By Obzidian
In ancient Mexhiko, black was the color of the incorporeal, because it represented the absence of attributes, that is, the ABSTRACT. It was the color of the West, the course of the naguals. That is why the sages dressed or painted their skin black, they wanted to return to the beginning when all was dark. Interestingly, one of the titles of a “Supreme Being”-which the invaders interpreted as an allusion to the “devil“-was actually Yowalli E’ekatl, “Darkness Wind”. The Spaniards did not understand the wind has four colors and darkness or black is one of them.
The white, on the other hand, was the color of the bones, and therefore, of the corpses and corruption. White was associated with the direction of the North, where the mouth of the Underworld was. Today this symbolism has been reversed.
The practice of Xhupa Porrazo finds its origin in the Isthmus ov Tehuantepec, in Oaxaca, where there are four neighborhoods that practice it: Juchitán, Ixtepek, Tehuantepec and Ixtaltepec. Tournaments are held within the communities, in which both youth and adults participate. The pure Xhupa Porrazo is a way of fighting to fracture, seriously injure or knock out the opponent.
Xhupa
Etymology:
Xhupa Porrazo, which in Zapotec means “two strokes” or “two falls,” taking the Zapotec variant ov the Isthmus of Tewantepek (Tehuantepec), where Xhupa (chupa) is “two”. The “thump” is understood as a fall or a blow. “Porrazo”, however, is not a Zapotec word, but comes from Spanish. What does exist in Zapotec is the word “porra” which means knot, being able to give a similarity to the keys or padlocks used in the fight.
The origins of Xhupa Porrazo date, according to Adrián Romero Díaz, from 300 B.C, a date close to the height of the splendor of the Zapotec culture. There is even visual evidence in engravings found in the ruins ov Monte Albán.
The Xhupa Porrazo is based on the imitation of movements of seven animals with which you have a physical and ritual connection. The animals are the snake (bandage), the eagle (biphia), the ocelotl (peye), the monkey (migu), the deer (biguina), the iguana (buxhashi) and the armadillo (
Weapons are also assimilated, which over time were modified or replaced. We have a machete (nayula), spear with tip (ichi-corto), normal spear (agucha-larga); curved spear (guiche), sling (dova), knife (gulliu), stick with a stone point (llaga ille) and the corded triple ball (do ille).
To be able to master this art it is recommended to start from childhood. Thus the body eventually assimilates the techniques better, because the key is flexibility. The Xhupa Porrazo practiced by children is called Chechite Nu. The difference is that while in one the training and technique are handled gently, in the other, the opponent is injured in its entirety.
The pure Xhupa Porrazo differs from other martial arts by the imitation of its movements with animals; the way of using the hands (swipes); the ease of disarticulating and fracturing the opponent; the use of fists, kicks and headers; all in the form of a dance with low positions; very close to the ground.
The greatest exponent of the Zapotec technique is Gaudencio González, known as Papa Gude, for obtaining 7 titles and in the 80’s was the only Master of the art.
Ramón Yee was the first to receive direct training by Papa Gude in the 80’s and it was he who later took this martial art to the capital. In a short time, Yee became famous because he obtained the Ginness record, breaking a ton of ice tiles with his chin. Now the Xhupa Porrazo is manifested in the Xilam, which is a martial art where the Xhupa Porrazo is taken as the base, since there are seven levels, representing the seven animals (the snake, the eagle, the ocelotl, the monkey, the deer, the iguana, and the armadillo).