Sport and society

Abstract

As early as the 1830s British settlers were organising horse races and cricket matches. The range of available sporting activities grew with the population, and sport became vital to Kiwi culture. Competitive sports such as running races, ball games and wrestling have long been a part of many societies, as a way of testing the physical qualities of individuals and bringing communities together. However, the origins of most modern sports can be traced to British society during the 18th and 19th centuries. New Zealand was predominantly settled by the British at the same time as the ‘games revolution’ was occurring in Britain – a period of change which coincided with the industrial revolution, and saw sports and games become generally more organised and orderly. Older British sports such as cricket, horse racing and rowing were quickly established and New Zealand was only slightly behind Britain in taking up newly organised sports such as rugby and tennis. A contribution to Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, by Greg Ryan.