Rural Olympiads as Promoters of Old Folk Sports and Games

Abstract

Traditional sports and games represent the folk tradition and culture of certain regions, part of the people’s intangible cultural heritage. Numerous traditional sports and games have been preserved in ex-Yugoslav republics, which are most often affirmed through village Olympiads and competitions in order to keep them from being forgotten. The aim of the study is to determine the content and program of rural Olympiads in ex-Yugoslav republics, the extent to which traditional sports and games are present, and the extent to which some modern sports are included. Also, the study focused on the impact of rural Olympiads on local communities and on the interaction between hosts and guests. The methodology used in the paper refers to field research (interview, observation), and document analysis, as well as the use of different data sources to validate and crosscheck findings. The results of the research indicate the presence of a large number of games of different character in the countries formed in Yugoslavia, as well as a large number of the same or similar games that arose more as a result of certain geographical and social conditions, and less as a feature of individual peoples.