Origins of Mixed and Female Wrestling in the 20th Century

[sheehan333]

You are right on

Irs been around for many years, even longer than I have been around lol

Just didn thave the internet to share about it

Really !!! 

I thought U were there since the 1st bout was held LOL

[desertgoodguy]

Was just a child, but temember crwling out of the cave to watch it

[sheehan333]

Was just a child, but temember crwling out of the cave to watch it

Only look 



LOL

[desertgoodguy]

okay so I lied

Did like the woman in their animal skin tunics lol

[sheehan333]

Just found some photos of mixed wrestling Statues from Oslo.

Any one from Norway here who can probably shed some light on the origin of these

[sheehan333]

These are probably from the middle ages not sure though

[sheehan333]

Was trying to unearth this incident since I was a kid, finally found a reference of this story in a blog. In my childhood days I heard about a famous strongwomen and wrestler called Hamida Bano being referred in writings of a few writers as a symbol of female strength. But I searched a long time in vain to find out about who she was or what she accomplished. A few months back discovered a blog which tells her story in reference to women wrestlers.

Hamida Bano was a strongwoman and wrestler residing in the city of Baroda in India, this was probably sometime in 20th century the exact time period I am yet to identify. She had challenged a famous wrestler of her time named Bab. Bab was not only a local champion but had defeated many international  wrestlers. So obviously the challenge sounded like an insult to him and he refused saying that he cannot wrestle a woman, he was a wrestler of repute and however strong Hamida may be she was only a woman and would not stand a chance against a man. But Hamida persisted with her challenge and ultimately staked her honour saying that if Bab wins he can have her as his wife (imagine that at a time ripe with victorian morality). After this Bab had to wrestle her and he publicly vowed to end his career if he gets defeated by a woman. Everyone thought that Bab, who had defeated many international wrestlers would easily defeat Hamida. But to every ones surprise Hamida pinned Bab in one and a half minute to win the contest. (remember this was traditional wrestling of the olden times where bouts between equally matched wrestlers literally went one for days)

This is what I have discovered till now and would love to know more about her life any information would be appreciated.

[Ronald_Frump]

Good stuff sheehan333..... K+

[claw156]

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19540503&id=dJkcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3mQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5439,701472.

Google is wonderful. We can tell that Baba was just the third of her victims

[Ronald_Frump]

Nice work claw156....K+

[sheehan333]

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19540503&id=dJkcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3mQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5439,701472.

Google is wonderful. We can tell that Baba was just the third of her victims

Wow Claw156 great find and now we can see the date of this bouts and her size also Great Job. Here are a few more articles

She is around 5'3 and 230 lbs (her diet is also explained) and her last opponent was 252 lbs and atleast two of her bouts ended in less than two minutes. Also she has no female competition left in the country.

In 1954 we see she had defeated three wrestlers but by 1956 the correspondent mentions that the hope of her ever getting married has diminished as she now has defeated 80 wrestlers and her last opponent was the heavyweight champion of Patiala. Who very likely would be the court wrestler of the king of Patiala (a princely state newly joined with the Indian Union then). Another thing I noticed was that the news articles mention her from 3 places Jodhpur, Mirzapur and Baroda all three were princely states. Kings had the habit of maintaining court wrestlers or champions whom they would fight against other state's champion and some exceptionally talented were also sent to World Championships (World Champion Indian wrestlers like Gama and Gobar Guha had state patronage from princely states) Was hamida able to join such hallowed ranks then that would be a first for a female. The first female court wrestler in the world. This title was generally reserved for the heavyweights and she certainly was one


With Sandwina defeating Eugene Sandow and Hamida's feat we should be careful before believing in the male physical superiority over women

Remember in Indian traditional wrestling at that times the heavyweights were not paired exactly according to weight. After a certain weight you were a heavyweight and would have to face all above that weight i.e. she would have been facing larger men and defeating them in very short times in a format where bouts lasted for days between equals. That shows how talented she was taking on champion wrestlers and not random persons.

A clip for people to understand Indian traditional wrestling where only pin or knockout counts and bouts are said to be drawn if outright victory is not achieved (making bouts very defensive in nature)

BBC: Last Man Standing: heavyweight Kushti wrestling clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CF_FOx1iO0

These are amazing news clips. Thanks again Claw 156 for pointing me towards the right direction. Will update here if I find anything new


http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PNQzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rOgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5050,5973379&dq=hamida+banu&hl=en

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OyYsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hp4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3411,4581441&dq=hamida+banu+wrestling&hl=en

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HXQuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ooAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3825,4206956&dq=hamida+banu+wrestling&hl=en

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XtswAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9uEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4755,1474991&dq=hamida+banu+wrestling&hl=en


P.S. Stewie did U upload any pics in ur last reply ?? I can see two small boxes but the page is not loading fully.

[sheehan333]

Another article which mentions not only Hamida but an american woman wrestler, a Mrs Storey who beat her husband and bodily threw him out of their house to show who wears the pants 

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HklQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FlcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3799,2062283&dq=hamida+wrestling&hl=en

[sheehan333]

Apparently was born in 1932 to a famous wrestler Nadir, was raised into wrestling and was built like a brickhouse, had 320 bouts where she was undefeated. Only 3 of them were against women. But her vow to not marry anyone unless physically defeated cost her dearly in later life as she had to spend her last days in abject poverty being reduced to street vending to support herself. A sad end for a champion.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1076668

[gh122]

Great research on display, but are these wrestlers or paper weight? (sorry that was mean)

[sharetrader]

I understand now master