Nuba Wrestling Continued . . .

Potential orientalism acknowledged, the event really was a site to behold. We spent the next hour or so trying to figure out how it all worked, and to the best of our knowledge, it goes something like this:

1. the two teams of about 10 men parade around the arena, pausing occasionally to strike poses, jump, pick up the dust and chalk from the ground and rub it on their thighs, hands, and the backs of their necks


2. then they disappear to opposite sides of the ring, settling back deep into the crowd


3. a referee, in the middle of the inner-most chalked circle, blows his whistle and a couple wrestlers from each side make their way to the center


4. the athletes tease, pose for, and rile up the crowd, pacing their side of the outer chalk boundaries


5. one of the chosen wrestlers steps forward


6. the other team's chosen wrestlers size up their competitor until one of them approaches him and either the referee sets up the match to begin or they pick up a handful of dirt and throw it at his feet, apparently indicating that it's not a fitting match for the competition


7. if it isn't a good match, this selection/nomination process goes back and forth several rounds


8. eventually the referee decides it's time to start


9. the wrestlers crouch in the center of the ring, taunting each other by making quick grabs at each other's shoulders, head, and legs


10. after dancing around for a bit they usually lock heads and shoulders, reaching around and under their armpits and circling


11. the match ends when one wrestler is able to get both of the other's feet off the ground

Considering the power of my exoticizing imagination, the sport is fortunately un-gory, and graceful to watch. The athletes strut slowly around demonstrating their flexibility and stamina, with minimal flexing of muscles and overt aggression.


E contests that for him, the spectacle of Nubian Wrestling was an opportunity for him to be "one of the guys," out for their weekend entertainment, enjoying a good competition. For obvious reasons, I felt like more of an outsider at the event: . . .