MELBOURNE, Australia — The men call themselves the Melbourne Lion Wrestling Team. The name evokes both origins in Africa and a presence in Australia, a fitting title for a team composed of South Sudanese immigrants living in Melbourne, Australia’s second biggest city. A few times a year, they travel across Australia to compete with other teams, trading the animal skins and ash traditionally worn during Sudanese wrestling matches for gym shorts and talcum powder. “We want to keep our culture alive,” Awan Mading, 30, said during a recent practice. In Sudan, wrestling is a popular sport and an integral part of the culture, melding athletics with dance and song.

Source: New York Times February 06, 2018 07:32 UTC