I am always interested by the variety of different sports practiced throughout the world, so a big thanks to Finneye for this image and link to a photo gallery about Senegalese wrestling. Wrote photographer David Lacina:
It is … the most popular sport in Senegal, also called Laamb in local language. Traditionally, young men used to fight as a distraction, to court wives, prove their manliness, and bring honor to their villages. The winner is the one who manages to get down his opponent on his back, by any means. There are no fixed rules of what is allowed or forbidden. The wrestlers often wear special talismans, also called gris-gris, to bring them luck in the fights.
As you can see below, these guys are in serious shape. For more on the sport, check out this photo gallery by Lacina.
on May 19th, 2009 at 7:04 am
I think the “no rules” comment is a bit off the mark. Like any sport the rules are informal as well as written, otherwise there would be mayhem.
It resembles Greco-roman watching the video.
And the camaraderie exhibited between winner and loser during one bout exhibits both the value of sport in society and the value of voluntarily structured confrontation in all human cultures.
on May 19th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Next year, on “Dhani Tackles The Globe…” (unless Mr. Jones already did it this year, that is…)
on May 24th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Take it from me, there are rules (I lived in Senegal for two years). And most Senegalese wear gris-gris every day, and all day.