There’s very few sports in the world wherein drinking is positively encouraged as you play. Darts is one; it’s hard to imagine playing darts without a pint sat on a table nearby, waiting for you. Colombia, too, have their very own sport that is synonymous with getting intoxicated. In fact, often, it’s a sport that’s free to play providing you keep ordering more beer as you play. Sounds good, right? So what’s the sport called?
Tejo.
Tejo is unique in that it involves getting a group of rowdy, drunk people together with lots of gunpowder and, yet, no-one really gets hurt. The idea is to throw a metal disc (about 2kg) at a clay square with a series of targets on it. Within these targets is “mecha”, or gunpowder. With a good shot, you’ll strike the mecha and most likely drop your beer in shock as the explosion rings throughout the building. Despite the initial shock of the explosion, the satisfaction of causing the bang is addictive and, luckily, is the whole point of the game. The more bangs, the better your score, the more likely you are to win.
You’ll find places to play Tejo dotted around all the big cities of Colombia, such as Bogota. If you’re looking for a sport to get fit with then you’re probably best off looking elsewhere, however if you like the sound of drinking and making a lot of noise, you’ll find Tejo is a great way to meet locals and get to the heart of Colombian culture.
Paul
Marcela Mariscal on
Great post Paul… I used to play tejo when at uni … still love it!