Resuscitation of Indigenous Games of Africa: Why and How the East African Universities Games Federation Must Take the Lead
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Date
2010
Authors
Wanderi, P. M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Since early 1980s there has been an increasing awareness on the continued marginalization and
cultural hegemony of the indigenous African games and sports by the so called 'modern games'
brought to Africa' from Asia, Europe and America within the last one century. Consequently,
desperate words of caution on the need to resuscitate indigenous games of Africa have been
documented. For instance, Nteere in 1982 raised this caution in his Master of Education thesis
saying deliberate efforts must be made to save the indigenous games of Africa from eminent
extinction. Additionally he managed to give a brief highlight of a few indigenous games and
challenged scholars to urgently undertake comprehensive research on the same and document
them. In the same spirit, Cheska and Van de Merwe & Bressan went a step further and gay-comprehensive documentation on West African and South African indigenous games in 1986 and
1999 respectively. In 1999, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) held the 3'd International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for
Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS III) in Punta del Este, Uruguay, and a declaration was
passed on the resuscitation of indigenous games of the world. The MINEPS III declaration aimed at
preserving and promoting indigenous games as vital cultural heritage of the world. It was therefore
agreed that regional festivals of indigenous games shall be started world over. Ever since,
passionate decisions have been made during subsequent MINEPS meetings and other UNESCO
fora on the need to hold indigenous games festivals as a hallmark of cultural identity through
sports. Unfortunately, to date very little has happened towards this noble desire. Time has therefore
come when members of the East African Universities Games Federation should understand and
appreciate the challenge on the basis of the sportive objectives of the federation and they should do
everything possible to ensure festivals on indigenous games of East Africa are held. As a matter of
urgency, a special EAUGF committee comprised oflike-minded resource persons needs to be
established during this symposium to steer the process with the support of member universities and
the relevant ministries in the East African Community member states. After these festivals have
been started within the East African region by the universities, this trend shall easily spread to other
regions of the African Continent. Certainly, this is the time to do it and the EAUGF must take the
lead. This paper outlines the need for this action. The paper moves a notch higher by presenting
ideas that may be used as a blue print (of course with or without amendments) towards this belated
and very culturally enriching regional effort.
Description
A paper presented at East Africa Universities Pre-games International Symposium held on 16th - 18th November 2010 at Kenyatta University
Keywords
Indigenous games, Cultural identity through sports, MINEPS III