Fight and love the way Peruvian Takanakuy festival encourages

Most societies ask their members to settle personal differences around a table—no matter a round or a square one.

This well-meaning advice aims at creating social cohesion and amicable solutions.

But in most cases, differences, grumblings, and hate will remain beneath friendliness. People might shake hands while they are boiling within.

The relation will continue like a blistering wound with too much scabs on top, showing no puss outside.

People of Peruvian province of Chumbivilcas do things the other way around: they fight it out amongst themselves and settle things.

The Christmastime festival of Takanakuy offers the members of community the great opportunity to vent their anger, coming to blows.

Each year communities get together high up in the Andes Mountains at an altitude of 3,600m in the Cusco region to celebrate, BBC reports.

They indulge in music, dancing, drinking, eating and brightly coloured costumes.

But the festivity eventually will lead to a series of public fist fights on Christmas Day.

People of ages from young to old will enter the ring to fight just as town’s people gather around sporting arena to watch it. No gender differences here, being it is open to both men and women alike.

Takanakuy, meaning ‘When the blood is boiling’ in native Quechua, is meant or settling grievances be it personal or civil disputes formed over the year.

Fighting differences out during the festivity is believed to resolve conflict, while strengthening bonds creating greater peace in society.

The festivity is more of an organised version of the comical “Festivus”, according to the BBC.

The holiday is believed to be invented by the 1990s US TV sitcom Seinfeld.

Festivus is about ‘Airing of the Grievances’ with friends and family members speaking out their grievances, but Takanakuy encourages people to express aggression.

Except for uninhibited brawls, fights are relatively civil resembling martial arts. In the organized matches, referees ‘intervene at any sign of misconduct’.

There are rules to follow for those enter the ring; no biting or hitting allowed when someone is down.

Each fight, according to the report, is quick and begins and ends with a hug or handshake.

How about trying it when you have a difference with your friend?

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