In A Huge Win For Darwinism, Horseback Archery Is Making A Comeback.
Nat Geo – An ancient sport is making a comeback among younger generations.
Mounted archery, a tradition with roots in empires like the Ottomans and the Mongols, has become popular again in Indonesia. While ancient warriors used the practice of shooting arrows from horseback for hunting and combat, its resurgence has become friendlier: Archers from different countries go through an intense training regimen to compete locally and internationally.
The sport involves shooting arrows at a target while riding a horse. Successfully hitting a target with arrows is tricky when an athlete is standing or sitting on stable ground; when an archer is riding a horse, it requires even more balance, a high level of coordination, and a connection between the horse and archer.
This one has me fired up as hell, guys! I’ve been waiting for this day for years, honestly. This is the shot in the arm that humanity needs; like a junkie finding a fanny pack full of dope and clean needles beneath the underpass, or when you find a crumpled $10 bill in the weird little pocket inside of the main pocket in an old pair of Levi’s. I think I just started writing a country song there, so I’ll probably rehash that later.
Let me talk a little about archery first. Very important skill to have. Should the good Lord’s day of reckoning ever fall upon us, and it turns into an “every man for himself” type of society, being able to defend yourself will become paramount. Weapons will be gold. Everyone’s gonna be after guns, but being able to adequately defend yourself with a bow and arrow takes you to a whole new level. Ammunition for any gun is gonna be ridiculously expensive once our entire economy collapses, but you can literally make arrows yourself. It’s also silent but deadly, much like Asbestos, the silent killer. This is why I call my own compound bow “The Asbestos Monster”. I’m deadly from 50 yards and from further I’ll probably just put an arrow right through your small intestine (because it’s bigger than your large intestine) and trust me that sucks too, especially when you don’t see or hear me coming.
As the article states, horseback archery dates back to the Ottomans and the Mongols, who used it as a way to hunt and conquer new territories. Being able to mount a horse and stand upon it’s back firing arrows at moving targets was an elite skill, and probably something that helped establish hierarchies within their respective populations. Obviously these people in Indonesia aren’t doing this to start their own militia and overthrow the government (maybe they are but you didn’t hear that from me), they just want to have a little fun. I’m fine with that; it doesn’t change the fact that we now have humans who are once again developing this skill set, and that just makes my heart want to sing into the telephone like I just got home from a date with cute girl and it’s 1953 and also I’m starring in a play about a bunch of high school students who discover music and revolt against all the old people in their small town.
My point here is simple. This horde of Indonesian Dothraki now have a leg up on all of us in terms of evolution. When shit hits the fan, these are gonna be the guys that make it. Honestly, good for them for being bold and going old school…I just now know how I’m gonna have to spend my summer; I don’t know how to ride a horse yet, but I think if I just steal one and climb on it’s back and start yelling things it will carry me away and in that moment become mine.
Somewhere upstairs, Charles Darwin is having a wet dream.