Traditional Sports and Games

For the general concept of "traditional" physical sports (as opposed to e-sports or mind sports), see Sport.
Kabaddi, a traditional Indian game which has become increasingly popular around the world.

Traditional Sports and Games (TSG) are physical activities which were played for centuries by people around the world before the advent of modern sports. Many TSG's lost popularity or died off during the colonial era due to the imposition and spread of Western sports.[1][2][3] Further decline has occurred in the post-colonial era.[4][5][6]

UNESCO promotes TSG as a form of "Intangible Cultural Heritage", and has a dedicated TSG Advisory Committee.[7][8] Four Collective Consultation Meetings have been held so far by UNESCO, with the fourth Collective Consultation in 2018 gathering more than 82 participants from 40 countries.[9] UNESCO played a pivotal role in founding the International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG) in 2018. Khalil Ahmed Khan was appointed as the president, and Shammi Rana assumed the position of Secretary General, with the 14th of August being declared the International Day of Traditional Sports and Games.[10]

TSG has been linked to the way in which various peoples followed religious duties and promoted social cooperation along with a better understanding of their relationship to nature;[11][12][13][14] TSG is also seen as a possible way to increase intercultural dialogue.[15][16]

1st African Traditional Sports and Games Multi-Event 2026.

A significant event for traditional sports is the African Traditional Sports and Games Multi-Event, scheduled to take place in Swakopmund, Namibia, from June 21 to June 30, 2026. This event, organized through a partnership between The Dome Namibia and Chief Michael Shamsu Mustapha of the African Traditional Sports and Games Confederation (ATSGC), aims to showcase and preserve Africa’s traditional sports and games under the guidance of Shammi Rana of the International Council of Traditional Sports and Games (ICTSG) It will feature various traditional sports and cultural performances, emphasizing the importance of these practices in African heritage.[17]

Zimbabwe to Host the 2028 Traditional Sports and Games Multi-Event Festival.

In 2028, Zimbabwe will host the Traditional Sports and Games Multi-Event Festival. The event, organized by the Zimbabwe Traditional Sports and Games Federation (ZTSGF) in partnership with the African Traditional Sports and Games Confederation (ATSGC), will feature a variety of traditional African sports, such as ball games, combat sports, dances, and water sports. The festival aims to promote cultural heritage and strengthen unity across Africa. It will take place in several cities, including Harare, Victoria Falls, and Bulawayo.

This festival aligns with UNESCO's efforts to safeguard traditional sports and games, highlighting their cultural importance globally.[18]

  1. ^ Leng, Ho Keat; Pyun, Do Young; Lin, Yen-Chun (2023-07-14). "Special issue: sports and leisure management in Asia". Managing Sport and Leisure: 1–3. doi:10.1080/23750472.2023.2207865. ISSN 2375-0472. S2CID 259909018.
  2. ^ Vaczi, Mariann; Bairner, Alan (2023-10-06). Indigenous, Traditional, and Folk Sports: Contesting Modernities. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-98328-9.
  3. ^ Karen, David; Washington, Robert E. (2015-03-02). Sociological Perspectives on Sport: The Games Outside the Games. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-97394-2.
  4. ^ "Endangered Species of the Physical Cultural Landscape: Globalization, Nationalism, and Safeguarding Traditional Folk Games". scholar.google.ca. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  5. ^ Gilmour, Callum; Rowe, David (2012-12-01). "Sport in Malaysia: National Imperatives and Western Seductions". Sociology of Sport Journal. 29 (4): 485–505. doi:10.1123/ssj.29.4.485. ISSN 0741-1235.
  6. ^ Shehu, Jimoh (2004). "Sport for all in postcolony: Is there a place for indigenous games in physical education curriculum and research in Africa". Africa Education Review. 1 (1): 21–33. doi:10.1080/18146620408566267. ISSN 1814-6627. S2CID 143955748.
  7. ^ Kumari, Sonia (2019-03-29). "UNESCO TSG visited for the possibilities of organizing Traditional Sports and Games in South Korea". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  8. ^ Berti, Francesca (2023-07-10). The Shared Space of Play: Traditional Games as a Tool of Intercultural Education. LIT Verlag Münster. ISBN 978-3-643-91231-2.
  9. ^ Khan, Khalil Ahmed; Tluehan, Bekbolat (2019). "UNESCO traditional sports and games". Педагогико-психологические и медико-биологические проблемы физической культуры и спорта. 14 (2 (eng)): 5–8.
  10. ^ "Traditional sports". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  11. ^ Traditional Physical Cultures, Sport and Games https://www.icsspe.org/
  12. ^ Early History of Recreation and Leisure https://samples.jblearning.com/
  13. ^ Traditional Sports and Games: A New Opportunity for Personalized Access to Cultural Heritage https://ceur-ws.org/ Mariate Linaza, Kieran Moran, and Noel E. O’Connor
  14. ^ "Playing in nature: Traditional games and environmental stewardship". sportanddev. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  15. ^ Saura, Soraia Chung; Zimmermann, Ana Cristina (2021). "Traditional Sports and Games: Intercultural Dialog, Sustainability, and Empowerment". Frontiers in Psychology. 11. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.590301. ISSN 1664-1078. PMC 7873946. PMID 33584427.
  16. ^ Parlebas, Pierre (2020). "The Universals of Games and Sports". Frontiers in Psychology. 11. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.593877. ISSN 1664-1078. PMC 7609522. PMID 33192937.
  17. ^ "MTC Dome bid to host African traditional sports and games | nbc". www.nbcnews.na. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  18. ^ "Zimbabwe will host the 2nd African Traditional Sports and Games in 2028". {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help)