The Ba'

Documentary about the Orkney Islands. The Ba’

Summary:

This Documentary is about a tradition in Kirkwall, on one of the Orkney Islands. It is called, the Ba’. There are 300-350 men participating in this game. The men in Kirkwall say it’s the forerunner of all ballgames, but in this game there are no rules. People believe that when the Ba’ (the ball) gets to a certain point, the people; farmers or fishermen will have a good year. The Uppies and the Doonies play this game against each other. It is a common thing that men break something. Most injuries are chest injuries. A man in this documentary says that, he thinks it started in the 13^th century. But they know for sure it was going on in the 1850-1890’s. The goal of the game is to get on to the shoulders of your teammate and stick the Ba’ in the air. That’s when you win. The one who gets the Ba’ is aloud to keep it.  People are so excited about the event, some people get nightmares about losing the Ba’. But it brings all the generations together so it has a social function. The Ba’ starts on new years day at one o’clock.

203 words

My opinion:

I saw this documentary on 30 december 2012. I thought it was funny the people on the Island have such different traditions than they have on the main land. When I still lived at my parents’ house, we went to Ameland every vacation. There they also have this really weird tradition called “Sunnekloas”. This is not a ball game, but there are also only men participating in this game. That’s why I remembered this documentary, because I could compare it to the Netherlands and the islands of the Netherlands. I think it is funny to see, that these island people really live in their own world. This Ba’ thing is a really big event for them and it is really important. Everybody believes that it could help them to have a good year, if they just can get the Ba’ in their hands. People are looking forward to this event the whole year. I think that it’s great to have such solidarity in the community of an island. But I wouldn’t want my son or father or boyfriend participate in the Ba’. It is a really rough game, and you can actually break bones in it. But I think they wouldn’t participate at all, because we are too down to earth in this part of the country.

220 words.

Bibliografie

Samsom, F. M. (30, December 2012). Uitzendinggemist.net. Opgeroepen op May 25, 2013, van Uitzendinggemist.net: http://www.uitzendinggemist.net/aflevering/174632/The_Ba.html