Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/Aboriginal Lore/Answer Key"
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| − | + | '''Marn Grook''' (also spelt ''marngrook'') is an [[Australian Aborigine|Australian Aboriginal]] ball game, which is wrongfully claimed to have had an influence on the modern game of [[Australian rules football]], most notably in the spectacular jumping and [[Mark (Australian football)|high marking]] exhibited by the players of both games. It's a nice, however false, piece of marketing but is obviously a crock - everyone knows AFL was just an exercise to keep cricketers fit in the off-season, the fact it has evolved into a sport is testament to the "unique" nature of Victorians. | |
| − | + | Marn Grook, literally meaning "Game ball", was a traditional game played at gatherings and celebrations of up to 50 players by the [[Gunditjmara|Djabwurrung]] and [http://www2.visitvictoria.com/displayObject.cfm/ObjectID.00043955-3A4A-1A66-88CD80C476A90318/vvt.vhtml Jardwadjali] people of western [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]]. | |
| − | + | == Eye-witness accounts == | |
| + | [[Robert Brough-Smyth]], in an [[1878]] book ''The Aborigines of Victoria'', quoted Richard Thomas, a [[Protector of Aborigines]] in Victoria, who stated that in about [[1841]] he had witnessed Aborigines playing the game. | ||
| + | :''The men and boys joyfully assemble when this game is to be played. One makes a ball of [[possum]] skin, somewhat elastic, but firm and strong. The players of this game do not throw the ball as a white man might do, but drop it and at the same time kicks it with his foot. The tallest men have the best chances in this game. Some of them will leap as high as five feet from the ground to catch the ball. The person who secures the ball kicks it. This continues for hours and the natives never seem to tire of the exercise.'' | ||
| + | In [[1889]], anthropologist [[Alfred Howitt]], wrote that the game was played between large groups on a [[totemic]] basis — the white [[cockatoo]]s versus the black cockatoos, for example, which accorded with their [[Australian Aboriginal kinship|skin system]]. Acclaim and recognition went to the players who could leap or kick the highest. Howitt wrote: | ||
| + | :''This game of ball-playing was also practised among the [[Kurnai]], the Wolgal ([[Tumut]] river people), the Wotjoballuk as well as by the [[Wurundjeri|Woiworung]], and was probably known to most tribes of south-eastern Australia. The Kurnai made the ball from the [[scrotum]] of an "old man [[kangaroo]]", the Woiworung made it of tightly rolled up pieces of [[possum|opossum]] skin. It was called by them "mangurt". In this tribe the two [[Australian Aboriginal kinship|exogamous divisions]], [[Bunjil]] and Waa, played on opposite sides. The Wotjoballuk also played this game, with Krokitch on one side and Gamutch on the other. The mangurt was sent as a token of friendship from one to another.<ref>AW Howitt, "Notes on Australian Message Sticks and Messengers", ''Journal of the Anthropological Institute'', London, 1889, p 2, note 4, Reprinted by Ngarak Press, 1998, ISBN 1-875254-25-0</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Tom Wills]], who drew up the rules of Australian rules football in [[1858]]-59, was raised in Victoria's western districts and is said to have played with local Aboriginal children.<ref>http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/MediaRelArc02.nsf/17ed9415cb17e3d34a25682500254734/67d1f54851b3304b4a256965007bb637!OpenDocument&Click=</ref> He recalled watching a game in which they kicked a [[possum]] skin about the size of an orange, stuffed with charcoal.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Marn Grook and the football term "mark" == | ||
| + | Some claim that the origin of the [[Australian rules]] term "[[Mark (Australian football)|mark]]", meaning a clean, [[fair catch]] of a kicked ball, followed by a [[free kick]], is derived from the Aboriginal word "''mumarki''" used in ''Marn Grook'', and meaning "to catch".<ref>http://www.footystamps.com/ot_early_history.htm</ref><ref>http://www.aboriginalfootball.com.au/marngrook.html</ref> However, many believe that this is a [[false etymology]] and that the term instead came from the practice — in old and/or extinct [[football|British football codes]] — of a player who had caught the ball ''marking'' the ground with a foot, to show where the catch had been taken, and calling "mark" to be awarded a free kick. The term mark has been used in modern football codes since the 1830s, notably in [[rugby football]] and early [[Association football]] (soccer). It is still used in [[rugby union]], in reference to a fair catch by a player who calls "mark" when catching a ball inside their team's 22 metre line. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == The "Marngrook Trophy" == | ||
| + | |||
| + | In [[2002]], in a game at [[Stadium Australia]], the [[Sydney Swans]] and [[Essendon Football Club]] began to compete for the '''''Marngrook Trophy''''', awarded after home-and-away matches each year between the two teams in the [[Australian Football League]]. However, the games are played under normal rules of the AFL, rather than anything approaching Marn Grook. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | + | <div class="references-small"><references /></div> | |
| − | * http://www. | + | |
| − | + | == External links == | |
| − | + | * [http://www.aboriginalfootball.com.au/marngrook.html AboriginalFootball.com, "Marn Grook"] | |
| − | + | ||
[[Category:Australian Aboriginal culture]] | [[Category:Australian Aboriginal culture]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Australian rules football]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Sport in Australia]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Traditional football]] | ||
[[Category:Australian Aboriginal words and phrases]] | [[Category:Australian Aboriginal words and phrases]] | ||
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Revision as of 03:49, 19 March 2007
Marn Grook (also spelt marngrook) is an Australian Aboriginal ball game, which is wrongfully claimed to have had an influence on the modern game of Australian rules football, most notably in the spectacular jumping and high marking exhibited by the players of both games. It's a nice, however false, piece of marketing but is obviously a crock - everyone knows AFL was just an exercise to keep cricketers fit in the off-season, the fact it has evolved into a sport is testament to the "unique" nature of Victorians.
Marn Grook, literally meaning "Game ball", was a traditional game played at gatherings and celebrations of up to 50 players by the Djabwurrung and Jardwadjali people of western Victoria.
Eye-witness accounts
Robert Brough-Smyth, in an 1878 book The Aborigines of Victoria, quoted Richard Thomas, a Protector of Aborigines in Victoria, who stated that in about 1841 he had witnessed Aborigines playing the game.
- The men and boys joyfully assemble when this game is to be played. One makes a ball of possum skin, somewhat elastic, but firm and strong. The players of this game do not throw the ball as a white man might do, but drop it and at the same time kicks it with his foot. The tallest men have the best chances in this game. Some of them will leap as high as five feet from the ground to catch the ball. The person who secures the ball kicks it. This continues for hours and the natives never seem to tire of the exercise.
In 1889, anthropologist Alfred Howitt, wrote that the game was played between large groups on a totemic basis — the white cockatoos versus the black cockatoos, for example, which accorded with their skin system. Acclaim and recognition went to the players who could leap or kick the highest. Howitt wrote:
- This game of ball-playing was also practised among the Kurnai, the Wolgal (Tumut river people), the Wotjoballuk as well as by the Woiworung, and was probably known to most tribes of south-eastern Australia. The Kurnai made the ball from the scrotum of an "old man kangaroo", the Woiworung made it of tightly rolled up pieces of opossum skin. It was called by them "mangurt". In this tribe the two exogamous divisions, Bunjil and Waa, played on opposite sides. The Wotjoballuk also played this game, with Krokitch on one side and Gamutch on the other. The mangurt was sent as a token of friendship from one to another.&
Tom Wills, who drew up the rules of Australian rules football in 1858-59, was raised in Victoria's western districts and is said to have played with local Aboriginal children.& He recalled watching a game in which they kicked a possum skin about the size of an orange, stuffed with charcoal.Template:Fact
Marn Grook and the football term "mark"
Some claim that the origin of the Australian rules term "mark", meaning a clean, fair catch of a kicked ball, followed by a free kick, is derived from the Aboriginal word "mumarki" used in Marn Grook, and meaning "to catch".&& However, many believe that this is a false etymology and that the term instead came from the practice — in old and/or extinct British football codes — of a player who had caught the ball marking the ground with a foot, to show where the catch had been taken, and calling "mark" to be awarded a free kick. The term mark has been used in modern football codes since the 1830s, notably in rugby football and early Association football (soccer). It is still used in rugby union, in reference to a fair catch by a player who calls "mark" when catching a ball inside their team's 22 metre line.
The "Marngrook Trophy"
In 2002, in a game at Stadium Australia, the Sydney Swans and Essendon Football Club began to compete for the Marngrook Trophy, awarded after home-and-away matches each year between the two teams in the Australian Football League. However, the games are played under normal rules of the AFL, rather than anything approaching Marn Grook.
References
- ↑ AW Howitt, "Notes on Australian Message Sticks and Messengers", Journal of the Anthropological Institute, London, 1889, p 2, note 4, Reprinted by Ngarak Press, 1998, ISBN 1-875254-25-0
- ↑ http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/MediaRelArc02.nsf/17ed9415cb17e3d34a25682500254734/67d1f54851b3304b4a256965007bb637!OpenDocument&Click=
- ↑ http://www.footystamps.com/ot_early_history.htm
- ↑ http://www.aboriginalfootball.com.au/marngrook.html
