Abstract: The traditional sports events of Gelao people fall into entertainment, competition and festival according to the event group theory. Gelao people’s traditional sports are relevant to mountain, religion, populace, festival and entertainment and they exert the following functions of education, social inheritance, national identity and compensation. As a kind of cultural source, the traditional sports events of Gelao people need protecting and inheriting.

Key words: traditional sports events of Gelao people, cultural feature, cultural function