in the Andes of Bolivia hearty
descendants of the Inca pika living from
thin mountain soil at 13,000 feet life
is a constant struggle near the village
of a agua in central Bolivia farmers
break ground to plant potatoes according
to local tradition for the crop to
flourish it needs more than skilled
tilling and good weather the potatoes
these farmers believe need the
nourishment of human blood to guarantee
sufficient food for the coming year
villagers stage a festival called team
qu that provides the necessary blood
Herrmann Golani known as Campione or
champion is the town’s top fighter soon
he and complete strangers will be
knocking one another cold in the kind of
melee many societies might find
difficult to control in a nearby house
Sabino char k is also getting ready to
fight
he wears a cowhide helmet modeled on
those the conquistadors wore 500 years
ago this helmet we used to protect
ourselves saw heads Dunga hurts
Sabino expects that even with his armor
on he’ll be wounded during teen coup
that’s the whole point in the contest
the villagers will be fighting to
entertain the spirits of the earth and
the mountain musicians LED villagers and
spirits alike know that team coup has
begun and the procession sets off all
will converge at the town of I Maya for
a battle that pits village against
village and spirit against spirit those
strangers to one another
competitors choose their opponent by
location the teams date to ancient times
the one that triumphs is seen as having
the strongest spirit and therefore is
due the best
it’s show time and Campione and sabina
join the fray the blood itself is an
offering to nourish the spirits just as
water nourishes the earth boys as young
as ten enter the fray it’s a
free-for-all with few rules and it can
end in death participants claim that
almost every year someone dies Campione
as always gives better than he gets
finally the fighting winds down many
duels end with an embrace this is no
place for personal grudges the aim isn’t
to beat someone up but to impress the
spirits after a day of bruising battles
the villagers refer to a bar to show
their scars and tell their stories
Campion
claims he’s lived up to his name we
fought without resting we fought many
times before I live here I will fight
one more time ok friends let’s have a
drink for your Mountain spirit the
battle of team ku has given the
villagers hope they’ve done their part
delivering the promised sacrifice now
it’s up to the spirits to perform as
requested until then the villagers can
focus on less dangerous games
descendants of the Inca pika living from
thin mountain soil at 13,000 feet life
is a constant struggle near the village
of a agua in central Bolivia farmers
break ground to plant potatoes according
to local tradition for the crop to
flourish it needs more than skilled
tilling and good weather the potatoes
these farmers believe need the
nourishment of human blood to guarantee
sufficient food for the coming year
villagers stage a festival called team
qu that provides the necessary blood
Herrmann Golani known as Campione or
champion is the town’s top fighter soon
he and complete strangers will be
knocking one another cold in the kind of
melee many societies might find
difficult to control in a nearby house
Sabino char k is also getting ready to
fight
he wears a cowhide helmet modeled on
those the conquistadors wore 500 years
ago this helmet we used to protect
ourselves saw heads Dunga hurts
Sabino expects that even with his armor
on he’ll be wounded during teen coup
that’s the whole point in the contest
the villagers will be fighting to
entertain the spirits of the earth and
the mountain musicians LED villagers and
spirits alike know that team coup has
begun and the procession sets off all
will converge at the town of I Maya for
a battle that pits village against
village and spirit against spirit those
strangers to one another
competitors choose their opponent by
location the teams date to ancient times
the one that triumphs is seen as having
the strongest spirit and therefore is
due the best
it’s show time and Campione and sabina
join the fray the blood itself is an
offering to nourish the spirits just as
water nourishes the earth boys as young
as ten enter the fray it’s a
free-for-all with few rules and it can
end in death participants claim that
almost every year someone dies Campione
as always gives better than he gets
finally the fighting winds down many
duels end with an embrace this is no
place for personal grudges the aim isn’t
to beat someone up but to impress the
spirits after a day of bruising battles
the villagers refer to a bar to show
their scars and tell their stories
Campion
claims he’s lived up to his name we
fought without resting we fought many
times before I live here I will fight
one more time ok friends let’s have a
drink for your Mountain spirit the
battle of team ku has given the
villagers hope they’ve done their part
delivering the promised sacrifice now
it’s up to the spirits to perform as
requested until then the villagers can
focus on less dangerous games
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