Belt Wrestling, the Oldest Sport - International Belt Wrestling ...

of trouser/belt hold matches on a steamer journey from Quebec to Montreal, the incident is from a brief
illustrated article, which was published in FRANK LESLIE’s ILLUSTRATED NEWSPAPER on January
23 rd 1875.
Charles Morrow Wilson wrote, “The Magnificent Scufflers” in 1959. This described the history of a
jacket style of wrestling, which had developed from an amalgam of earlier English jacket and or belt
hold styles in the Eastern United States, though Wilson claims that it was Irish in origin. He also wrote
that the French Canadians despite the popularity of wrestling just south of the border in Vermont had
no indigenous style or styles of wrestling, and for some reason no interest in the sport; a claim which is
repeated in one or two Canadian books on the history of sport in Canada but is refuted by the
illustration above. Square hold or harness wrestling was a variation of collar and elbow style or, as
Wilson calls it, scuffling and he states that it came from England in the 17 th century, though English
historians disagree. It was a type of belt or harness wrestling but the right hand side of each belt had a
wooden handle so that the opponent could get an easy grip.
India
A Manipuri wrestling competition in 1899
Mukna is the Manipuri style of wrestling and is honoured as a trial of strength and skill; athletes of the
same or approximate physical build, weight and age are chosen as competitors. The wrestling matches
are always used for the closing ceremonies of the Lai Haraoba festival. Manipuri wrestling is a highly
popular and prestigious sport and before India became a republic enjoyed royal patronage.
Mizoram
Little is known of Mizoram‟s early history. Between 1750 and 1850 the Mizo (formerly called Lushai)
tribes migrated from the nearby Chin Hills and subjugated the culturally similar indigenous population.
Their wrestling style is called Inuban and oral tradition states that Inuban originated in the village of
Dungtland around 1750 A.D. as the sport of the Mizo people after they migrated from Burma to the
Lushai Hills.
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