Talk:Woggabaliri

Woggabaliri

Who created this article in the first instance? What background do they have in this area? All the sources for the article end in the same singular source. Given inaccuracies in the article and the supporting documents, it seems like this may have been created to push someone's agenda and woggabaliri may not have actually existed as a sport as claimed.

It certainly could not have been recognised as the first indigenous sport by any reputable organisation as there is no way for us to date sports that occurred before white settlement, and there were plenty of other sports played by the aborigines before white settlement. There were certainly more games that have a lot more literature on them other than this one from the time of early settlement.—Preceding unsigned comment added by Wikinick99 (talk • contribs) 10:43, 3 November 2010

Picture

How can this picture, from Victoria, be shown here as evidence of an aboriginal game played in central NSW? Hasn't it occurred to anyone that someone has appropriated this picture, and the language to describe Marn Grook (almost word for word) to push some agenda? How is that we have stacks of material on Marn grook but absolutely nothing on Woggabaliri? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.127.213.166 (talk) 21:17, 3 November 2010 (UTC)

I've taken the photo out, because it's quite speculative for anyone to associate the etching of a game played in Victoria (with numerous eye-witness accounts from the period), with this game that has been "re-discovered" in the past decade (and which is obviously a piss take).

Someone has added the picture again, so I took it out again. I agree with the previous two posts that a picture depicting Victoria is not related to a game supposedly played in NSW. Indigenous Australians are not one homogeneous group and by linking a picture of Marn Grook with 'Waggabaliri' is misleading. Norwestie (talk) 11:03, 30 August 2011 (UTC)

The claim that the game represents Woggabaliri is made by the Australian Sports Commission. The sources say it is "more likely" the game is Woggabaliri than Marn Grook, partly because of the name of the engraving and partly as it is a scene near Merbein which is more than 400km from where Marn Grook was known to have been played but consideably closer to where Woggabaliri was played. For example, the Gunditjmara who played Marn Grook lived around Portland which is 470km from Merbein and historians can find no evidence that Marn Grook was played north of the Grampians. In fact, historians can find no evidence Marn Grook was played by the Djabwurrung and Jardwadjali although this is claimed in that article. On the other hand Woggabaliri was known to have been played not far from Balranald which is 120km from Merbein. It's quite likely it is another game entirely but again we have to use what the sources say or we get into WP:OR. The caption does not name the game being played so it is entirely NPOV and appropriate in this article. Wayne (talk) 15:18, 30 August 2011 (UTC)

"History"

It begins with Often confused as a variant of Marn Grook,. Often confused? Who confuses them? No one even knows this game exists! There is no mention of it until someone pulled this blokes leg for a laugh about a decade ago. So how can it be "often confused"? It suggests the writer of this article is biased and is trying to peddle a particular line here. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.14.81.49 (talk) 01:19, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

I've removed the often confused part. I would stress though, that this being for some reason an article that causes emotions to boil over on both sides of the aussie rules/soccer divide, that we treat the article on its own merits and not insert opinions that are irrelevant to the article. Blackmissionary (talk) 01:23, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

The original writer had obviously put in a few opinions of his own. Hasn't anyone noticed that this "game" has appropriated an etching showing another game played in Victoria, as proof of its existence, and what's more, much of the language to describe this game has actually been appropriated from marn grook. I don't see it as an Australian football vs soccer argument, the soccer people on their own forums are pissing themselves at what is obviously a hoax. The professor who wrote the account couldn't even get the original language correct (the word "woggabaliri") - the whole acount is as dubious as hell. I've googled, I've tried the NLA archives, I've even tried some of the very best data bases I have access to - nothing comes up on it - nothing.

I'm not here to defend the intentions of the original writer, as they've obviously come here with an agenda, which is not what wikipedia is about. However, the book the information on this game comes from also includes dozens of other Aboriginal Australian games and pastimes - the historical accuracy of his work I'm unsure of - but it is appropriate to use as a reference his work because that is what the FFA (for better/worse) are using as an argument in their world cup bid. What I'm more concerned about is usage of this game/article by anyone to push any agenda on here that is beyond the scope of wikipedia's function. This is a place for articles based on facts, not inferences, flame wars and vandalism imported from other parts of the web. If edits are made which do not comply with that spirit, anyone is free to revert them. Also, could you please remember to sign your posts, as it makes it easier to follow a discussion. Blackmissionary (talk) 02:45, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

Everything in the article is from the sources provided. If you find another source that has proven any errors then feel free to make corrections but please use common sense and dont remove material because you dont personally believe what the sources say.Wayne (talk) 04:28, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

Why does a picture of a different game played in Victoria belong here? Figghiu Beddu (talk) 04:52, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

Because the sources say the location of the game depicted in the etching makes it likely to be Woggabaliri as Marn Grook was not played in that area. Wayne (talk) 06:40, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

But the sources also say that Woggabaliri was played in central NSW - so what has this game in Victoria got to do with it? You can't just whack on any picture and declare that it's this game that has never, ever, ever been documented - ever. Figghiu Beddu (talk) 06:47, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

The Wiradjuri are in central NSW but the game was also played by other peoples who bordered them and the River Murray. Merbein is only 10km or so from the river? The sources make the claim that Woggabaliri is believed to be the game so we can say that in the article. There is no evidence available to support that the game depicted is Marn Grook either as the first mention of the game was 10 years after the etching was made. It can even be said Marn Grook is less likely, as according to historian Gillian Hibbins, it was not played north of the Grampians. BTW, you cant remove the image again, doing so a third time is a violation of WP rules and will result in you being banned from editing. If you find a RS claiming the game cant be Woggabaliri then feel free to include it. Wayne (talk) 07:09, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

Sources? Apart from Edwards' book, there are no sources. He writes barely a page on this game called Woggabaliri, with zero references, he doesn't even give a background account of who told him the story, nothing - and now you're claiming there are sources that refer to this etching in Victoria being Woggabaliri as well? Mate - there are no sources, there's nothing, what we are seeing is a clear case of POV on your part. Figghiu Beddu (talk) 22:04, 4 November 2010 (UTC)

I dont believe the etching does depict Woggabaliri but RS claim they believe it does. Having said that it is even more unlikely that it depicts Marn Grook yet that article makes the same claim based on similar evidence without you disputing it. In fact, there is more evidence that Woggabaliri is real than there is supporting Marn Grooks connection with the AFL but we can still make that connection in the article because it can be cited to a RS making that claim. Sit back and think about it...if this is a hoax that has been undiscovered for the last decade then having an article will be the quickest way to get it into the public arena where people can research it, which they will do if there are any doubts.Wayne (talk) 05:28, 5 November 2010 (UTC)

Can someone assist with the reporting of this nonsense article? The author zealosly guards any alterations and reports them as vandalism, but, in addition to some of the nonsense that was ultimately removed we still have: 1) The game "Popular with the Wiradjuri and surrounding peoples before European arrival" 2) The game is "recognised by the Australian Sports Commission as one of the oldest Indigenous ball games" http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=773519 And of course, if the entire evidence an article is based on is from one "non-historian / non-sociologist" who is living and yet refuses to provide the evidence he has used, how lo9ng can they be viewed as a credibloe source? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bazza773 (talk • contribs) 21:13, 6 November 2010 (UTC)

There is no way in hell this is real.

Honestly. Woggabaliri is just a play on the term "wogball", a racist term used to describe soccer. Get rid of this crap.— Preceding unsigned comment added by The Frederick (talk • contribs) 06:22, 12 October 2011 (UTC)

That was precisely my thoughts when I discovered this. I suspect it's just somebody's racist joke. HiLo48 (talk) 23:00, 25 July 2013 (UTC)

There's further discussion at Wikipedia:Australian Wikipedians' notice board#Is Woggabaliri somebody's little, semi-racist joke? HiLo48 (talk) 05:06, 26 July 2013 (UTC)

It's parody of the idea that Australian rules had roots in indigenous culture, akin to giving baseball an American origin with the Abner Doubleday myth. — Preceding unsigned comment added by AnomieBOT (talk • contribs) 01:14, 19 February 2015 (UTC)

Heh, this is still here after 7 years, good job whoever made it up. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.171.166.198 (talk) 06:57, 7 June 2017 (UTC)

It's mocking Wikipedia's sourcing rules. Create a fake source, and the world is your oyster on Wikipedia. It happens on a lot of articles. HiLo48 (talk) 23:23, 15 June 2018 (UTC)

What source is supposed to have been "made up"? Meanwhile the government of New South Wales (certainly a reliable source) seems to think this game exists (or existed).[1] IntoThinAir (talk) 02:02, 4 November 2018 (UTC)

What source is made up? Whichever one is the oldest, which might have been No. 8, the one that no longer works. Can you not see the possibility that this is all someone's rather cheeky joke? Do you truly believe governments don't ever get things wrong? No, government sources are not always reliable. There's also the fact that a very similar sounding game called Marngrook definitely existed and has been suggested as one of the forebears of Aussie Rules, but was in Victoria's Western District, a long way from the claimed location of Woggabaliri. Any chance someone wanted to copy the idea? HiLo48 (talk) 02:09, 4 November 2018 (UTC)

I can certainly see that possibility, and I certainly don't think that governments are always right about everything. It seems likely that the oldest source is not source number 8 (which you can find a saved copy of on the Wayback Machine), nor is that source made up, as clicking on the aforementioned archive link will confirm (also, this document mentions woggabaliri on page 15). Instead, the oldest source by far seems to be reference #3 from 1904. [2] Is this source made up? No, because we know it was published in a peer-reviewed journal. But maybe the single mention of woggabaliri in the Project Gutenberg version of this source (the version cited in this article) isn't in the original text? No, it's on page 35. IntoThinAir (talk) 03:15, 4 November 2018 (UTC)

With regard to the point made multiple times above that "woggabaliri" sounds similar to the racist Australian slang term "wogball": there is a 2017 peer-reviewed article which addresses this and states: "The name ‘woggabaliri’ caused much merriment within informal Internet discussions due to its lexical similarity to the notion of ‘wogball’, a derogatory name for soccer in Australia. No doubt the name of ‘Woggs’ a writer of soccer reports in the Australian Town and Country Journal in the 1880 would inspire a similar level of merriment." The implication is clearly that it is only a coincidence that "woggabaliri" and "wogball" sound and are spelled similarly. IntoThinAir (talk) 21:53, 5 November 2018 (UTC)

"Woggs" isn't a problem. "Woggabaliri" is. It contains both "wog" and "bal(l)". People are going to laugh. If you are convinced it's real, write some words in the article to stop them laughing. HiLo48 (talk) 01:23, 6 November 2018 (UTC)

• Comment I have rearranged the order of the sentences in the history section so it starts " 'Woggabaliri' was documented prior to 1904 as the Ngunnawal word for "play"." Does that help? (I have also added some references, though not the T&F Syson one, which I don't have access to.) RebeccaGreen (talk) 13:14, 6 November 2018 (UTC)

  It helps, but it's not enough. Please see the comments I have just added at the AfD entry. HiLo48 (talk) 18:54, 6 November 2018 (UTC)

Perpetuated hoax (propaganda article)

This article is a perpetuated hoax based on articles that were published in 2007 based on a single image which was incorrectly interpreted and attributed. The resulting hype, mainly from soccer interests in NSW caused some people to cite the Wikipedia article as a source. These sources are no longer reliable and many of these secondary sources subsequently realised and redacted their articles. Tim Hilferti's 2010 opinion article from The Advertiser newspaper is not a reliable source and is cited extensively, it appears to simply be based on this page. Unfortunately there is at least one book published in 2011 on the subject which is poorly referenced and not reliable source. All the other cited sources are extremely spurious and there are no links to any reliable academic studies on the subject prior to or after 2007. --Rulesfan (talk) 05:31, 16 May 2022 (UTC)

The term Woggabaliri is attested as far back as 1904.

If this article is a hoax, then the game might as well begin with a prayer to Jar'Edo Wens! 00sClassicGamerFan (talk) 13:42, 16 October 2022 (UTC)