Huizinga uses historical examples to date/link play and culture, and also to justify his definition of play as a “representation of something”. One example he uses is when ancient civilizations initiate boys of their society into the male community when they come of age (12). This example allows us to think of play in a whole different light, and allows us to make the connection between the history of play and culture. This example emphasizes how old the act of play is and how it has been a part of everyone’s life and culture.
Tradition is another term Huizinga uses to date play and it’s cultural significance (10). In today’s society these examples can be compared to and initiation into a group such as a sports team, or Greek organization on a college campus. It is “tradition” to initiate new members of these groups and organizations so they can have the same experiences present members have, thus allowing them to gain an understanding of the group of people, the organization and it’s beliefs.
