Art and sport.When asked to get creative, some secondary school children in New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. did just that--and they were good sports about it, too! Children from 12 to 17years old created art on the theme "Sport and Olympism', in a national art and sport contest that was sponsored by the New Zealand Olympic Committee The New Zealand Olympic Committee (before 1994, The New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association) is the body in New Zealand responsible for selecting Athletes to represent New Zealand in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, as well as the Commonwealth Games. . The young artists were asked to use their imagination to draw, sculpt sculpt v. sculpt·ed, sculpt·ing, sculpts v.tr. 1. To sculpture (an object). 2. To shape, mold, or fashion especially with artistry or precision: , print, or paint what the theme means to them. But what does the word "Olympism" mean? Olympism is what the Olympic Games Olympic games, premier athletic meeting of ancient Greece, and, in modern times, series of international sports contests. The Olympics of Ancient Greece Although records cannot verify games earlier than 776 B.C. are all about: tolerance, unity, respect, fair play, friendship and peace. So this means that the Olympic Movement is about meeting and making new friends, being nice people from other cultures and other countries, being the best that you can be, or the joy found in effort. Olympism can be shown not only at the Olympic Games, but also in Everyday life. Whether playing at school or at home, using these ideas and values will make the game a whole lot more fun! In the Olympic Movement, art and education are just as important as sport. The first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece The term ancient Greece refers to the periods of Greek history in Classical Antiquity, lasting ca. 750 BC[1] (the archaic period) to 146 BC (the Roman conquest). It is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the foundation of Western Civilization. were not just about athletes and sports. Medals were also given for the winners of literature and music competitions. Have you seen the Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Games? You will see of art, creativity, imagination and music there. The Contest The entries ranged from 3D artworks to colored prints. The artists drew pictures that included the Olympic rings, sports, and athletes, and they also included things that you will only see in New Zealand--for example, mountains, plants, and mythical creatures from the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. The winning picture was a paper-mache painting called "Aotearoa--Land of the Long White Cloud White Cloud: see Waubeshiek. white cloud indicates high achievement. [Western Folklore: Jobes, 350] See : Success ." "Aotearoa" is the Maori name for New Zealand. The artwork shows lots of common New Zealand things, including rugby goal posts (one of our favorite sports is rugby!) and different animals. Can you spot the dolphin, the Tuatara tuatara (t  'ətär`ə) or tuatera (–tā`rə), lizardlike reptile, Sphenodon punctatus, (a type of lizard), and the kiwi (a bird with a long beak)? The painting also shows the Olympic rings--these rings are found not just in New Zealand, but all around the world! The painting was done by two classes from Greymouth High School, a school on the West coast of the South Island. This area has the least amount of people in the whole of New Zealand. Some children have to travel 80 kilometers (50 miles) a day to attend school. That's a long way! Wouldn't it be great if children everywhere were to draw, paint, or design their favorite sport? It could be an Olympic competition! A Story of Olympism The story begins on a cold winter afternoon at the 1964 Olympic two-man bobsled competition. The bobsled team from Britain, driven by Tony Nash, was in second place. Suddenly they discovered that they had broken a bolt on their sled. They were out of the race for sure! At the finish line, the great Italian bobsled driver Eugenio Monti Eugenio Monti (January 23, 1928 – December 1, 2003) was an Italian bobsledder. He is one of the most successful athletes in the history of this sport, with ten World championship medals (of which nine gold) and 6 Olympic medals, but is known also for an act of sportsmanship heard about their problem. Immediately he took the bolt out Verb 1. bolt out - leave suddenly and as if in a hurry; "The listeners bolted when he discussed his strange ideas"; "When she started to tell silly stories, I ran out" beetle off, run off, run out, bolt of his own sled and sent it up to the British team. After fixing their sled, the British team raced down the course and won the gold medal gold medal traditional first prize. [Western Cult: Misc.] See : Prize . Monti's Italian team won the bronze. When asked about his generous act, Monti said, "Tony Nash did not win because I gave him the bolt. Tony Nash won because he was the best driver." Eugenio Monti was given a special medal for his kindness--the best medal he had ever won. New Zealand is a small island country located south of Australia in the Pacific Ocean. About4 million people live on its two main islands. New Zealand has lots of beaches, forests, mountains, snow, farms, rivers and lakes. |
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