“We don’t need to worry about traveling violations, just run freely on the court; we don’t need to care about winning or losing, share the joy of basketball together.”
That spirit defined an October 2 exhibition game at Crimson Cliffs High School in Washington, Utah, as reported by news.cn.
The match brought the “Guma Basketball” team—originating from the mountainous Miao ethnic villages of Qiandongnan in China’s Guizhou Province—face-to-face with the Crimson Cliffs High School girls’ varsity basketball team. The cultural exchange event drew hundreds of students and faculty members into the school gymnasium for an afternoon blending traditional Miao performances with a non-traditional basketball exhibition, according to news.cn reports.
Folk Traditions Meet the Hardwood in Utah
Unlike standard basketball regulations, Guma Basketball stems from a folk tradition where married women returning to visit their home villages gather for casual recreation. The rules toss out traditional dribbling mandates, allowing players to pick up the basketball and run across the floor without drawing a traveling whistle. News.cn noted that the exhibition aims to emphasize community joy and cross-cultural communication over strict athletic competition.
Before tip-off, visiting players wearing traditional Miao garments performed ethnic dances and songs. When the action shifted to the hardwood, the Crimson Cliffs team—whose mascot is the Mustangs—faced the adjustment of opponents who could sprint while hugging the ball. News.cn reported that the American players adapted using their fundamental skills and teamwork, generating fast-paced action accompanied by crowd cheers of “Let’s go, Guma!” and “Let’s go, Mustangs!”
Crimson Cliffs Students Experience Chinese Culture
Crimson Cliffs High School player Reagan House described the exhibition as a completely novel experience. News.cn quoted House saying that the unique rules, costumes, and dances offered a rewarding look at a different culture.
School principal Kim Monkres welcomed the delegation, noting that the visit supported campus-wide humanistic exchanges and provided students with direct exposure to Chinese culture. According to news.cn, Crimson Cliffs enrolls nearly 1,400 students, with approximately 50 participants in the school’s dual-language Mandarin immersion program.
Grassroots Diplomacy on an American Itinerary
Shen Xin, vice president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and head of the visiting delegation, stated that the grassroots nature of Guma Basketball bridges cultural gaps. News.cn reported that Shen expressed confidence that grassroots people-to-people exchanges help reinforce bilateral understanding between the United States and China.
The delegation’s itinerary across the United States includes stops in California, Nevada, Utah, and Washington state, according to news.cn.
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