AsolAap: India’s ancient traditional game of the islanders

AsolAap: India’s ancient traditional game of the islanders: AsolAap, also known as the Kayak Race, is an ancient pastime of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A canoe about 100′ in size is utilized in this sport. The athletes that can play in a single squad are determined by the shape and space of the kayak. The race is placed on the water, and only two teams are permitted to compete. This is owing to the level of the saltwater as well as the velocity, which varies from the coast to the ocean depths. Canoe races are held in Car Nicobar by the Nicobar Athletic Association. These races attract 45-90 participants, depending on the size of the boat. The race distance is around 5 to 6 kilometers.

AsolAap: India’s ancient traditional game

During the summer months, the sport is always arranged. This game is essentially a canoe racing on sand rather than in the sea. The apparatus for this game is fashioned from the trunk of the coconut tree. It is critical that each boat participating in the race have an equal number of participants. At any given moment, around 20 players participate. The participants sit in the boat with one foot inside and another outside, hitting the floor. The participants use their limbs to propel the canoe forward. The first competitor to cross the finish line is proclaimed the winner. Because Nicobar is full of sands and the terrain is level, it creates the game easier to play.

It is acceptable to state that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ real population comprises indigenous native people, i.e. tribal people. They have resided in the islands’ woods and jungles for generations, have a hunter-gatherer culture, and are believed to have thrived in significant isolation for aeons. The so-called “civilians,” or city/town residents, arrived much later, barely a few 100 years old.

History

The Nicobarese have been the only community in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India) that have their own cultures and beliefs, as well as their own unique sports. AsolAap and Asol – Tale Aap are 2 of the region’s prominent native games.

Canoeing is a popular practice among the Nicobarese tribes since it was the only way for them to go from one territory to another.

Description

The canoe width in AsolAap is roughly 100′, and the group of players in each team is determined by the size of the canoe. Because the race is held on the sea, and the level of water and velocity varies from coast to ocean depths, only two teams compete at a time.

Current status

The Nicobar Athletic Association organizes this event at Car Nicobar. The participants range from 40 to 90, depending on the size of the canoe. The event is around 5 to 6 kilometers long and takes place during the dry season.

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