Trobriand Cricket: An Example of Syncretism

The Trobriand Islanders are the indigenous people of the Trobriand Islands (now called Kiriwina islands) who play a unique form of cricket that is often cited by anthropologists as an ideal example of syncretism, the blending of foreign and native traits into a new system that helps preserve native tradition in the face of repressive change, often brought about by foreigners. The story of the development and implementation of their particular form of cricket is fascinating, and today I'll share it with you.

In 1903 the Cricket game introduced to Native Trobrianders by British Missionaries in an effort to replace the erotic dancing and open sexuality that accompanied Yam fests and to replace the ritual warfare. At the time it followed traditional Cricket rules: limit 12 players, balls thrown over-handed, and standard European dress. However, the Trobrianders soon began to indigenize the game.

They added to the game their traditional battle dress, chants, and magic. For example, the bat is treated with specialized war magic to help it reach its target just as warriors had done previously with spears. There is also the chanting of songs full of sexual metaphors and the inclusion of erotic dancing (phallic symbolism, pelvic thrusting.) Additional changes included allowing everyone who wanted to play on the field, and throwing balls how they had previously thrown spears instead of the traditional over-handed style. This is far from what the Missionaries had intended.

Since the game's competitiveness originally led to conflict, it is now entirely ritualized. The winner is predetermined beforehand (always home team) with feast afterward in the losing team's honor. This shows off the home team's chief's wealth, magic, and generosity. Trobriand Cricket less about techniques of game-play and more about preserving tradition of Kayasa, or ritualized warfare, without the violence.

The game's aesthetics include the Kayasa tradition seen in dress, colors, magic, and use of dance. They utilize strong, loud, and powerful movements that you'd expect of a war dance. Additionally the entry and exit dances and chants and lining up beforehand in "battle" formation all stem from their former warfare practices.

The costume also originates from traditional battle dress. It includes feathers, grass skirts, and painted faces using a lot of black and white (traditional war colors.) The player's bodies are rubbed with coconut oil to increase courage, and they use of traditional pubic shields made from skin of betel nut tree.

Full Body Movement is important. Whenever they dance, the whole body is engaged. The feet are stomping or kicking, the arms are in motion, and they're slightly bent over. In some dances, there is mimicry of things experienced in life (for example, an airplane dance originating from WWII and a canoe dance). The whole body required to act these out.

Chanting also plays an essential role. Chanting occurs throughout the cricket game, both during the dances and during play. The chants can be magical or taunting. Taunts are often either bluntly insulting or sexual in nature. Many include hidden meanings and double entendre. This was once a tool for confusing the British.

Here's an example of a taunt: "Coconuts here! Tapioca there! I'm scraping! I'm scraping!" Meaningless to the British, but Tapioca is a phallic symbol to the Trobriand Islanders, and scraping of tapioca means preparing it for cooking, which is a symbol for sexuality in their culture.

Collection and Dispersal is also evident in the game/dance. After every out, all the players gather into the field's center to do a dance. They then scatter back into their game positions when the dance is over. They repeat this several times throughout the game. It's reminiscent of breathing: inhale to the center, exhale and disperse.

The intervals for this collection-dispersal pattern are pretty regular, and if any one decides to slow the game by taking his time at bat, other people get angry because the pattern of collection-dispersal is broken. As stated by Dance Anthropologist Sally Ann Ness, "The efficiency of the batter is sacrificed to maintain the rhythmicity of the game."

All the dances are choreographed and meaningful. These are not improvised dances like victory dances people may perform when they score a touchdown. The movement and words have specific meaning. You can see that the Trobrianders take this seriously by viewing this video from a British BBC challenge-style reality series Last One Standing. In that show, the contestants are challenged to participate in a game of Trobriand Cricket. They learn though experience that each team leader choreographs the dances, and each team has their own dances to represent their collective power. Improper delivery can be viewed as a sign of incompetence.

When it comes to Trobriand Cricket, the internal experience is as important as external. Best put by Anthropologist William A. Haviland, "Exuberance and pride are displayed by everyone associated with the game, and the players are as much concerned with conveying the full-meaning of who they are as they are with scoring well." The ritual is a source of inner pride and meaning as well as a connection to the team, tribe, and tradition.

To see the Trobrianders in action, check out this YouTube video.

Sources:

1. Haviland, William. Anthropology. 10th. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2003. 728-729. Print
2. Kildea, Gary, Prod. Trobriand Cricket: An Ingenious Response to Colonialism. Perf. Kildea, Gary, and Jerry Leach. Ronin Films: 1979, Film.
3. Ness, Sally Ann. "Understanding Cultural Performance: Trobriand Cricket." TDR 32.4 (1988): 135-147. Web. 31 May 2011.
4. Trobriand Cricket. Last Man Standing. BBC: 04 31 2007. Television. 31 May 2011. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1072955/episodes

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