08/21/2024
TEACHING MOMENT 👇
Some people do not know that there were ancient African games that had tremendous popularity and respect even before the arrival of sports like football, basketball, Volleyball and others to Africa, but regrettably these sports were dropped and slowly forgotten.
Long before c.olonialism, the high jump was a national sport at which Rwandans excelled. It was a tradition of great importance in Rwandan society, as men would frequently jump over 6 feet 6 inches in displays of their physical abilities. At important celebrations, the Rwandan kings would order a series of cultural activities to be performed at the court. The high jump was one of the activities typically included at such events. It was also performed at important weddings and outside the court at local gatherings of importance.
Both the young and the old played gusimbuka urukiramende. Children would plant two sticks, horizontally place another pole, and compete according to their ages. Kids tending livestock used their breaks to play the game until the evening when they would take their cattle back home.
