Reviving a 3,000-year-old Ancient Ballgame

Great Big Story

2 Jan 201803:40

Summary

TLDRThe video script delves into the ancient Mesoamerican ball game, a sport deeply rooted in cultural heritage. Players like Armando Osorio and Reina Maria Puig Shift emphasize the sport's spiritual significance, allowing ancestral energy to manifest through physical play. The game, played with a solid rubber ball, is gaining popularity, growing from four to seventeen states involved. It's seen as a gender-inclusive sport, aiming to provide economic opportunities and societal recognition, with aspirations of becoming a professional league.

Takeaways

🏆 The speaker views their sport as a deeply personal and spiritual practice, allowing their ancestors' energy to manifest through their physical actions.
🌟 The sport is described with a sense of profound love and passion, indicating it is more than just a game to the participants.
🌱 The sport is deeply rooted in Mesoamerican culture, suggesting a rich history and connection to ancestral traditions.
🏃 The game involves using a solid rubber ball and the objective is to remove the opponent from their court, showcasing a unique set of rules.
🌳 The ball used in the game is made from the sap of the rubber tree, highlighting the organic and traditional nature of the sport's equipment.
💪 The initial phase of the game is challenging due to the physical impact, resulting in bruises and contusions, which speaks to the sport's intensity.
📈 There has been a significant growth in the number of teams participating, indicating a rising interest and expansion of the sport.
👥 The sport is inclusive, with both men and women participating, reflecting the dual nature and the aim to honor ancestral traditions.
🌐 The ultimate goal is to have the sport recognized and supported by societies, potentially leading to economic opportunities for the players.
🚫 The sport was once prohibited by the Spanish Inquisition, which could have significantly impacted its historical development.
🌟 The aspiration is for the sport to become as professional and renowned as football, indicating a desire for mainstream recognition and success.

Q & A

What does the speaker consider their religion and way of thinking?
-The speaker views their religion and way of thinking as deeply connected to their ancestors and their spiritual connection, which they believe manifests physically during their sports activities.
How does the speaker describe their experience when playing the game?
-The speaker describes their experience as transcending their physical body, allowing the energy of their ancestors to manifest during the game.
What does the speaker express their feelings towards sports as?
-The speaker expresses a deep love for sports, equating it with life itself and considering it a vital part of their existence.
What is the significance of the Mesoamerican region mentioned in the script?
-The Mesoamerican region is significant as it is the origin of the ball game being discussed, and it is considered an important cultural and historical aspect of the speaker's identity.
What is the name of the person dedicated to spreading the ball game in Mexico and other countries?
-The person dedicated to spreading the ball game is named Armando Osorio.
What is the nature of the ball game being discussed?
-The ball game is described as an invasion game where the objective is to remove the opponent from their own court and get the ball through the middle of the back line.
What is the material and origin of the ball used in the game?
-The ball used in the game is made of solid rubber from a rubber tree, specifically from a tree called 'uña'.
What is considered the most challenging part of the game according to the script?
-The most challenging part of the game is the beginning, as it often results in large hematomas and severe bruising.
How has the number of teams participating in the game evolved over the years?
-Initially, there were four teams, which grew to eight the following year, and currently, there are seventeen states participating.
What is the significance of the game being both masculine and feminine according to Reina Maria Puig?
-Reina Maria Puig emphasizes that the game is both masculine and feminine, reflecting the dual nature of their ancestors and the desire to maintain this legacy for future generations.
What is the ultimate goal for the sport according to the speakers?
-The ultimate goal for the sport is to establish a professional league similar to football and to provide economic opportunities and societal inclusion for the youth through scholarships and professional play.
Why was the game prohibited during the time of the Holy Inquisition?
-The game was prohibited by the Holy Inquisition, which the speakers suggest might have contributed to its lesser-known status compared to football, had it not been banned.

Outlines

00:00

🏆 Traditional Mesoamerican Ball Game

The paragraph introduces the traditional Mesoamerican ball game, emphasizing its deep cultural and spiritual significance. It is described as a way of thinking and a form of worship, where players allow their ancestors' energy to manifest through their physical actions. The game is played to remove the opponent's ball from their court, using a solid rubber ball made from the sap of a tree. The speaker, Armando Osorio, is dedicated to spreading the game in Mexico and other countries, highlighting its importance as a cultural legacy and its potential for economic empowerment through scholarships and professional leagues. The paragraph also touches on the game's history, noting that it was banned by the Spanish Inquisition, and the speaker's dream of establishing a professional league similar to football.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Religion

Religion, in the context of the video, is presented as a deeply personal and cultural belief system that influences the way individuals think and act. It is closely tied to the theme of the video as it is mentioned that the speaker leaves their body to allow the energy of their ancestors to manifest during the game, suggesting a spiritual connection to their actions. This reflects the video's emphasis on the importance of cultural and ancestral roots in the practice of the sport.

💡Ancestors

Ancestors are referenced as a spiritual force that the speaker allows to manifest through their actions during the game. This concept is central to the video's narrative, highlighting the deep connection between the sport and the cultural heritage of the participants. It illustrates the video's theme of honoring and preserving traditions, as the game is seen as a way to connect with one's past and maintain a link to ancestral wisdom.

💡Pelota

Pelota, or 'ball' in English, is the central object in the sport being discussed. The video describes it as made of solid rubber from the sapodilla tree, emphasizing the traditional and natural aspects of the game. The ball is a key element in the sport, and its description helps to convey the video's message of preserving and promoting indigenous games and their cultural significance.

💡Invasion

Invasion is used to describe the strategic aspect of the game where the objective is to remove the opponent from their own court. This term is significant as it captures the competitive and territorial nature of the sport, which is a key aspect of the video's portrayal of the game. It also reflects the video's theme of cultural preservation, as the game is presented as a metaphor for cultural survival and resistance.

💡Cultural Legacy

Cultural Legacy is a recurring theme in the video, with the speakers expressing a desire to pass on the sport and its associated values to future generations. The term is used to emphasize the importance of maintaining cultural practices and traditions, which are seen as vital for the identity and continuity of the community. It is exemplified by the speaker's wish for the sport to be a legacy left to children and grandchildren.

💡Economic Opportunity

Economic Opportunity is mentioned in relation to the speaker's dream for the young players to receive scholarships and improve their economic status. This keyword is significant as it ties the sport to broader social issues and aspirations for social mobility. It reflects the video's message that the sport can serve as a means for personal and community development, beyond just physical activity.

💡Professional League

The concept of a Professional League is introduced as an aspiration for the sport, with the speaker dreaming of it being as famous as football. This keyword is important as it signifies the ambition to elevate the status of the sport and gain wider recognition and support. It also underscores the video's theme of cultural pride and the desire to see traditional games gain the same level of respect and popularity as more mainstream sports.

💡Santa Inquisition

The Santa Inquisition is mentioned as the historical force that prohibited the sport, suggesting that it was once more widespread and culturally significant. This keyword is crucial as it provides a historical context for the sport's decline and the video's narrative of revival. It also highlights the video's theme of resistance and the enduring nature of cultural practices despite historical challenges.

💡Mesoamerican

Mesoamerican refers to the cultural and geographical region that includes present-day Mexico and parts of Central America. The video uses this term to situate the sport within a broader cultural context, emphasizing its roots and significance in the region. It is important as it ties the sport to a specific cultural heritage and underscores the video's message of cultural preservation and pride.

💡Dual Participation

Dual Participation is highlighted as a characteristic of the sport, with both men and women participating equally. This keyword is significant as it challenges traditional gender roles in sports and emphasizes the video's theme of inclusivity and equality. It also serves to demonstrate the sport's potential to promote social values of diversity and equal opportunity.

💡Survival

Survival is used metaphorically to describe the sport's resilience and the efforts to keep it alive despite historical challenges. This keyword is central to the video's message of cultural persistence and the importance of maintaining traditions in the face of modernization and cultural erosion. It underscores the video's theme of the sport as a living link to the past and a means of cultural continuity.

Highlights

Religion and thought are deeply connected to the way of playing the game.

The player leaves their body to allow ancestral energy to manifest during the game.

Love for the sport is compared to love for breakfast.

The sport is described as being dead, yet integral to the player's life.

The game is played with a solid rubber ball made from the tree of uña.

Armando Osorio is dedicated to spreading the game of pelota in Mexico and other countries.

The game of pelota is an invasion game where the objective is to remove the opponent's ball from the field.

The most challenging part of the game is the beginning due to large hematomas and bruises.

The number of teams has grown from four to seventeen in recent years.

Reina Maria Puig is dedicated to the game of pelota, emphasizing its equal importance for both men and women.

The sport is seen as a legacy to be passed down to future generations.

The ultimate goal of the sport is to have societal contributions and possibly professional leagues.

The sport could have been more famous than football if not for the prohibition by the Santa Inquisition.

The dream is for young players to receive scholarships for economic upliftment and societal opportunities.

The sport is more than just a game; it's a lifestyle and a fashion.