African recruits

[Takemi]

I have just heard a very interesting and also very funny audio clip once broadcast on swedish radio.

The year is 1994 and Heman Lindqvist a swedish author and journalist is explaining to the swedish people what sumo is all about. As the title sais: " the art of moving a fatso" .

Anyhow to get to the topic title. Herman mention in his report about sumo that there was once attempts from talent scouts to recruit african wrestlers, but there were not allowed to compete (I asume by the kyokai). And here comes the fun part, the reason why they werent allowed to compete were because of thier hair apperently it was to curly for the traditional hairstyle. That was the official excuse.

were there such a case of an attempt to recruit african wrestlers? And if so was their hair to curly for sumo? (Whistling...)

Over all the report was full of myth and prejudice. What can you do but laugh.

All you swedish speeking people make sure to listen to this fun report.

[Sasanishiki]

I don't know about African recruits, but with regard to curly hair, this has been encountered before with some of the Hawaiian rikishi. Akebono used to have quite a wave at the front of his oicho-mage and I have seen pictures of Konishiki with a big afro. He (Konishiki) had to get his hair straightened in what the Japanese call a "straight perm" so that it could go into a mage.

[Takemi]

OK.

Yes off course there is a easy solution to the "curly hair" problem.

Herman (the author) indicated that the curly hair wasnt the real reason to stopping the africans to compete.

[_the_mind_]

I don't know about African recruits, but with regard to curly hair, this has been encountered before with some of the Hawaiian rikishi. Akebono used to have quite a wave at the front of his oicho-mage and I have seen pictures of Konishiki with a big afro. He (Konishiki) had to get his hair straightened in what the Japanese call a "straight perm" so that it could go into a mage.

i was going to mention them, but also saying that someone of black heiritage cant get their hair into a mage would probably be quite a shock to Sentoryu.

[ilovesumo]

Sentoryu's mother is japanese. Japanese hair is strong and the opposite of curly, so , a good mixture.

[_the_mind_]

Sentoryu's mother is japanese. Japanese hair is strong and the opposite of curly, so , a good mixture.

well now i did not know he was half japanese, so i guess i learned something today :) thank you very much.