Did you know the vuvuzela (a Zulu word) was originally crafted out of the horn of an antelope and used to alert far away people of a community gathering?

Amidst the uproar about the vuvuzela’s damaging effects to one’s hearing and the loss of concentration players have suffered (and the annoyance to viewers), there are also many people supporting its use for symbolic, cultural reasons. Below is a selection of quotations from various people involved in South African football/soccer and the World Cup.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, a member of the England Supporter’s Band said

the plastic instruments were part of the local culture and should not be banned from inside stadiums…I bet there is not a single South African player complaining about the vuvuzela. They see it as more than just a noise, it’s about the whole spirit of the thing.

A story in The Express Tribune, a Pakistani periodical, describes that

…some commentators have defended the vuvuzela as being an integral and unique part of South African football culture and say it adds to the atmosphere of the game. BBC sports commentator Farayi Mungazi said the sound of the horn was the ‘recognised sound of football in South Africa’ and is ‘absolutely essential for an authentic South African footballing experience’.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter commented,

I have always said that Africa has a different rhythm, a different sound. I don’t see banning the music traditions of fans in their own country. Would you want to see a ban on the fan traditions in your country? We should not try to Europeanise an African World Cup.

We’d love to hear other perspectives on the topic, so leave a comment below. And, click here to read 10 interesting facts about the vuvuzela from the BBC.

Mike

RW3 CultureWizard

The World Cup is an inherently multicultural, global event that brings people from a number of cultures together in support of various national teams, much like the Olympics. Today, it’s curious that many so-called “national teams” consist of players who themselves represent a multitude of nationalities while bearing a single country’s name on their jerseys. As a highly regarded sport in many countries, scoring goals becomes a pseudo-national cause, which for many people fuels a certain sense of national pride and even power. Let’s take South Korea as an example.

Foreigners cheer for Korea in Seoul last week when they played against Nigeria. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

According to the Korea Times, fans of various national origins (as seen in the picture above) reacted exuberantly after Korea’s advance to the second round of the World Cup.

Some set off fireworks, threw shreds of paper in the air or sprayed beer they were drinking on surrounding people, fueling the festive mood. A handful of supporters sobbed out of unbearable pleasure.

‘I’m so happy. My feelings cannot be better at this moment,’ said Kim Young-sook, a Korean-Brazilian, while wiping away tears rolling down her cheeks with a handkerchief. ‘I’m really proud of being Korean. I expect to see the Korean team pitted against Brazil in the final match.’

Another spectator explained he became a patriot after experiencing Korea’s victory.

I’ve never seen a football match like this. Our team’s advancement to the final 16 instilled a sense of patriotism in me. I’m so happy.

I was in Hamburg when Germany won the match against Australia (4 – 0). The streets were flooded. People were riding on the roofs of their cars, honking their horns and waving German flags, chanting words alluding to the potential of Germany winning the World Cup. People were cheering and smiling at everyone that passed, regardless of where they came from.

The sense of unity through victory is a powerful cultural force that allows friendly competition between nations. Victory simulated an intense feeling of gratification in the cases of both South Korea and Germany, which was also an opportunity for the press to boast on a global playing field. There’s a book by Franklin Foer called How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization, which provides a very interesting look at the nearly universal appeal of the sport and its unexpected global impact.

We’d love to hear any stories, intercultural or otherwise, from our readers, especially those who’ve attended a game in South Africa. What has the vibe been in the stadiums? Have the games affected your perception of other peoples and cultures? Let us know.

Sean

RW3 CultureWizard