Abstract
UNESCO in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development establishes respect for the environment and sustainability education as key elements for the challenges of society in the coming years. In the educational context, physical education can have a vital role in sustainability education, through Traditional Sporting Games (TSG). The aim of this research was to study from an ethnomotor perspective the different characteristics of two different groups of TSG (with and without objects) in the Canary Islands, Spain. The corpus of this investigation was made up of 513 TSG, identified by two analysis techniques and collected in a database. The categories corresponding to the variables of the internal logic of the game were the type of motor interaction, related to space, relationships with time (competition), and relationships with objects. The study also examined the variables of external logic or sociocultural conditions such as the protagonists, playing areas, and game moments. The data analysis was carried out using descriptive and inferential statistics: cross-tables, effect sizes, classification trees (CHAID), and the identification of frequency areas. Of the total number of playful activities identified (n = 664), most were physical activities (n = 513/664; 77.26%) (non-physical activities: n = 151/664; 22.74%). These activities were Quasi-games without rules (n = 87) and TSG (n = 426) as well as activities with Objects (n = 299) and without material (n = 214). This research confirms that the TSG in the Canary Islands is a mirror of traditional culture and, from a pedagogical approach, shows great potential for material and social sustainability.
Highlights
Almost 20 years ago, UNESCO (2003) defined intangible cultural heritage as “The ‘intangible cultural heritage’ means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts, and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.” According to Traditional Games Canarian Islands Ethnomotricity this definition, Traditional Sporting Games (TSG) constitute a cultural heritage, since they are manifestations that are expressed through body language, that is, motor actions (e.g., Caillois, 2001; Sutton-Smith, 2001; Huizinga, 2010)
Regarding games (Traga), there was a slight predominance of games with object (n = 216; Ar = −7.7; 42.1%) in relation to regulated activities without object (n = 210; Ar = 7.7; 40.9%)
This study attempted to reveal from an ethnomotor perspective the distinctive features of TSGs with and without objects identified in the Canary Islands, Spain
Summary
Almost 20 years ago, UNESCO (2003) defined intangible cultural heritage as “The ‘intangible cultural heritage’ means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts, and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.” According to Traditional Games Canarian Islands Ethnomotricity this definition, Traditional Sporting Games (TSG) constitute a cultural heritage, since they are manifestations that are expressed through body language, that is, motor actions (e.g., Caillois, 2001; Sutton-Smith, 2001; Huizinga, 2010). The 2nd article of the recently passed Canarian Law on Physical Activity and Sport (Ley, 2019) states “the right to know (...) and promote sport as an integral element of our culture, recovery, maintenance and development of autochthonous, and traditional sports and motor games (...), as an expression of our insular reality” (Law 1/2019, of January 30th, on Physical Activity and Sport in the Canary Islands, 2019). TSG are the main asset of physical education to enhance the local culture. These traditional activities constitute a cultural legacy in the respectful way of relating to others and to the environment. UNESCO’s 2030 agenda (UNESCO, 2017) establishes “respect for the environment and sustainability education as key elements for the challenges of society.”
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