Seku: The Ancient and Very Much Alive Sport of Ñuu Savi Peoples

The video game is called seku (twisted), referring to the stick used to hit the ball. To make it, a branch from a strong tree, such as the tuntoko or tuiñu, is picked well in advance. The branch is formed and entrusted to completely dry in the sunlight for several days before the game. Treatment must be required to make sure that the seku is adapted to the elevation and toughness of the player; it is suggested that it be as high as his waistline and that he can lug it for a long period of time while running. The sphere additionally calls for preparation: trunks from the tusava tree, a tree that creates red flowers in the dry season for the hummingbird to feed upon, are reduced in breakthrough and entrusted to dry. The wood is mushy and porous, which aids the resulting spheres burn slowly.

It is presently played as a sporting activity, with tournaments held during the vacations in many of the communities of San Juan Mixtepec. It is additionally played in Teposcolula and in Tamazulapam (Ñuu Savi).

Or else, the area can be as huge or little as agreed on by the gamers and the organizers. There are no standard measurements due to the fact that not everything has to be standardized and since years ago, teams of youngsters played on any level while they looked after their lamb.

Seku is a sport whose existence is threatened, since there are long distances between the areas where it is still played. Probably it was also played in other locations in southern Mexico.

Before beginning a video game of seku, a ritual is performed where the Planet is talked with. Consent is asked to play, which nobody gets hurt. Mezcal is sprayed around the perimeter and in the center of the field. A fire is likewise lit where the spheres will certainly be lit, individually. When a sphere obtains lost in the timbers, breaks, or has been taken in by the fire, it will be changed by another. To begin playing, a lit ball is put in the center of the area and from there, everybody runs. The purpose is to take the sphere to the opposing objective.

We hear yells in Sa’an Savi, one gamer encouraging his colleague, one more asking for the sphere, another suggesting where to toss. Maybe they were struck with a seku on the shins, probably the sphere melted them when it combed their skin, probably they slid on the stones and shed their balance. The video game is called seku (twisted), referring to the stick utilized to strike the round. A fire is also lit where the balls will certainly be lit, one by one. To begin playing, a lit round is put in the facility of the field and from there, every person runs.

We hear shouts in Sa’an Savi, one gamer motivating his teammate, another asking for the round, one more recommending where to throw. Maybe they were hit with a seku on the shins, probably the round shed them when it cleaned their skin, probably they slid on the rocks and shed their balance. You could say that it is a dangerous sporting activity, however in the neighborhoods of Ñuu Savi in Mexico that still play it, we claim that it is stunning and also one-of-a-kind, unique among other sports.