This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. No cleanup reason has been specified. Please help improve this article if you can; the talk page may contain suggestions. (March 2010)

Canarian Wrestling

Lucha Canaria (Canarian wrestling)
Also known as	Lucha Canaria
Focus	Grappling
Country of origin	Canary Islands
Creator	Various
Olympic sport	No

Canarian Wrestling is a form of folk wrestling, originally from the Canary Islands, where it is known as Lucha Canaria.

Description[link]

Wrestlers start in the middle of a sand circle, called "terrero". The object is to make their opponent touch the sand with any part of their body, except the feet. To accomplish this, they use different techniques called "mañas" to throw their opponent off balance. Two falls are required to win a bout. A match ends when all the members of one team have been defeated.

Canarian wrestling

History[link]

Canarian wrestling comes from the history of the Guanches, the earliest known natives of the Canary Islands, who probably brought it from North Africa, although with limited contact between the islands, each island then developed different rules.

In 1420, shortly after the Spanish conquest, Alvar García de Santa María first recorded the wrestling techniques, including the use of referees, or “hombres de honor”. Only some of these early rules and techniques have survived to modern times. After the Conquest, the sport became part of the islands’ folklore, only usually being fought at celebrations or local festivals.

Lucha Canaria (Canarian wrestling)

The rules were first laid down in 1872, making it one of the earliest defined forms of wrestling. In the 1940s several provincial federations were formed, leading to formation of the “Federación Española de Lucha” in 1984. As it needs a sand circle, lucha is usually fought on special pitches, and important matches, particularly inter-island contests, are covered by local Canarian TV. A seminal event in the history of Canarian wrestling was a remarkable challenge match held on a beach at Las Palmas between a team of wrestlers and Marcus Willerby's touring party of international supperstar beach cricketers, known the world over as 'Willerby's Wanderers'. This match was televised on Sky but was not played to a finish because of sudden and surprising inclement weather.

Techniques[link]

"Mañas", moves, or a series of moves, can be divided in three groups

Grasp[link]

The wrestler may grasp any part of the opponent's body to try to un-balance and knock down the opponent.

Lucha Canaria (Canarian wrestling)

Block[link]

The wrestler can block a move by his opponent, and use his strength to un-balance his opponent.

Deflect[link]

The wrestler can move his body to deflect a move by his opponent, and use the opponent's strength to un-balance him.

Illegal Moves[link]

Punching, hitting and strangling are not permitted.

References[link]

• Página oficial de la Federación de Lucha Canaria (En español) Consultado el 4 de enero de 2008
• Página oficial de la Red Social de la Lucha Canaria ,Deporte Vernaculo de las Islas Canarias, Noticias de Lucha Canaria.

v t e Cultural domain of Canary Islands History Guanches · Pre-colonial times · Treaty of Alcáçovas · First Battle of Acentejo · Kingdom of the Canary Islands · Battle of Aguere · Second Battle of Acentejo · Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1657) · Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1797) · Spanish transition · Autonomous community Languages Canarian (Spanish) · Gomeran Whistle Mythology Gara and Jonay · Achamán · Achuguayo · Achuhucanac · Chaxiraxi · Chijoraji · Guayota · Magec · Maxios · Tibicena Sports Bola canaria · Canarian wrestling · Juego del Palo · Salto del pastor · Open Lanzarote Island · Open Costa Adeje Cuisine Almogrote · Canarian arepa · Canarian wrinkly potatoes · Gofio · Malvasia · Majorero · Miel de palma · Mojo · Pasteles · Ropa vieja · Sancocho · Sangria · Tropical beer · Wines Musical instruments Chácaras · Timple Traditions Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Carnival of Las Palmas · Bajada (festival) · Cavalcade of Magi · Holy Week · Virgin of Candelaria · Cristo de La Laguna · Akelarre Symbols places of the Canary Islands Teide · Auditorio de Tenerife · Garajonay · Caldera de Taburiente Category

v t e Folk wrestling The Martial Arts Portal     East Asia: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Okinawan South & Southeast Asia: Burmese, Filipino, Indian (Mizo Mukna), Khmer Near East & Central Asia: Armenian, Azeri, Iranian, Kyrgyz, Mongolian, Tatar/Uzbek, Turkish Europe: Breton · English (Cornish, Cumbrian, Devon, Lancashire)  · German (historical)  · Greek (historical) · Icelandic · Irish ·  Scottish · Serbian · Swiss Africa: Lutte Traditionnelle, Canarian, Nuba, Togolese, Senegalese Grappling · Submission wrestling · FILA · History of wrestling ·  List of martial arts