Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site

Imagining Sport as a Social Space in Thimlich Ohinga Society: Multivariate Approach

Sports were integral to Thimlich Ohinga society, serving as social institutions akin to religion and family from the 15th to the 20th century. This study reveals that games like bao, wrestling, swimming, spear throwing, and running thrived in this East African society, blending chance, physical skill, survival, and gender expression—particularly masculinity. Spear throwing, for instance, functioned as both defense and a means of raiding livestock, while bao reflected religious undertones tied to luck. Employing multivariate methods—archaeological, historical, and ethnographic—the research underscores sports' multifaceted role in non-complex societies, challenging conventional narratives by centering them in the study of East African history. These findings prompt further inquiry into sports as a social institution across broader East African and contemporary indigenous contexts.