In 2019, for approximately two months, an indoor and outdoor soccer tournament was held for the first time in order to (i) integrate 23 Shuar Communities located in the Kutucú, which include 1463 indirect beneficiaries among older adults, men, women, children and teens; (ii) rehabilitate, with the help of the communities gathered in mingas, the existing soccer fields in San Martín, Tumpain and Tuna, so that once the tournament is over the members of these communities can continue using them; and (iii) teach sports leaders the basic rules of these games so that the members of these communities can continue their practice in the future. Referees and players were provided with the necessary sports equipment, uniforms and hydration.
The tournament was divided into three phases: (i) The first phase focussed on training soccer referees; (ii) In the second phase, the tournament was inaugurated and friendly games of indoor and outdoor soccer were held weekly, for women and men, between the participating Shuar Communities; (iii) The third phase brought together all the inhabitants of the 23 Shuar Communities in the Kutucu and included the champion’s final cup for the women’s and men’s teams. Six ancestral games were also played, and the older adults taught their rules to the younger participants.
This project promoted sport and fair play among the beneficiary Shuar communities, as well as preservation of their traditions through the practice of ancestral games.
