Living in Culture

Happy Super Bowl month! I’m sure many from the United States stayed up late last night to see the Philadelphia Eagles win. That’s my hometown team, so my area of South Jersey was bouncing with excitement!

The United States is known for its rough, favorite sport, football, but other countries and cultures around the world have their own unique sporting events that draw attention from around their country. So below, read more to learn about Canadian Hockey, Sri Lankan Cricket, and last but not least, Nigerian Langa.

Canadian Hockey

Just like how we Americans love football, Canadians love hockey. The country has leagues like the Canadian Hockey League and the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, but it also has teams in the United States-dominated National Hockey League. Of the Canadian NHL teams, the Montreal Canadiens are Canada’s most successful hockey team, having won the Stanley Cup 24 times. The Canadiens are also the oldest continuously operating NHL team. Ice hockey is the country’s national winter sport, fitting for the cold climate of the large country. There are many deep-rooted fan bases in families all over Canada and watching the hockey game is part of their weekly routine.

The game is played between two teams of six players each, including a goalie, on an ice rink. Players use sticks to control and shoot a puck, aiming to score goals in the opposing team’s net. The game is fast-paced, with players skating, passing, and checking to gain possession. Hockey can also be seen as an aggressive sport because of its high intensity, high contact, and fast pace. It consists of three 20-minute periods, and the team with the most goals wins. Players can be penalized for infractions like tripping or high-sticking, benefiting the other team. If the game is tied, overtime or a shootout determines the winner. Even though the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup was in 1993, the country still loves hockey and the culture surrounding it.

Sri Lankan Cricket

Sri Lanka is a country close to my heart as my maternal grandparents were born and raised there. My grandfather even played this sport when he lived in Sri Lanka during his adolescent years. Cricket is popular, especially in the Southern part of Asia where teams are very successful in world championships. For example, India won the 2024 Cricket World Cup. Regardless, Cricket is the most popular sport in Sri Lanka today. It unites the country even in times of crisis. Many high schools in the country have teams, some that become very successful like the one my grandfather played on.

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on a large field with a 22-yard pitch in the center. One team tries to score runs by hitting the ball and running between wickets (three vertical wooden sticks topped with two small wooden pieces ). The other team, the bowling team, aims to get batters out by hitting the stumps or catching the ball. Each inning ends when ten batters are out of a set of overs (six-ball sequence) and are bowled. By the end of the game, the team with the most runs wins. The game can be played in different formats with slightly different rules.

Nigerian Langa

This sport popular in Nigeria called Langa requires skills like balance and endurance to succeed. Originally used to determine the strongest, bravest, and most fit for significant roles in society, Langa is still a popular game. Played on an open field, with teams of six to three, Langa requires intense core strength as the objective is to outmaneuver opponents while staying on one leg. However, exact rules and regulations can vary from region to region. Some determine the winner as the last person standing or as the first to cross the finish line in a race style of the game.

Winners are normally throughout the best of five rounds, and whenever you put your second leg down, you are eliminated. Players try to knock over their opponents with their shoulders or elbows while keeping their balance on one leg. This game is deeply rooted in Nigerian culture and part of the lives of many in the country. It fosters values like teamwork, perseverance, endurance, and discipline.

In Conclusion

Each country around the world has a unique sport that brings people together. That is one of the best parts about sports—the way they are able to bring communities together as people root for their team to win. Many of these sports are hardly talked about and may seem confusing at first, but when you take the time to learn a little bit more, you will understand a fascinating culture.