What is Marn Grook?
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Marn Grook (also spelt marngrook), literally meaning "Game ball", is the collective name given to a number of traditional Australian Aboriginal ball games believed to have been played at gatherings and celebrations of up to 50 players. Marn Grook is especially notable as it is claimed by some to have had an influence on the modern game of Australian rules football, most notably in the catching of the kicked ball (the mark in Australian football) and, in particular, high jumping (the spectacular mark in Australian football) exhibited by the players of both games.
Pre Aussie Rules Charchol picture of Aboriginal People from
This game was played between two opposing totem clans ie: Eagles and Snake team.
There were no goals and it was like a game of "Keepings Off" with the team that has the most possessions winning the game. The player whom kicked the ball the highest and the fartherest was the best player for the game and was given the honor of burying the ball.
Evidence supports the game being played primarily by the Djabwurrung and Jardwadjali people and other tribes in the regions of western Victoria, Australia.
The earliest accounts, mostly from the colonial Victorian explorers and settlers, date back to just prior to the Victorian gold rush, but the game may have been played since ancient times.
Regarding the playing of the game:
- there was no scoring;
- teams could consist of extremely large numbers of players;
- games were played over an extremely large area;
- the main object appears to have been to have fun, although good passages of play by individual players was usually commented upon; this particularly applied to high marking.
References: Darrell Stos-Egan: Marn Grook project Film, Wikipedia.com
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