Скачать или смотреть What to Do in Merida Yucatan Mexico for an EPIC Vacation

Historically, Pok-Ta-Pok is a ball game played by two teams with the objective of getting the ball through narrow stone hoops placed on an inclined court wall, some 20 feet above ground. Traditionally the game was played with a solid rubber ball weighing as much as nine pounds. Adding to the many levels of difficulty, players are not allowed to use their hands or feet, only their head, shoulders, elbows, wrists and hips. The game was a ritual mostly played by prisoners of war, with the losing team being sacrificed to the gods. For the Maya, Pok-Ta-Pok was more than just a challenging game. It symbolized the struggle of life over death, war and hunting. Today, win or lose, no one is sacrificed at the end of the game, and minor modifications have been made. However, the essence of the game remains the same: pride for one's culture and people. This game used to feature every Saturday at the Central Park of Merida in front of the 16th century San Ildefonso Cathedral, the oldest Cathedral in Mexico and mainland Americas. The event stopped at the start of the pandemic, but weekly events commenced on April 13, 2024, after a 4 years absence.

Update: The Pok-Ta-Pok ball game was moved to Parque de San Sebastián in Merida for the duration of construction work at its old venue (Catedral de San Ildefonso).