Stick fighting makes a comeback
The ancient art of stick fighting, practised for centuries among rural herdboys, is making a comeback in the bleak shack landscape of South Africa's Cape Town townships. In the past six months, a dozen clubs have sprung up. Contests with prize money of up to 1,000 rand (105 euros) are held nearly every weekend.
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Cape Town stick fighting
The game – which under Xhosa rules is played with two sticks, each about 1.2m long – is violent and high-energy. Senior players eschew helmets and their only protection during the 15-minute matches is a cloth, wrapped around the knuckles of the hand holding the ‘’defence’’ stick.
The groin and the area behind the ears are out of bounds. But blows to other parts of the head earn six points, as do strikes to the knees, ankles and wrists.
In Crossroads, a cramped township near the airport with tens of thousands of residents living in shacks and small houses, the Stick Fighting Company meets several times a week on an asphalt netball pitch.
"All Xhosa boys used to stick fight but the art was lost when so many moved to the city,’’ said Stick fighting Company founder Vuyisile Dyolotana.
‘’For years, township youngsters saw stick fighting as a backward pursuit. They preferred guns. Now that is changing. They can see that stick fighting teaches them to endure pain, and they want to reconnect with that,’’ added Dyolotana.
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