Athletes from 30 countries compete at World Indigenous Games in Palmas, Brazil
lndigenous athletes compete in a variety of sporting events, ranging from a few Western-style competitions (football, athletics) to many indigenous traditional games. Some are played competitively such as canoeing, archery and Corrida de Tora, but there will be a huge number of non-competitive demonstration events in which indigenous peoples have chosen to showcase their living heritage of games. Good example is xikunahity, a football-style game in which the ball is controlled only with the head. The games, which comes one year after Brazil played host to soccer’s World Cup and ahead of next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, kicked off on Friday.
Mauri indigenous native from New Zealand participate in the tug-of-war competition of the first World Indigenous Games in Palmas, Brazil.Buda Mendes/Getty Images
A Brazilian indigenous native poses during the first World Indigenous Games in Palmas, Brazil.Buda Mendes/Getty Images
Brazilian Pataxos native celebrate the victory in the sport archery in Palmas, Brazil.Buda Mendes/Getty Images
A Brazilian Parisi Indian plays traditional head football during the World Indigenous Games, in Palmas, Brazil.Eraldo Peres/The Associated Press
An Indian from the United States takes part in the bow and arrow competition at the World Indigenous Games, in Palmas, Brazil.Eraldo Peres/The Associated Press
An arrow flies towards a target board during the bow-and-arrow competition at the first World Games for Indigenous Peoples in Palmas, Brazil.Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
Indigenous men from the Erikbaktsa tribe watch the bow-and-arrow competition at the first World Games for Indigenous Peoples in Palmas, Brazil.Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
A Pataxo Indian with his painted body protests against the proposed amendment to the constitution of the rules of demarcation of indigenous lands, during the World Indigenous Games, in Palmas, Brazil.Eraldo Peres/The Associated Press
An indigenous man from the Paresi tribe tries to head the ball during the xikunahity competition, a form of soccer played with one's head, at the first World Games for Indigenous Peoples in Palmas, Brazil.Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
Brazilian indigenous natives participate in the tug-of-war competition of the first World Indigenous Games in Palmas, Brazil.Buda Mendes/Getty Images