in the Andes of Bolivia Hardy
descendants of the Inca Iike 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 Tinku
that provides the necessary blood hair
Mangal Ani 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 that
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 Tinku 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
date to ancient times the one that
triumphs is seen as having the strongest
spirit and therefore is do the best
harvest 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 went
there 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 okay friends
let’s have a drink for your Mountain
spirit the battle of teen 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 Iike 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 Tinku
that provides the necessary blood hair
Mangal Ani 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 that
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 Tinku 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
date to ancient times the one that
triumphs is seen as having the strongest
spirit and therefore is do the best
harvest 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 went
there 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 okay friends
let’s have a drink for your Mountain
spirit the battle of teen 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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