Tejo (sport)

Tejo, Turmeque

Target post of a tejo field
Nicknames	Tejo, turmeque
First played	Pre-Columbian
Characteristics
Contact	No
Team members	individual, up to 6
Mixed gender	Yes
Venue	Tejo field
Presence
Country or region	Colombia
Olympic	No
Paralympic	No

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Tejo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈte.xo]), also known, to a lesser degree, as turmeque (pronounced: [tuɾ.ˈme.ke]), is a traditional sport in Colombia. Many theories surround the origins of this traditional sport, however there is no convincing evidence due to the lack of oral tradition among native Muisca and the lack of archaeological records that could indicate its actual origins.

There is not one widely accepted theory on the origins of tejo. In fact, it is believed that many of the current theories circulating on the internet might be fictitious and a result of "word of mouth" and speculation.

It is, however, widely accepted that the sport has origins in native aboriginals from the center of Colombia, where it might have been played in a similar form.

Another theory presented by the Colombian government on its website describes the game as having originated more than 500 years ago. In this theory, presented by one of the most important authorities in the country, the sport was played by native aboriginal people that would use a golden disc called zepguagoscua. This, however, is refuted in other sources as a word with sounds not existent in dictionaries of Chibcha language.

Tejo is a sport much appreciated by the popular strata of society. Although there are Tejo arenas targeted towards those of a higher socio-economical strata, most of them are made and used by those of the popular class that see it as a portrait of their pre-Columbian origins. Only soccer enjoys a more numerous following and developed industry in the country.