Ancient Sport for Men and Women: Strong from the Hips

Perhaps it’s no coincidence that at the end of the first Women’s World Cup in 2023, the “Women with the Heart of Fire” are on top. The I’x K’at, as they are known in the Maya language Kaqchikel, have been playing together for years – breaking boundaries. In 2018, they founded the first women’s team for the traditional Mesoamerican ball sport Pok-Ta-Pok in Guatemala.

The idea came from Francisca Elías, a teacher of the Maya language Kaqchikel who also teaches sports. While reading the Popol Vuh, one of the most important surviving Maya texts featuring the game, her students were fascinated and asked if she knew the rules. Elías didn’t know them but was intrigued. After researching with her students, they formed a team that competed in the historic first national tournament in 2018. Previously, only men’s teams existed.

Pok-Ta-Pok, also known as Ulama or Juego de Pelota, is one of the oldest ball games in the world, played by Mayas, Aztecs, and other Mesoamerican peoples. Due to its existence across millennia and cultures, there was no unified version, and no exact rule book has been passed down.

All variants involve playing with a hard rubber ball that cannot be touched with hands or feet, often with ritual significance. Among the Aztecs, there were even professional players. Initially, only men played the game.

Statues of female ballplayers refute this sexism. According to researcher Maria Isabel Ramos, recent studies show that women have been playing since around 1900. The students of I’x K’at from Guatemala are following in their historical footsteps. For them, it’s not just about participation but also a return to their roots. Colonial rulers banned the ball game almost extinguishing it, leading to its revival only recently. Today, the heavy ball is played mainly with the hips, requiring a lot of athleticism as players constantly throw themselves on the ground. Women play two ten-minute halves. Scoring points involves getting the ball into the opponent’s half or propelling it through a three-meter high ring for an instant win.

Despite often winning, I’x K’at team still faces ridicule. Other students say, “How embarrassing, a Maya ball game,” according to player Jesica. This response is attributed to lack of confidence or knowledge. For indigenous women, Pok-Ta-Pok is a way to embrace their heritage without shame. Before matches, they perform ceremonies and invoke their protective spirits.

“The Maya game is a way to recognize their identity,” explained Francisca Elías. Today, despite societal prejudices, her students proudly proclaim, “I am Maya.”

This pride isn’t confined to Guatemala. In 2020, the I’x K’at traveled abroad for the first time to a tournament in Chiapas, Mexico. The same year, they played against men in their home country and emerged victorious. Although they narrowly lost to the male national champions in Guatemala, they organized a tournament in 2022. The inaugural Women’s World Cup in 2023 was a logical outcome. Three more teams from Mexico, El Salvador, and Belize participated. The Guatemalan team is evolving into a dominant force – they also claimed the title in 2025. Player Lize, who previously played football for 20 years, describes Pok-Ta-Pok as liberating, breaking free from past limitations. “Now everything is wide open.”