The oldest team game in the world is reliving in Belize thanks to the descendants of the Maya

In Belize a group of enthusiasts and descendants Maya is bringing to light an ancient sporting discipline: the Pok-Ta-Pok. Considered the oldest team game in the world, this practice is a sacred time today is the country’s national sport. In recent years, the local teams have repeatedly conquered the world title, before selling it to Mexico in 2023.

Origins and cultural meaning

The Pok-Ta-Pok has roots that date back to at least 2,000 years ago, and could derive even further back, from the Olmeca culture. Thousands of playing fields have been found throughout mesoameric, with similar characteristics: elongated rectangular fields, inclined side walls and vertical stone rings mounted at the top. In addition to being a competition, the game had a ceremonial and symbolic value, connected to myths of creation in which mythological heroes defeated divinities of the underworld.

The rules and the playing field

The original game was played with a 4 kg heavy ball, made with the natural rubber of the Panama tree. The players, dressed with a Fajado (a sort of padded thong), hit the ball exclusively with the hips. A well -calibrated shot could make the ball fly over 27 meters. The points earned by passing the ball through the ring, bringing it to the opposing defense area or hitting certain stone markers. In the most important matches, marking a ring goal today is worth 10 points, while in the semifinals and finals it involves immediate victory.

Modern rebirth

After being overshadowed for centuries, the Pok-Ta-Pok has experienced a rebirth starting from the twentieth century, when some communities in Mexico have maintained the tradition in secret. In 1968, during the Olympics of Mexico City, the game was presented as a performance, arousing international curiosity.

Today there is an international federation, with teams from Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and different regions of Mexico. In the United States, cities such as Las Vegas, East Los Angeles and San Bernardino Valley also boast official formations. In Belize, the community of athletes includes about 40 players, including youth teams, female and senior, committed to maintaining a tradition that combines sport, history and cultural identity alive.

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