Where is the annual fighting festival "Takanakuy" celebrated?

Takanakuy ("to hit other" in Quechua indigenous language) is an annual festival which is celebrated on 25th December by the inhabitants of Chumbivilcas Province, near Cuzco, in Peru to resolve conflicts and strengthen relationships. The practice started in Santo Tomas district, the capital of Chumbivilcas, and subsequently spread to other villages and cities, the prominant being Cuzco and Lima. Men, women, and children gather to engage in fist fights, which are supervised by the local authorities.

Takanakuy fights are guided by specific rules that aim to ensure fairness and minimize the risk of serious injury. Participants are prohibited from using weapons, relying solely on hand and foot strikes during combat. To maintain balance and fairness, opponents are matched based on similar age, gender, and physical build. While participants can freely issue challenges, accepting them remains optional. At the conclusion of each fight, the defeated individual traditionally embraces the victor as a gesture of reconciliation, symbolizing the resolution of their dispute and reinforcing the festival's spirit of community and conflict resolution.

Some locals claim to obtain several benefits from the tradition claiming that public brawling offers an alternative method to resolve conflict and create a peaceful society.