In The Process Of Modernization Of The Gelao Village Sports Change And Development In Wuchuan County Longtan Village As A Case

Gelao nationality is one of the 17 native minorities in Guizhou, having a long history and splendid culture. The traditional sports of Gelao nationality are an indispensable part of its culture. They are living fossils, reflecting the historical changing of Gelao nationality, constantly promoting the internal communication of this group of people, enriching their life and enhancing their spirit. However, in the accelerating process of modernization, the inheritance of Gelao ethnic sports is hugely influenced. This paper will analyze in detail the development of Gelao sports through literature review and field survey, which is carried out in Longtan village, Wuchuan Autonomous County.First, traditional sports of Gelao nationality originated from cinnabar culture and the production as well as the life style of Gelao people. In the process of historical development, these sports strengthened the exchanges inside of this ethnic group, enhanced the connections between villages, promoted the harmonious development of the nation, and enriched the cultural life of Gelao society.Second, the developments of Gelao sports mainly went through five stages, namely, the primitive, self-sufficient, pre-modernization stage; the frustrated stage caused by political unsteadiness; recovery stage; rapid development stage; and the modern development stage, featured by the blending of traditions and new creations.Third, with the development of economy, new tendencies occurred to traditional Gelao sports. People are now emphasizing on material rewards of these sport competitions, focusing on the improvement of field conditions and equipments, perfecting the rules of various traditional sports, and varying the forms of games as well as their practicing. The organizers of sports competitions are also changing from village chiefs to schools and governments. Now traditional sports competitions are usually held annually in fixed times.Fourth, Gelao sports are an important part of minority culture. During the thousands of years’ development, these sports helped to form the unique cultural characteristics of Gelao nationality. These sports are local, unique, traditional, popular and competitive, reflecting the integration of various cultures at the same time.Fifth, Gelao sports are highly valued because they recorded and promoted the development and history of Gelao people. They enhanced the cultural identity as well as internal exchanges of this minority group and enriched their life. For the development of individuals, these sports satisfied people’s physical needs for health and emotional needs for recreations, promoting the education, inheritance and development of ethical cultures.Sixth, due to the progress of modern information technology and the evolution of production and life style, tremendous changes occurred to the inherence and development of traditional sports of Gelao nationality. They are also influenced by modern tourism, the promotion of western sports, economic and political policies etc.