Re: Duck Sports (dubwey sewious!)

From: John Hughes <john.hughes_at_...>
Date: Wed, 06 Aug 2003 12:51:07 +1000

Duck Sports. Hmmmm. Stewart sets the ball rolling with duck cricket.

Its a bit of a truism that national sports are reflections and microcosms of society (which makes me really suspicious of Canadians - ice hockey, whoooaaa! :)). Sports are a public arena where ritual, power, politics and fun are all on display. So, first up, what are some of the relevant characteristics of Durultz society?

• Sociable in small numbers.
• Hierarchical - tendency to form lines and queues.
• Competition for leadership.
• Non-fatal bullying and non-debilitating violence seen as part of natural order.
• Overbearing mothers, indifferent fathers, strong sibling bonds.
• Strong compensatory tendencies due to encounter with moXXXX human society.
• Paranoia - ditto.
• Aquatic focus on stream banks, lakes and ponds.
• Life skills of fishing, hunting, gathering.
• Careers centring on boats, cargo, river shipping, sailing, poles.
• We're not short. Weally.

So were looking for team sports with strong (though temporary) leaders, no great aversion to a bit of boover, in a water environment, and perhaps involving swimming, boats and poles.

• canoe jousting with barge polls?
• team gladiatorial combats against other ducks or giant snapping turtles (the Other enemy) - sort of a combination of water polo, WWF, and the Battle of the Coral Sea.

The durultz cults I'm developing feature some useful feats like Duck Torpedo, Wun on Water, Order Family, Intimidate Opponent, Wak! Wak! Whack!, and of course, the perennial 'Ho! Ha Ha! Guard! Turn! Perry! Dodge! Spin! ...splash.' (see http://www.barbneal.com/daffy.asp , wav 31).

There is also sword surfing, but that's a Hueymakt hero cult of Peg-leg Palug.

Of course, any sporting event will be replete with ritual, especially the swimmer with the sacred cigar/torch, in commemoration of the central duck myth, the Lightbwinger Qwest. That's when Poveri stole fire and sweet herb from hostile gods during the Great Ice, returning them to his people in the shape of a sacred cigar.

Cheers

John

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John Hughes
Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research Australian National University
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone (02) 6125 0649