Lacrosse: The Ancient Sport Gaining Popularity Again - Research Paper

Introduction

The main sports include football, volleyball, and athletes. However, lacrosse is also increasing in popularity in recent years despite the fact that it is among the oldest sport in North America. It originated in the 1700s and was played by men using sticks. The French settlers named the game 'Lacrosse' because any sport that was played using curved sick was regarded as 'Crosse' (Vennum, 2008). During the ancient time, the sport was not played by kids but young and old men from two tribes over a dispute. It was a form of war to solve problems in the community, religious rituals and they also used it as a way of gambling for land, women, and children. However, the game has gained popularity in Canada and America where non-native teams now participate in different matches professionally. Unlike in the old days where the game had no fixed round, currently, there are fields where these matches take place. Lacrosse has come a long way since it originated from the native- Americans who played with sticks up to date where the professional players use intricately made sticks. The purpose of the essay is to discuss the origins of Native American.

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Lacrosse originated from the Native- American in Mesoamerica back in 1100AD. The game was played by the Native American from different cultures and they regarded it as the "the fastest sport on two feet". It was played by two common villages or tribes and not more than two tribes would participate because it was a mark of victory for the winning group (Fisher, 2002). Each group consisted of thousands or hundreds of players were unlike other sports that are played for fun, lacrosse was played to settle disputes in the society. The sport was a form of war where the winning community would earn respect and the item they were competing for, in many cases the game as a way of gambling, where the two tribes would gamble their wives and children. Moreover, the game was used to train young men for war because it was like a military training where the men had to use force to outdo one another.

The Native Americans faced social, political, and economic pressures when they came into contact with the other tribes who threatened not only their freedom but also their land. To oppose the threats of dispossession and sovereignty, they adopted traditional strategies for reclamation. Lacrosse sport was one way the Native Americans engaged in to practice their rituals. The matches were organized occasionally for ceremonial practice for cultural narratives and communal functions (Fisher, 2002). These ties gave the ball game with its existential importance for tribes in North America. However, as time went by the Native-Americans the sport was transformed from a traditional practice to a professional one where they made exhibitions and entertainments to non-natives for financial gain. The official rules of the game were drafted in 1867 by Canadian George Beers because before then the rules depended on the participating teams. Moreover, the game became mainstream, with the Native American version becoming repeatedly changed.

Catlin was an early documenter of Native American lacrosse who illustrates how the game was played in the 17th and 18th century. He is believed to have spent time with the native-American and learned a lot about the game. In a book on letters and customs of the Native- Americans Catlin state that the sticks used during the matches were bent in a rectangular with small thongs tied to catch the ball. Each player holds the sticks in each hand and tries to catch the ball between the nettings. The player then throws the ball without sticking it or holding it with hands (Catlin, 2011). During the match, they were allowed to wear nothing but breech-cloth around the waists. These clothes were arranged a few months before the game by captains overseeing the two groups. The captains also choose the players within the tribe and agreed to attend at the specific time for the game.

The lacrosse game started when a gun was fired and the judges threw the ball in the field. The players were many (hundreds or thousands) with mutual chances to catch the ball with their sticks. The goal was successful when one time threw the ball in the poles. According to Catlin (2011), the players in the two groups dressed in a similar manner which brought about confusion in the field. Catlin plotted a hysterical picture of the players as he states that any are the instances where the confused mass runs after the ball together without even seeing the ball. The players knock the sticks in a confused way that there is no chance of anyone getting the ball (Catlin, 2011). These instances took place at different times when mass sticks, shins, and noise bleeding men were sported in various areas of the field that spent more than an hour without locating the position of the ball. The games were played until one team scored 100 after that they began to celebrate by drinking wine.

The Rules

Various versions of the lacrosse were played among diverse tribes. Therefore, the methods, equipment, and rules varied in accordance with the group playing and the location of the game. The current generation is able to study the game based on the provided evidence of methods, rules, and equipment. Moreover, the lacrosse has advanced in officiating, coaching, and complexity, not to mention safety and equipment. There were rules governing the ancient lacrosse which were laid out a day before the game. The ball was not touched with hands and there were no out-of-bounds as the fields were not properly marked. The goal was large trees or rocks but wooden posts were adopted later. The game would last for days starting from sunset to sundown. Scores and tallies depended on the participating tribes. There were three ways of scoring: Throwing the ball and it hit the post, hitting the post with a stick while holding the ball, or walking past the post with holding the ball. In case of a wrong throw, the ball would be tossed again in the center of the field. For instance, the Choctaw had the same rules as the ball had to be thrown on the surface of the post. However, it was regarded as a goal when the ball hit any corner of the post (Beers, 1869).

Special scorekeepers tallied the goals which were tracked by sharp pegs on the ground for each participating tribe. A goal scored during the break period (innings) was also regarded as a score. The break may take more than thirty minutes where prayers took time to relax, took refreshments, smoking, and prizes awarding. The length of the field was determined by the posts on each corner and the size was more than 110 yard. The ancient Native America lacrosse rules on substitutions were not fixed in all matches. Some groups involve every player at once while some tribes prefer to substitute players during the game. For instance, the Iroquois substituted a number of sixty players after every twenty minutes. On the other hand, Cherokee did not encourage substitution but if a player withdrew from the game a player from the other side was forced to leave the game (Fogelson, 1962).

Another rule of the ancient Native American lacrosse is that the players were allowed to wear breechclouts and they played barefoot. The breechclouts were held by the deerskin belts and no other equipment was held to prevent delay. The players had to deal with the hard and rocky surface and had no protective head or chest gears which are worn in the 21st century to prevent injuries. The ancient lacrosse did not wear paddings and facemasks which are worn today. The attires were similar in both teams which brought about confusion in the matches. The players were also supposed to wear body paints for decorative purposes (Vennum, 2008). Wood was burned a day before the game and the sacred charcoal was used to paint the faces of the players. The charcoal marks were applied across the heart and on each shoulder making the players move like lightning.

Purpose of the Lacrosse

To the Native Americans, lacrosse was not only a game as it was also regarded as a cultural and spiritual event. They appreciated the pre-sport rituals such as dancing and going to the water where the players. To get into the spirit of the game, the players would paint both the faces and sticks before the match. They also painted any other equipment they would use during the game. These rituals were conducted by medicine men during the night of the game and it was associated with dance. It was considered curative purposes where the medicine men treated all sick men in the tribe. As the players walked into the field, they performed many rituals. The game was also played as a form of gambling as every player placed a bet before the match began. They would gamble for several items such as horses, children, and wives among others. Another reason why lacrosse was played was to resolve tribal disputes and it was the only way to keep the six tribes of Iroquois together. Therefore, lacrosse was a diplomatic tool to solve arguments. In this case, two tribes agree to contest for land arguments (Mitchell, 1978). The game strengthened political fellowship between the tribes. The games were arranged occasionally as these tribes had to save time for hunting and gathering. This was the reason why the Native American Indians played the sport during the seasons of the calendar. For example, the game was played during the celestial happening or the agrarian festivals. Moreover, the game is used to prepare young men for war. The men were made tough during the game as it was involved struggle as they tried to hit the ball (Zogry, 2010).

It was played for recreation where the people engaged with one another to relax from their daily routine jobs. Lacrosse was played for religious purposes where the appreciated their creator or prayed for a specific item that was essential in the society. Lastly, Lacrosse was a means of socialization and also stabilized stability in society by maintaining culture. They had a different opinion about the first lacrosse played by the gods their creator (Robidoux, 2002). They also believed that the ball was like the sun and moon that moves across the sky when the gods played the sport.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Lacrosse is the oldest game which originated from the Native Americans in the 1100s. The players were from two tribes or groups and it involved hundreds of them. The players painted their faces and sticks with charcoal for decorative purposes. The game began when a gun was fired and the judges threw the ball in the field. The players had mutual chances to catch the ball with their sticks. The goal was successful when one time threw the ball in the poles. There were rules governing the ancient lacrosse which were laid out a day before the game. The ball was not touched with hands and there were no out-of-bounds as the fields were not properly marked. The goal was a large hip of rocks but wooden posts were later used. There are many reasons why lacrosse was played by the Native Americans, for instance, it was a form of war to solve disputes in the community, religious rituals and they also used it as a way of gambling for land, women, and children. Moreover, the game is used to prepare young men for war by toughening them during the game. Unlike the current lacrosse played in the 21st century, the ancient one was very physical and no protective ears such as paddings and facemasks were worn. The game has come a long way and was soon adopted as an Olympic sport in the USA and Canada.

References

Catlin, G. (2011). Letters and notes on the manners, customs, and condition of the North American Indians (Vol. 2). Cambridge University Press.Vennum, T. (2008). Just Too Much of an Indian: Bill Baker, Stalwart in a Fading Culture. University of Wisconsin Press.Carey, J. (2012). New Directions of Play: Nat...