Imagining a Canadian Identity through Sport: A Historical Interpretation of Lacrosse and Hockey

Sport in Canada during the late 19th century was intended to promote physical excellence, emotional restraint, fair play, and discipline; yet these ideological principles were consistently undermined by the manner in which Canadians played the game of hockey. This article explores the genesis of vio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of American Folklore
Main Author: Robidoux, Michael A
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Project MUSE 2002
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/jaf.2002.0021
Description
Summary:Sport in Canada during the late 19th century was intended to promote physical excellence, emotional restraint, fair play, and discipline; yet these ideological principles were consistently undermined by the manner in which Canadians played the game of hockey. This article explores the genesis of violence in hockey by focusing on its vernacular origins and discusses the relevance of violence as an expression of Canadian national identity in terms of First Nations and French Canadian expressions of sport.