by Vittorio Giorgi
The Traditional Wrestlings are those wrestlings practiced for the purpose of play for centuries, in certain geographical regions or by certain ethnic groups, which from generation to generation have been transmitted to us today. They are part of the large family of Traditional Sports, also called Ethnosport, distinguished by the acronym “TSG” (Traditional Sports and Games), universally recognized. In the “International Charter for Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport“, UNESCO has declared that the practice of Sport is a fundamental right of every human being and that the Traditional Sports and Games are part of the intangible heritage and represent a symbol of the cultural diversity of our societies. He then enrolled some Traditional Wrestlingsin the “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity“.
In recent years, some Traditional Wrestlingshave created their own International Federations that, thanks to the support of the Ministry of Sport of their countries, the international competitions, seminarsand training courses, as well as the social media, have developed beyond national borders, thus becoming International Sports.
The Latin word “lŭcta” indicates the hand-to-hand combat of two contenders who, without weapons and tools, try to dominate and land each other with the lacing of the limbs and the pressure of the body.
The word “sport” comes from the ancient French “desport” which means fun and, in turn, comes from the Latin “deport” which means to go out of the door, away, therefore, outside the city walls to carry out physical activity. This Latin word in the Italian language becomes “diporto”, which already in the twelfth century had the meaning of fun. The aforementioned French term in the English language is transformed into “disport” which, then, in the sixteenth century, is abbreviated to “sport” and, over time, adopted by all the languages of the world.
TheLatin noun “traditio” means the transmission over time, from generation to generation, of memories, news and testimonies, as well as the customs, customs, models and norms of a people. This noun comes the verb “trādo, trādis, tradidi, traditum, trādĕre” that means to deliver (into someone’s hands). “Trado” is the contraction of trans-do, on the other hand, beyond. It should be noted that theLatin term “tradition”, in Italian is “tradizione”, English “tradition”, French “tradition”, Spanish “tradición”, German “traditionell”, Russian “tradition”. An etymological root that has united Peoples and Cultures for centuries.
The Traditional Wrestlings are, therefore, Sports characterized by a strong competitive spirit, ancient cultural values and historical continuity, that is, by the “traditio”. For this reason, their competitions always attract many athletes and spectators from all over the world. In recent years, the Traditional Wrestlings have taken on meanings and purposes that go far beyond the sporting aspect: friendship among peoples, respect for cultural traditions and diversity, awareness on ecology issues, enhancement of sustainable tourism. It can, therefore, be said that the Traditional Wrestlings have ancient roots and a bright future!
The Manifesto of the Traditional Wrestlings was written on December 16, 2022, in Caserta, by Vittorio Giorgi, lawyer and sports manager, President “Kurash and Traditional Wrestlings Italian Federation”. E-mail: vittorio.giorgi@libero.it
