Stick fighting - Kalenda

Stick Fighting is an old African tradition, brought here by the slaves. Don't know to what extent it was practiced all through the years but it still remains today one of the traditional event during carnival season. It is practiced at yards around the country during the year otherwise. Nowadays, it's mostly an African affair, but many East Indians also take part in the fights.
The matches are played on an outside court (on a basketball field in yesterday's case) a circle of about 10 meters in circumference. Before every match called by the judges, the band of african drums starts playing some beats with lyrics. The court referee gives final instructions and checks the sticks for solidity. Then the guys start dancing around each other and posing to the crowd. The hits only start when the 2 fighters feel like engaging. Lots of negociating, lots of taunting but not much engagement. All along the music keeps going. The referee only gets involved when there's a melee or some grappling. Basically when the hits were given and no more are possible. Then the ref separates them and the dancing starts over.

I'll try to give my many impressions of the event over the next few weeks...