Native American dominance in lacrosse has been prevalent for centuries. A common stereotype found typically at the high school and collegiate level of the game, is that Native Americans are some of the most elite athletes in the sport. While we have learned from Golash-Boza and films in class that stereotypes can often be highly exaggerated and far from the truth; this stereotype has validity as to why Native Americans are some of the most elite lacrosse athletes in the nation.
The game of lacrosse was first recorded in 1689 in a book called An Account of the Indians in Virginia by John Clayton. The first tribe to ever be documented playing lacrosse was the Powhatans. Clayton believed the Native Americans played lacrosse as a "medicine game." The tribes would play to heal their family members who were sick, elderly and weak. Women were forbidden to play this sacred game for thousands of years. (Keepers of the Game, 2016)
Present day, three Native American men from the same tribe have dominated the collegiate game. The Thompson brothers, at the University of Albany, became #1 and #2 of all time in history for points scored in a single season. On an ESPN feature, Lyle and Miles Thompson explain that in their Onongada Tribe in upstate New York, on their reservation lands, lacrosse is not just a game, but rather a way of life. Once a male is born into the tribe, he receives a miniature hand carved lacrosse stick, and learns to play as soon as he can run. Lacrosse is now becoming popular with Native American women, who want to bring pride to their tribes and reservation lands as well.
Sources:
Aveni,
A. (2010, December). History.org: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's
Official History and Citizenship Website. Retrieved April 20, 2016, from
https://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/winter10/lacrosse.cfm
Barnes, K. (2016, April 18). Keepers of the Game :
ESPNW. Retrieved April 20, 2016, from
http://espn.go.com/espnw/culture/article/15273999/tribeca-espn-sports-film-festival-premieres-keepers-game
Sports
Center Featured: Thompson Brothers. (2015, January 15). Retrieved April 20,
2016, from http://www.laxmagazine.com/blogs/author/
Stereotypes by their very nature do not have legitimacy. The phenomenon you are writing about is one of tradition, opportunity and culture. Think about Race The Power of An Illusion--"race" as we define it does not correlate with athletic, intellectual or artistic ability
ReplyDeleteExcellent point, however I would like to clarify on my previous post. I did not mean in any way that just because one identifies as Native American, they are automatically good at lacrosse. I was attempting to analyze the background and culture Native Americans have in the game of lacrosse, and in their tribe the game is more than just a sport. This post was more to identify and give an insight as to why some of the most elite collegiate lacrosse players are Native American, and how they are able to achieve at such a high level. Native Americans are not gifted in lacrosse because of their race, but rather the significance and symbolism the sport has within a tribe.
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