The Hero with a Thousand Holds

In the western world, our conceptions of Vietnam are often limited to the Vietnam War – that prolonged and devastating conflict in the mid-20th century that resulted in the deaths of anywhere up to 4.2 million people. As undeniably ruinous as that war was, it was ultimately just two decades in the history of a nation and a people that stretches back to the first millennium BC. Conquered and ruled by the first Chinese Empire, winning their freedom and taking their first steps as an independent nation, waging their own wars of expansion against the other kingdoms of Southeast Asia; the story of Vietnam is a long one often characterised by conflict and desire to carve out an identity of their own.

In this episode, we look at their story and the associated significance of Dau Vat – a grappling style centred around the most sacred holiday on the Vietnamese calendar, and inextricably linked to legends of their fierce resistance to foreign invasion.

In the western world, our conceptions of Vietnam are often limited to the Vietnam War – that prolonged and devastating conflict in the mid-20th century that resulted in the deaths of anywhere up to 4.2 million people. As undeniably ruinous as that war was, it was ultimately just two decades in the history of a nation and a people that stretches back to the first millennium BC. Conquered and ruled by the first Chinese Empire, winning their freedom and taking their first steps as an independent nation, waging their own wars of expansion against the other kingdoms of Southeast Asia; the story of Vietnam is a long one often characterised by conflict and desire to carve out an identity of their own.

In this episode, we look at their story and the associated significance of Đấu Vật – a grappling style centred around the most sacred holiday on the Vietnamese calendar, and inextricably linked to legends of their fierce resistance to foreign invasion.

The Chipewyan (Dënesųłı̨né), a First Nations people of northern Canada, historically had a deeply ingrained – and in many ways highly unique – wrestling tradition that was remarked upon by almost all of the early European settlers that they encountered. In this short episode, I briefly discuss the things that made Chipewyan wrestling so unusual, and explore some of the possible reasons behind its drastic divergence from many global grappling norms.

The Chipewyan (Denésoliné), a First Nations people of northern Canada, historically had a deeply ingrained – and in many ways highly unique – wrestling tradition that was remarked upon by almost all of the early European settlers that they encountered. In this short episode, I briefly discuss the things that made Chipewyan wrestling so unusual, and explore some of the possible reasons behind its drastic divergence from many global grappling norms.

The Yaghan are - were - the southernmost people in the world; a scattered group of nomadic hunters living on the sub-antarctic inlets and islands of Tierra del Fuego. Yet despite being so isolated from the vast majority of the rest of humanity, and despite speaking a language entirely different from anything else on the planet, they got together and wrestled in a way that would be recognisable to any of us. How did they get there, how did they live, how did they wrestle, and where are they now? All that, and much more, we explore in this look at a culture that is in many ways unique but in other ways keenly familiar.

The Yaghan and the Selk'nam are – were – the southernmost peoples in the world; a scattered group of nomadic hunters living on the sub-antarctic inlets and islands of Tierra del Fuego. Yet despite being so isolated from the vast majority of the rest of humanity, and despite speaking a language entirely different from anything else on the planet, they go together and wrestled in a way that would be recognisable to any of us. How did they get there, how did they live, how did they wrestle, and where are they now? All that, and much more, we explore in this look at a culture that is in many ways unique but in other ways keenly familiar.

The first in a series of podcasts looking at some of the obscure folk-wrestling styles from around the world. This one explores the ancient and now sadly forgotten art of Irish collar & elbow - a style with origins in Ireland's distant pre-Christian past that eventually crossed the Atlantic and for a while reigned as the most popular sport in America before disappearing entirely. Or did it?

Inspired by the original “Grappling Around the World” map: www.instagram.com/groundworkmaps   

References:

Armstrong, Walter. Wrestling. Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1890.

Cronin, Mike. “Projecting the Nation through Sport and Culture: Ireland, Aonach Tailteann and the Irish Free State, 1924-32.” Journal of Contemporary History, vol. 38, no. 3, 2003, pp. 395–411. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3180644.

Fagan, Brian M. The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History 1300-1850. Perseus Book Group, 2002.

Gallagher, Edward C. Amateur Wrestling. Co-Operative Publishing Co., 1925.

Gregory, Augusta. Cuchulain of Muirthemne: The Story of the Men of the Red Brand of Ulster. Colin Limited, 1973.

Gunning, Paul Ignatius. “Hardy Fingallians, Kildare Trippers, and ‘The Divil Ye'll Rise’ Scufflers: Wrestling in Modern Ireland.” A Social and Cultural History of Sport in Ireland, pp. 110-121, 2016

Hatton, Nathan. Thrashing Seasons: Sporting Culture in Manitoba and the Genesis of Prairie Wrestling. University of Manitoba Press, 2016.

Kelly, Richard J. “An Introduction to the Context of Early and Medieval Irish Poetry.” The Harp, vol. 10, 1995, pp. 14–23. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20533350.

MacAlister, R.A Stewart. Lebor Gabala Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland (5 Vols). Irish Texts Society, 1932-1942

Mitchel, John. The Last Conquest of Ireland (Perhaps). R&T Washbourne Ltd., 1882.

Morrow, Charles W. The Magnificent Scufflers: Revealing the Great Days When America Wrestled the World. The Stephen Green Press, 1959

Nally, Thomas H., Aonach Tailteann or Tailteann Games: Their Origin, History, and Ancient Associations. The Talbot Press Limited, 1922(?).

O’Reilly, Edward. An Irish-English Dictionary. James Duffy & Co. Limited, 1864

Sayers, William. “The Motif of Wrestling in Early Irish and Mongolian Epic.” Mongolian Studies, vol. 13, 1990, pp. 153–168. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43193128.

Co. Kildare Online Electronic History Journal. 2006. Famous Kildare Wrestling, Ancient Gaelic Style of Collar and Elbow: How Kildare Exiles Carried the Game Abroad. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.kildare.ie/ehistory/2006/05/collar_and_elbow_wrestling.asp. [Accessed 15 November 2018].

The first in a series of podcasts looking at some of the obscure folk-wrestling styles from around the world. This one explores the ancient and now sadly forgotten art of Irish collar & elbow - a style with origins in Ireland's distant pre-Christian past that eventually crossed the Atlantic and for a while reigned as the most popular sport in America before disappearing entirely. Or did it?

Inspired by the original “Grappling Around the World” map: www.instagram.com/groundworkmaps   

References:

Armstrong, Walter. Wrestling. Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1890.

Cronin, Mike. “Projecting the Nation through Sport and Culture: Ireland, Aonach Tailteann and the Irish Free State, 1924-32.” Journal of Contemporary History, vol. 38, no. 3, 2003, pp. 395–411. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3180644.

Fagan, Brian M. The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History 1300-1850. Perseus Book Group, 2002.

Gallagher, Edward C. Amateur Wrestling. Co-Operative Publishing Co., 1925.

Gregory, Augusta. Cuchulain of Muirthemne: The Story of the Men of the Red Brand of Ulster. Colin Limited, 1973.

Gunning, Paul Ignatius. “Hardy Fingallians, Kildare Trippers, and ‘The Divil Ye'll Rise’ Scufflers: Wrestling in Modern Ireland.” A Social and Cultural History of Sport in Ireland, pp. 110-121, 2016

Hatton, Nathan. Thrashing Seasons: Sporting Culture in Manitoba and the Genesis of Prairie Wrestling. University of Manitoba Press, 2016.

Kelly, Richard J. “An Introduction to the Context of Early and Medieval Irish Poetry.” The Harp, vol. 10, 1995, pp. 14–23. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20533350.

MacAlister, R.A Stewart. Lebor Gabala Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland (5 Vols). Irish Texts Society, 1932-1942

Mitchel, John. The Last Conquest of Ireland (Perhaps). R&T Washbourne Ltd., 1882.

Morrow, Charles W. The Magnificent Scufflers: Revealing the Great Days When America Wrestled the World. The Stephen Green Press, 1959

Nally, Thomas H., Aonach Tailteann or Tailteann Games: Their Origin, History, and Ancient Associations. The Talbot Press Limited, 1922(?).

O’Reilly, Edward. An Irish-English Dictionary. James Duffy & Co. Limited, 1864

Sayers, William. “The Motif of Wrestling in Early Irish and Mongolian Epic.” Mongolian Studies, vol. 13, 1990, pp. 153–168. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/43193128.

Co. Kildare Online Electronic History Journal. 2006. Famous Kildare Wrestling, Ancient Gaelic Style of Collar and Elbow: How Kildare Exiles Carried the Game Abroad. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.kildare.ie/ehistory/2006/05/collar_and_elbow_wrestling.asp. [Accessed 15 November 2018].