In the province of Chumbivilcas, in the Cuzco region, Christmas is celebrated with partying, drinking, fireworks -like in the rest of Peru. What makes chumbivilcano Christmas different is the takanakuy, which is a festival of ritualized hand-to-hand combat.
Fights are one-on-one bareknuckled fistfights accompanied by huaylia music, and all strata in the community take part -men, women, young, and old. Even kids. Through the takanakuy grudges are settles, stress is released, community harmony is retained, and the Earth is repaid for her bounty through the fighters' sacrifice.
In this video, the host, Thomas, travels to Chumbivilcas to witness and participate in the takanakuy.
PART ONE:
PART TWO:
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