Kirip ( Nicobarese wrestling )
Kirip is an indigenous form of wrestling quite popular with the
Nicobarese tribe. In this sport, before the bout begins, wrestlers grip
each other from behind with their hands, and this grip is not to be
slackened till the very end of the competition. The wrestler, using
various parts of the body, including the leg, tries to thrust the
opponent to the ground. If a contestant's back touches the ground, he is
declared the loser.
Three to five rounds take place before the final verdict is given.
Saldu, a form of wrestling, is one of
the prominent sports of the Nicobarese tribe. This game does not require
a court, only vacant land. The field is divided by a line in the centre,
and there are no boundary lines. The number of players is as desired,
but each team is to comprise equal number of players. Usually, a maximum
of 20 players are allowed in each team.
The raiders stand on one side of the centre line. One player from the
team of raiders enters the area of the defenders and tries to touch
them, and then get back to his side, crossing the centre line. If he
succeeds in doing so, the raiders win a point. Each player touched is
declared dead, and is consequently out of the game. If the raider is
caught by the defenders in their court, the defenders win a point, and
the raider is out of the game.
The team of defenders then assume the role of raiders, and thus the
game continues. When the game reaches the pre - determined time limit or
when all the players of one team have been sent out of the game, the
game ends. The team scoring the maximum number of points at the game's
end is the winner.
As there are no boundaries to the field, Saldu demands far more
stamina, speed and endurance than Kabaddi. During a special festival of
the Nicobarese tribe, women and men upto the age of 40 years participate
with much gusto in this game.
Ke Nang Haun ( Pig Fight with Man )
Another popular sport of the Nicobarese tribals is the pig fight,
which is an essential part of their festivals. The fight is the domain
of the male members of the tribe.
Most of the pigs, both wild and tame, are put into a cage, made of
bamboo. One leg of the pig is tied with a long nylon rope. The cage is
then smashed with an axe, and the contestants ( usually two ),
positioned in front of the cage, at a distance of 5 - 6 metres, get
ready for action. The pig emerges out of the broken cage, and as it is
in a rather terrified and hostile state of mind, it naturally charges at
anybody it sees. There are two to three experts in pig - fighting, who
are appointed to control the movement of the pig by the rope. As a rule,
two men at a time are asked to fight the contest. As soon as the pig
charges at them, the fighter has to grab both the ears of the pig and
control it. If he succeeds in doing this, he is declared the ace fighter
of the island.
Pig - fights take place in wide, open spaces, so that the pig can run
around easily, and the fighter is also not hampered in any manner. The
contest takes place after sunrise and always on clear, sunny days. |