Reviving Pre-Hispanic Roots Through the Mesoamerican Ballgame

IPN students practice Ulama as a way to preserve and honor an ancient cultural tradition.

Adda Avendaño

Ulama—also known as ulamaliztli, or the Mesoamerican ballgame—embodies the dual balance of nature: life and death, night and day, eagle and jaguar. This ancient practice, rooted in the worldview of Mexico’s early civilizations, represents one of the forces that keeps the universe in motion. At the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), this tradition lives on through the efforts of Tlachtli Tecotah Zacatenco, a student group dedicated to its preservation and promotion.

Tlachtli Tecotah Zacatenco, meaning “the ballgame of the handcrafted hill by the grassy edge,” is composed of 12 students and alumni who, since 2022, have worked to celebrate and reconnect the IPN community with its pre-Hispanic heritage.

Abraham Prado López, a student at the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (ESIME), Azcapotzalco campus, and founder of the group, emphasizes that ulama is not just a physical sport but also a mental and spiritual discipline. “It’s a practice that sharpens every sense, making it a perfect complement to the exact sciences we study at the Politécnico,” he said.

The Call of the Rubber Ball

Prado López explained that the initiative began with a group of IPN students who began collaborating with other collectives, such as Colectivo Ulama Sierra Tonantzin Tlalli-Xochitecpatl, which brings together participants from institutions like the Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (UACM) and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). These partnerships have led to the organization of friendly tournaments and shared training sessions.

Later, the IPN’s Directorate of Cultural Promotion, through the Artistic Development Department led by Maestro Agustín Tonatihu Torres Miranda, stepped in to help the group expand its reach and visibility within the community.

The first to respond to the “call of the rubber” were Moisés de la O Bello and Mauricio García Silverio—one drawn by curiosity, the other captivated by the rhythmic drums echoing through the Plaza del Carillón at the Zacatenco campus. As interest grew, more students joined, and the group eventually relocated to the “Lázaro Cárdenas” Plaza, where their practices now take place under the IPN’s cultural program.

“I was playing frontón in the Plaza del Carillón when I first heard the drums,” recalled Mauricio García. “At first, I was intrigued by the physical challenge—hitting the ball with your hip—but then I was drawn into the worldview, the tradition behind it, and the sense of community that taught me to open my mind and share knowledge.”

The Clash of Celestial Bodies

The version of the game practiced by the group is known as ulama de cadera, or hip ulama, and it is often referred to as the “three-line game.” It is played on a court called a tlachco, typically a 60-meter-long by 4-meter-wide playing field marked with three lines: two parallel and one dividing line at the center called the analco, which translates to “where the river crosses.”

Tlachtli Tecotah Zacatenco recently earned third place in the First Colloquium on Hip Ulama and the Mesoamerican Ballgame in Academic Curricula in Mexico, held at the National School of Sports Trainers (ENED).

In pre-Hispanic times, explained Abraham Prado, ulama was played on courts with stone rings, sloped walls, and permanent structures. Over time, however, the game adapted to different environments and formats.

“Points are deducted when players fail to strike the ball with their hips, when the ball doesn’t cross the analco, when two players collide while going for the ball—a moment known as the ‘clash of celestial bodies’—when the ball rolls untouched across the entire court (known as a raya ida), or when it’s touched with the hands or feet,” he explained.

According to Moisés de la O, the version of ulama practiced at IPN follows the Sinaloa tradition and is played to seven points. Scoring is more focused on the opponent’s mistakes than one’s successes. The main goal, however, is to keep the ball in constant motion.

The Watcher and the Ball

Mauricio García noted that matches can be played with three to six players per side, depending on what the teams agree upon. There are no formal rulebooks; the knowledge has been passed down orally through generations. There are also no penalties or ejections—disputes are resolved on the court itself, guided by the principle that all players are brothers and sisters.

Ulama includes a referee figure known as the veedor, or watcher. This judge records the points, but players themselves are also expected to call out plays when necessary.

“The games are honest and respectful. Every team member must stay aware of the score and let the veedor know if something hasn’t been accounted for. Once a decision is made, it’s final—the veedor is the highest authority on the court,” he explained.

The players emphasized that the rubber ball is handcrafted from natural latex, and its weight varies by game type, ranging from one to four kilograms. Different styles of ulama require different gear and protective wear, including versions played with the forearm and knee (Pok ta Pok), or those that use hips, shoulders, arms, and knees.

The Rise of the Rubber Ball

The Sinaloan version of the Mesoamerican ballgame has seen a resurgence in recent years, a phenomenon some refer to as “the rise of the rubber ball.” Organizations have emerged to promote the sport through tournaments and outreach efforts aimed at attracting new players.

The IPN team highlighted that the game is not limited to men. Women have also taken to the court, such as Brenda Montes de Oca, who initially joined the Aztec dance community—another tradition promoted by the Directorate of Cultural Promotion—and later discovered ulama, becoming an active member of the team.

According to Abraham Prado, there are no physical prerequisites for playing ulama—just the willpower to overcome fear and the occasional fall. “Ulama breaks down barriers—mental, spiritual, and physical. There are no limitations here, which is why it’s so important to confront our mental blocks. I like to say ulama is medicine,” he said.

The group welcomes anyone interested in learning the game. Training sessions are held every Wednesday and Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the “Lázaro Cárdenas” Plaza on the Zacatenco campus.

The handcrafted rubber ball used in ulama weighs between one and four kilograms, depending on the game type.