Tejo, Colombia's only native sport, involves throwing a puck into a clay box to explode gunpowder packs and is popular among 90% of the population. The game has roots in the indigenous Muisca culture and features a unique scoring system, with points awarded for hitting targets in various ways. To play, participants throw a tejo from 18 meters away, aiming to score points by landing it in designated areas, making it a fun cultural experience for visitors to Colombia.

1. How To Play Tejo In Colombia
If you’re planning on heading to Colombia and you really want to soak yourself in their culture
and connect with the locals, then playing Tejo, or Turmequé as it is sometimes known, is a great
way to start.
Although you may have not heard of it, once you get to Colombia it is highly likely you will,
given that almost 90% of the country’s population play it.

2. ‘Tejo’, pronounced TE-HO is unique, is Colombia’s only native sport, and, because it involves
throwing a puck over 20 meters to have it land in a box of clay with sufficient accuracy to
explode the small packs of gunpowder, is also one of the world's coolest.
Yes, you read that right!
The Origins of Tejo
Tejo was first practiced over 500 years ago by the Muiscas, an indigenous group (also known as
the Chibchas) who inhabited the Cundiboyacense Plateau region, on the Eastern ridge of the
Colombian Andes.
The sport was initially named ‘Turmequé’, after the name of the town where it originated.
Turmequé was an important commercial and cultural center before the Spanish conquest.
The true significance of Tejo in the culture and ceremonies of the Muiscas is not known due to
lack of concrete historical accounts, but it has remained an integral part of Colombian culture to
this day.
Nowadays Tejo is played throughout the country and even in countries that neighbor Colombia.
Many towns have Tejo Clubs, where local players and teams complete, and share the obligatory
cerveza or two.
If you are keen to get involved, ask around and it won’t be long before someone puts you in
touch with an enthusiast who will take you under their wing as there fledgling protégé.

3. What is required to play Tejo?
Before outlining the rules and point system lets define the physical elements that are used in this
sport.
• Área del juego (playing field): The base surface is clay and is 19.5 meters long and 2.5
meters wide.
• Cancha (court): Rectangular courts are placed at either end. Courts are formed from
wooden tables or slabs of 1.5-meter-long by 1 meter wide. A shallow wooden box of 1
meter by 1 meter is positioned onto the table. At one end they are 35 cm deep, while the
other end is 5 cm deep. These boxes are filled with damp clay, or plasticine. The canchas
are then positioned in a way that they are angled so the target area is visible to the player.
• Bocín (horn): A round metal ring or disc called a ‘bocín’ is positioned in the center of the
box. This is the bullseye or principal target to hit in the game. It is 2cm thick and has an
internal diameter of 11 cm.

4. • Mechas (gunpowder wicks): The small triangle wicks are positioned around the edge of
the bocín and are secondary targets. They literally look like tortilla chips given that they
are equilateral triangles of around 6 cm in length. Do not eat!
• Tejo (puck): This is the thing you throw; it is commonly a round disc of metal but can
equally be a similar sized rock or heavy object if the game is being played in a more
rustic setting. The Tejo has a maximum diameter of 9 cm, is 4 cm high, and is 5.5 cm at
the base.
• Concentration: Tejo players take it pretty seriously so if you do decide to get involved do
ensure you are patient and respectful. Due to the distances involved it is really quite
difficult to find your range so stick at it and as a foreigner you can expect plenty of
support, and rest assured you’ll get your fair share of laughs at the start. Expect a sore
arm in the morning too!
• Another essential is good company and plenty of good food and beer. Enjoy!
How to play Tejo
The objective of the game is to throw the Tejo from one end of the playing area to the other end
(some 18 meters away) and have it land in the cancha or court at the other end, the Tejo should
hit the mechas, or land directly inside the bocín.
• Who starts?
Each player or team makes a throw. The person or team that gets their Tejo closest to the bocín
starts. From them on the players take in turns to make their individual throws.

5. • How do you win the game?
The first player or team to get 21 points if the victor.
• What is the scoring system?
Mano = 1 point. Awarded to the player that lands their Tejo closest to the bocín (but has not hit
either the mechas (powder wick) or the landed their Tejo inside the bocín.
Mecha = 3 points. Awarded when the Tejo has been thrown and upon landing it hits and
explodes one of the mechas located around the bocín.
Embocinada = 6 points. These points are awarded when the Tejo lands directly into the bocín
with the wider base facing toward the board.

6. Moñona = 9 points. This is the equivalent to a ‘Hole in One in Golf’. To get a moñona you must
get your Tejo to land inside the bocín whilst at the same time exploding a mecha.
Tejo Colombia
Whether you are backpacking around South America or are in Bogotá on a business trip, if
you’re looking for something quintessentially Colombian to do, then write down Tejo on your
list.
Prep up by getting the gist of the sport by catching a few videos on YouTube and brush up on
some basic conversational Spanish.
There’s no better way to fit in than by speaking their language, try a free trial Spanish class with
one of Live Lingua’s Colombian Spanish teachers and you’ll be blowing up your first mecha
before you know it.
Also, check out our FREE Spanish Survival Crash Course, which will help you speak basic
Spanish before your trip to Colombia!