
This is the mass street fight where thousands of villagers aim to 'spill as much blood as possible' - for luck.

A British journalist was punched as he watched the bizarre ritual - known as The Machu Tinku - which sees men and women dressed in colourful clothes punch each other to please the local goddess Pachamama so she will allow a fruitful harvest.

The fighting takes place in Macha, in the Andes mountains, Bolivia, and is considered a sacred rite of the Quechua Indians.

This is the mass street fight where thousands of villagers aim to 'spill as much blood as possible' - for luck

A British journalist was punched as he watched the bizarre ritual - known as The Machu Tinku

The fighting takes place in Macha, in the Andes mountains, Bolivia, and is considered a sacred rite of the Quechua Indians

The centuries-old event sees thousands of Quechan, descendants of the Incas, gather from across the Altiplano region, in Bolivia.

During the ritual, one village circles another before the violence erupts.

The photos, which feature in the second edition of Union Magazine, which is now on sale, present a close-up look at the fighters.

Martin Pashley, 44, co-editor of Union, visited the religious event for the publication and described the fights between rival villagers as 'short but brutal'.

No jewellery or knuckledusters are allowed during the fighting and kicking is strictly forbidden.

Mr Pashley, of Nottingham, said: 'The Macha Tinku is one of the most sacred rites of the Quechua Indians.

Martin Pashley, 44, co-editor of Union, visited the religious event for the publication and described the fights between rival villagers as 'short but brutal'

What looks like a disorganised riot from the outside is actually a highly ritualised dance, said Pashley

Attempts to ban the Tinku by local authorities and the Catholic Church have all failed as thousands of villages continue the tradition each year

While watching the fight, British journalist Martin Pashley, who was with a local guide, was punched by a local and hit by another villager with the butt of a whip

Journalist Martin Pashley said: 'The first five minutes are a pure chaos of panpipes, Incas running around, screaming women, cops whipping people, a god-awful panpipe dirge and flurries of cocoa leaves falling through the air'

'It is an annual event where thousands gather and fight to spill as much blood as possible, so that local Goddess Pachamama will let next year's crops grow.'

Attempts to ban the Tinku by local authorities and the Catholic Church have all failed as thousands of villages continue the tradition each year.

Only 30 police officers, armed with batons and tear gas, are there to control the crowds.

While watching the fight Mr Pashley, who was with a local guide, was punched by a local and hit by another villager with the butt of a whip.

He added: 'A panpipe starts up and the storm breaks out ferociously all around us.

'The first five minutes are a pure chaos of panpipes, Incas running around, screaming women, cops whipping people, a god-awful panpipe dirge and flurries of cocoa leaves falling through the air.

Witness Pashley said: 'No jewellery or knuckledusters are allowed, though back in the day metal claws were used to disembowel opponents and kicking is strictly forbidden'

In this image one of the villagers has been knocked to the floor and police officers are keeping his assailant at bay

One man lays in the street after one of the fights, leaving him with blood on his face - and seemingly unconscious

Two villagers aggressively throw punches at each other in a ritual that has been described as 'full scale war'

At the start of the fighting one village circles in front of another rival one - then they each show their champion and the battle starts

'There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the fighting but as the initial phase dies down I begin to see how it's working.

'What looks like a disorganised riot from the outside is actually a highly ritualised dance.

'One village will circle in front of another rival one, getting faster and faster, psyching themselves up for the confrontation, then at the perfect moment the tangled mass will show their champion - man or woman and battle will start.

'It is beautiful.

'No jewellery or knuckledusters are allowed, though back in the day metal claws were used to disembowel opponents, and kicking is strictly forbidden..

'The fights are short and brutal with all punches aimed at the head. The aim isn't to knock your opponent out but to make him or her bleed.

'The more blood, the better your village's luck will be next year, and the better the crops will grow.

'If there isn't any blood, Pachamama won't be happy.

'Whole villages begin fighting each other and stones are thrown around the square. What was single combat blossomed into a full-scale war.'