Changes of organizations concerned with ethnic sports in Gotland

Abstract

“Gotland” is the island located in the center of the Baltic Sea, and it belongs to the Kingdom of Sweden. The peculiar culture has been raised from its historical background, geographical conditions, and linguistic difference of the island. It is quite different from cultures of the other part of Swedish mainland, North European countries and areas. People who live there call themselves “Gutar” which means Gotlanclian, and use the word of “fastland” which signifies the Swedish mainland. These words express their consciousness that distinguishes them from others. In Gotland many ethnic sports have been held since the old days, and they are said that they are peculiar to the island, and can't be seen in the Swedish mainland. Moreover, the islanders think that their own ethnic sports are very important components like Gotlandic dialect “Gutamal”, which has characteristic pronunciations and accents, to composing the cultural identity of Gotland. When those ethnic sports were exposed to other superior culture, the native islanders resisted violently to defend their own culture or adjusted themselves flexibly. This research pays attention to the forms and the functions of the organizations concerned with ethnic sports in Gotland. This research aims for consideration on how the organization reacted to the external pressure like superior culture of the Swedish mainland and the foreign cultures, and how they changed the awareness of their own culture.The results are summarized as follows, 1. In the period for about 30 years around 1900, conversion was seen to the organization concerned with ethnic sports in Gotland to “protect” it from the organization that “provided the place for the amusement”. From contact with the foreign culture, their own culture was realized again and the consciousness that it tried to protect this was shown.2. In the 1940-1950's, conversion was seen from the “protection” to the “maintenance and development” of ethnic sports. It is unacceptable any more to avoid contact with the outside, so the maintenance of the their own culture was planned by strengthening ethnic sports activities in the island. The prosperity of ethnic sports in Gotland around 1960-1970's result from the repulsion, the formation of counter culture against such unavoidable mainstream culture.3. After the 1960's, the organizations concerned with the “maintenance and development” of ethnic sports in Gotland have been changing gradually to play the part to “send their own culture outside” too. It is movement to recognize their own culture again by attempting to contact with other cultures.