Folk wrestling
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Folk wrestling is a generic term for traditional wrestling disciplines which may or may not be codified as a modern sport. Most human cultures have some sort of grappling style, and "folk wrestling" is a catch-all term for such styles.
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[edit] Alphabetical list
Any list of ethnic or folk wrestling styles will be partial, but this is a brief alphabetical list of some styles with verifiable lineages.
- Pale Ancient Greek Wrestling, added to 18th Olympiad, 708 BC, as per Hippias of Elis ca. 400 BC.
- Backhold Wrestling, evolved in Europe and was practised in North England and Scotland in the 7th and 8th century. Competitions are currently held from May to October, at Highland and Border Games. Backhold Wrestling, whose origin is unknown, was once practiced in the USA and Australia, and is still practised in France and Italy. Scottish Wrestling and Cumberland and Westmoreland Wrestling are forms of Backhold.
- Bökh, traditional Mongolian wrestling, where a ground-touch loses.[1]
- Campidanesa, traditional Sardinian wrestling, a form of collar, jacket and belt wrestling.
- Catch-as-catch-can. Catch-as-catch-can originated in Lancashire, England.
- Cornish wrestling, from England, is a form of jacket wrestling. It does not use groundwork. It is related to Breton Gouren wrestling.
- Cumberland wrestling or Cumbrian Wrestling (also known as Cumberland and Westmoreland Wrestling) is practised in the northern counties of England. It is a form of Backhold Wrestling where the wrestlers put the left arm over the opponents right arm and grip behind the opponent's back. Throws and trips. First to touch the ground or break hold loses. Competitors often wear stockings (long johns), singlet and trunks.
- Devonshire wrestling This style was similar to the Cornish style in that jackets were worn. However devonshire wrestlers also wore heavy clogs and were able to kick the opponents. In Cornish vs Devon matches the Devonshire wrestlers might wear one only shoe. The style is generally considered to be extinct.
- Glima, the national sport of Iceland, traces its history to the Vikings and the Norse.It is a standing style, utilising a leather harness around the waist and thighs, which the wrestlers hold (making it a form of belt-wrestling). It is often practised indoors on a wooden floor, hence hard throws are often discouraged.
- Gouren, from Brittany, is a form of jacket wrestling, similar to Cornish wrestling.
- Icelandic bondaglima or "farmer wrestling"
- Inbuan is the traditional wrestling style of the Mizoram state of India.
- Iranian Wrestling or "Koshti". Includes the Iran-wide Pahlavani, and numerous other provincial styles.
- Khmer Traditional Wrestling is a folk wrestling style from Cambodia.
- Khuresh is a traditional form of wrestling in the ethnically Turkic region of Tuva, in southern Siberia.
- Lancashire wrestling. Catch-as-Catch-Can wrestling.
- Lotta Campidanese from Italy, is a form of jacket wrestling practised by countrymen and shepherds in southern Sardinia.
- Lucha Canaria, native to the Canary Islands in Spain, touching ground (non-foot) loses.
- Lucha Leonesa, native to the Spanish region of Leon, touching ground (non-foot) loses.
- Luctatio, ancient form of Roman Wrestling.
- Lucta erecta Italian free-wrestling style practised during the Roman Age.
- Lucta volutatoria is a form of Italian ground-grappling of the Roman Age.
- Luta Livre, Brazilian style of wrestling.
- Lutte Traditionnelle, (fr. for Traditional Wrestling) related styles of West African wrestling, known as Laamb in Senegal, Boreh in The Gambia, Evala in Togo, and Lutte Traditionnelle in Niger and Burkina Faso. International competition takes place during the Jeux de la Francophonie and the newly organised fr:Championnat d'Afrique de lutte traditionnelle.
- Malla-yuddha (literally "wrestling combat") is the oldest martial art in India.
- Naban: Burmese wrestling.
- Pahlavani or Bastani is a traditional discipline of gymnastics and wrestling in Iran.
- Pehlwani or Kushti is a modern form of wrestling from India.
- Penjang Gulat is a form of wrestling popular in rural Indonesia.
- Schwingen is the Swiss style of wrestling considered to be one of the oldest very old forms of wrestling. Wrestlers wear special canvas trousers.
- Scottish Backhold is a form of Backhold practised in Scotland. Almost identical in style to Cumberland & Westmoreland style apart from variations in rules. Competitors often wear kilts.
- Shuai jiao: Chinese wrestling.
- Ssireum: Korean wrestling.
- Strumpa: Sardinian wrestling, also known as S'Istrumpa or simply Istrumpa.
- Trinta: Upright wrestling from Moldova; it can also be practised from the knees. It is still practised in Moldova and eastern Romania.
- Westmorland wrestling (see Cumberland and Westmoreland Wrestling)
- Yağlı güreş is Turkish "oil wrestling". Wrestlers wear special leather trousers 'kyspet' and are oiled.
[edit] Ethnic combat no longer considered folk wrestling
These sports could be considered too popular or formal to still be considered "folk sports". These styles form a part of international mainstream wrestling.
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which emphasises ground fighting and submissions.
- Collegiate wrestling, the folkstyle of the United States.
- Greco-Roman wrestling, now a major international style and Olympic sport.
- Kodokan Judo, founded by Jigoro Kano in 1882, currently an Olympic sport.
- Sambo, a Russian style based on various forms of folk wrestling in the former USSR and Judo.
- Shoot wrestling, a Japanese style primarily based on catch wrestling.
- Sumo, a famous Japanese wrestling style.
- Rvanje, a Serbian style of wrestling
[edit] Mistaken for folk wrestling
Some terms or phrases (such as "streetfight" in US English) may refer to unarmed combat but are not really folk sports, with recognized rules as used in competition. A partial list of these is:
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ The Alternative Olympics by Ron Gluckman (Mongolia)
[edit] Sources
- The Wrestler's Body: Identity and Ideology in North India by Joseph S. Alter (1992). ISBN 0-520-07697-4
