Children’s Game #44: Uárhukua

The Purépecha community has played Uárhukua for 3,500 years. The game symbolises the fight between the old sun – the night – and the young sun – the day. The burning ball represents humanity. The gods play to win that humanity. The game is an oracle: if the kind gods win, those of the daylight, there will be rain or good weather and a good corn harvest. If the malicious gods win, those of the darkness, there will be droughts, storms and a bad harvest.

• Francis AlÿsDirector