Lelo burti
Leloorlelo burti(Georgian:ლელო ბურთი), literally a "field ball [playing]", is aGeorgianfolk sport, which is a full contact ball game, and very similar torugby.[1]Within Georgianrugby unionterminology, the wordlelois used to mean atry,and the popularity ofrugby union in Georgiahas also been attributed to it.[2]In 2014, lelo burti, along withkhridoli,a traditional martial art, was inscribed by the government of Georgia as a "nonmaterial monument" of culture.[3]
It appears in the 12th century Georgian epic poemThe Knight in the Panther's Skinin which the characters play lelo burti.
Traditional varieties[edit]
Lelo was played in Georgia from ancient times and is still played on occasions in rural areas. A field ( "Lelo" ) would be selected and
- "In earlier times, theleloteams would consist of a few dozen players each, and the field would sometimes have to be crossed by a stream, which the players would have to ford in pursuit of the ball."[4]
Sometimes the playing field was between two water courses. The two teams, usually consisting of the male population of neighbouring villages, would face each other. The number of players from each side was not set traditionally, but included any able men each village could summon.[4]A large, heavy ball was placed in the middle of the field and the goal of the game was to carry it over the river to the "half" of the opposing side.
- "The game took place over a wide area sometimes stretching for several kilometres on very rough ground. The contestants would have to contend with spurs, hills, valleys, woods. cascading streams and marshes. Their task was to get a ball into a certain place, say, over the settlement boundary or to the foot of the mountain. Any means necessary could be employed to drive the ball forward — feet or hands. Sometimes they would play the game on horseback."[4]
It was believed that the winning team would secure a better harvest for their village.
Standardised version[edit]
During theSoviet Period,lelobecame standardised:
- "Nowadayslelois played according to strictly defined rules on a proper pitch of 90-135 m in length and 60-90m in width. The match ball is round and made of leather, filled with grass, horsehair or sheep's wool. It weighs 2.5 kg and is 85-90 cm long."[5]
This standardised version features fifteen-a-side teams (as perrugby union), and forward passing (in contrast to rugby football).[6]Players are allowed to knock the ball out of opponents' hands, but unlikeAmerican footballthe blocking of opponents without the ball is not allowed.[6]The pushing and tripping (or hacking) of opponents is also disallowed, and players are not allowed to jump on them.[6]The object is to get the ball into the goal mouth, which is known as amak.[6]
Players are also only allowed to carry the ball for five seconds before passing. The game consists of two halves of thirty minutes, with a ten-minute interval.[6]
Georgia: the "Lelos"[edit]
The Lelos (as they are nicknamed) are thenational rugby union team of Georgia.One standard cheer of Georgian rugby union fans isLelo, Lelo, Sakartvelo(Try, Try, Georgia).
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- GEORGIA LELO FEDERATIONOfficial site
- Louis, Victor & JenniferSport in the Soviet Union(Oxford Pergamon, 1980,ISBN0-08-024506-4)
- Lukashin, Yuri (ed)National Folk Sports in the USSR(Progress Publishing, Moscow 1980; translated by James Riordan)
- Lukashin, YuriFolk Games(inNational Folk Sports in the USSR)
- Richards, HuwA Game for Hooligans: The History of Rugby Union(Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh, 2007,ISBN978-1-84596-255-5) - Chapter 1 Fons et Origo, p27; Chapter 15 Going Forward, p291
External links[edit]
- [1]- Lelo game