ABSTRACT
The area described in this chapter encompasses the nations between the USA to the north and Colombia to the south. Mexico is by far the largest and most populous of these countries. It is bounded to the north by the USA and to the south by the narrow band of Central America, from Guatemala and Belize, through Honduras and El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. The entire region was home to a variety of indigenous people when Spanish conquerors arrived in the early 16th century, first in Mexico and then extending their dominion southward over the remainder of the region. The modern nations were created when they became independent of Spain in 1821. Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica were the original Central American republics. Panama was first part of Colombia, only obtaining its independence in 1903, and Belize was a British territory (called British Honduras) between the late 17th century and its independence in 1981, although it was claimed by Guatemala (as one of the political subdivisions of the nation, with the name Belice) during that period. Foreign interference, especially by the USA (and also France and Mexico), in the internal affairs of most of these nations has been common. US and European business interests, residence of foreign business representatives in each nation, and attendance by Mexicans and Central Americans in overseas schools and colleges, have been prominent factors in the social and cultural development of these countries, especially as regards early modern sport activities. The principal ‘racial’ categories existing in the region in the past and still present today
include indigenous people; mestizos (those who are a mixture of Spanish and indigenous, and all their subsequent combinations); those considering themselves to be of pure European stock (criollos blancos); and those of African origin, who emigrated long ago from the Caribbean islands. A distinct group, identifiable mainly in Belize and the Caribbean coastal areas of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, are the Garífunas, a mixture of African and indigenous Caribs, who also migrated from Caribbean islands to the mainland and Honduras’ offshore islands. Indigenous people of the region were variously exterminated, worked to death, isolated,
or incorporated in one form or other into the life established by the Spanish conquerors. Some of them retained languages, religions and customs of their ancestors (especially in Mexico and Guatemala). At the other extreme, they became mixed with the Spaniards, creating a ‘new race’ referred to as mestizo, forming the most numerous class of society, speaking Spanish and adopting modern cultural elements such as sport. Indigenous people of Mexico and Guatemala tend to consider themselves independent from the modern nations where they live. With the exception of studies of indigenous sport by anthropologists, there has been
very little sports history research completed related to Mexico and Central America. There are a few articles on special topics specific to Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua and
Costa Rica, and some books and articles on sport in Latin America in general contain material about Mexico and Central America. Authors of research on sport in the region are mainly foreigners; within the region sports historians tend to be journalists rather than academics, and their work largely involves descriptions of athletes, coaches and matches, rather than sociological and political aspects of sport. Much of their writing is largely anecdotal and rarely includes references that can aid an academic researcher. Most existing historical studies have focused on descriptions of general development of sport in a country, sport’s relation with society, government and nationalism, or the birth and development of a particular series of competitions. Two bibliographies compiled by Joseph Arbena for sport in Latin America reference many materials related to Mexico and Central America, arranged by period and by country of interest.1
