
Dula Meketa	Etiopia
Gle Gbee	Liberia
Boreh	The Gambia
Egede	Nigeria
Grech	Tunisia
Borey or Boreh	Gambia
Ekak	Nigeria
Gusimbuka Urukiramende	Rwanda
Gutera Uruziga	Rwanda
Kokuule	Benin
Moraingy	Madagascar
Horo	Burundi
Koora	Algieria
Musangwe	South Africa
Intonga	South Africa
Kurasa Intego	Rwanda
N’oborro	Senegal
Isinaphakade Samathongo	South Africa
Kuta or Hikuta Nguni	South Africa
Iskandarâni	Egypt
Laamb	Senegal
Nuba	Sudan
Istunka	Somalia
Lasso	Ivory Coast
Nubian stick	Sudan
Jukskei	South Africa
Libanda	Congo
Nxai (aka Rwabi)	Botswana
Kayti	Kenya
Maabza	Algeria
Nzango	Congo
Kipura	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Maratabin or Maratabeen	Morocco
Oggaf	Tunisia
Kokowa or Kokawa	Niger
Mkazo Ncha Shikana	Senegal
Olva	Senegal
Mkazo Ncha Shikana	Senegal
Olva	Senegal
Oware	Ghana
Suri Stickfighting	Ethiopia
Toubata	Sudan
Palapala	Cameroon
Ta kurt om el mahag	Libya
Tubata	Sudan
Ringball	South Africa
Tachkoumte	Algeria
Uba wrestling	Sudan
Savika	Madagascar
Tahtib or Tahteeb	Egypt
Xhosa	South Africa
Sebekkah	Egypt
Testa or Riesy	Eritrea
Zvaha	Togo
Sorro	Niger
Tigel	Ethiopia