Christmas ceremonies aren’t always positive vibes and lighthearted fun. In Peru, participants in the holiday festival hash out their arguments in a physical way. Words are easy to shrug off and dismiss, after all sometimes it feels like a conversation goes in one ear and out the other. However, the force of a punch can’t be missed by the recipient.
On Christmas Day, hundreds of residents gathered in Chumbivilcas province in Peru’s Cusco region to engage in a traditional form of fighting. The generational tradition has longstanding roots and is regarded as Takanakuy, a Quechua name that means to apply force with the wrists.
Although this sounds silly, there is a reason why this event is hosted at the end of the year. Before the new year creeps up, fights are encouraged to settle arguments and conflicts in a violent way. The fighters are mostly men but women have developed an interest in the event and give it their best shot.
The ritual is an unconventional spin on the justice system, where people take matters into their own hands. Fighters enter the scene to settle family, romantic or territorial disputes with their fists while spectators sing, dance and cheer for their favorites. When the conflict is resolved, the fighters part ways with a hug, smile or handshake.
Ronderos, members of a grassroots justice system in Peru’s Andean communities, intervene when the fights get out of control. The fights involve only kicks and punches. If a person starts to bleed, falls to the ground or cannot defend themselves, game over. This year’s event involved more than 40 fights lasting approximately two minutes each.
It’s not only fighting since people do enjoy themselves with food and drinks. Attendees dress up in masks and costumes to pay tribute to historical and indigenous symbols from the region, such as a dancing condor.
A public platform opens up for personal matters. An eye-for-an-eye might be an eye-opening solution with a few injuries.