As I'm sure you are aware, there is growing movement to try to get the Vuvuzela banned at the World Cup, because it is too noisy and a distraction to the fans, players and media commentators. FIFA has shown their support for the vuvuzela by refusing to ban them.Here is part of the reason why:
"The vuvuzela is not some fad that arrived in South Africa with the World Cup. It is a part of African culture and history.
For communication
The commercial, plastic version that is all the rage today originated from the traditional vuvuzela, made from the horn of a kudu, an African version of a deer.
Hunters hollowed out the horns to create trumpets, which were used for communication.
Different sounds could mean an approaching enemy, an order to advance in battle, a call to an indaba (political meeting) or the funeral of an important person.
When kingdoms were replaced by states, the use of the kudu horn changed to scaring elephants, baboons and other animals from crop fields.
It was also used as a musical instrument.
Today, plastic trumpets have replaced the kudu horns and crop fields have been turned into sports stadiums.
But the menace of the “enemy” remains — now on the soccer pitch — and the noise of the vuvuzela is intended to symbolically scare them away.
Blacks in South Africa have a particularly emotional attachment to the vuvuzela. During apartheid, when their most basic freedoms were denied, it was in football stadiums they felt free to let loose, and, for the duration of a match, to blow all of their frustrations into the vuvuzela.
On one level, the noise was meant to rattle the opposing team and its fans. But symbolically, it was meant to blow away the injustice of apartheid.
To take away the vuvuzela during the World Cup would symbolize to black South Africans a restriction on their hard-won freedoms gained after a long and bitter struggle. And it would be seen as pouring scorn on the uniquely African nature of this World Cup."
For communication
The commercial, plastic version that is all the rage today originated from the traditional vuvuzela, made from the horn of a kudu, an African version of a deer.
Hunters hollowed out the horns to create trumpets, which were used for communication.
Different sounds could mean an approaching enemy, an order to advance in battle, a call to an indaba (political meeting) or the funeral of an important person.
When kingdoms were replaced by states, the use of the kudu horn changed to scaring elephants, baboons and other animals from crop fields.
It was also used as a musical instrument.
Today, plastic trumpets have replaced the kudu horns and crop fields have been turned into sports stadiums.
But the menace of the “enemy” remains — now on the soccer pitch — and the noise of the vuvuzela is intended to symbolically scare them away.
Blacks in South Africa have a particularly emotional attachment to the vuvuzela. During apartheid, when their most basic freedoms were denied, it was in football stadiums they felt free to let loose, and, for the duration of a match, to blow all of their frustrations into the vuvuzela.
On one level, the noise was meant to rattle the opposing team and its fans. But symbolically, it was meant to blow away the injustice of apartheid.
To take away the vuvuzela during the World Cup would symbolize to black South Africans a restriction on their hard-won freedoms gained after a long and bitter struggle. And it would be seen as pouring scorn on the uniquely African nature of this World Cup."
I'm glad that the vuvuzela will stay. Every country has their football traditions, this is Africa's way of showing the world their football pride.
Deal with it.
courtesy of the Toronto Sun
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