A'
P LAYING
T HE PA TO.
For this game, originally a duck (pato) or
turkey would be killed, then cut into small
pieces and sewn inside a leather ball with
straps. Then neighbours and their best
horses were rounded up. The rules are
simple: First, grab the pato, and then ride
away... or at least try to, because It turns
into a complete free-for-all. Of course,
nowadays they play with a normal ball, after
General Rosas forbade the use of a real pato!
turky wuldbe klle, ten ct ito mal
If you finally end up with the pato, it's
yours, but it means that you'll have to kill a
few calves, invite the rest of the neighbours
and offer them an asado. Then it's dancing
to the chacarera, cueca, bailecito, escondido,
triunfo, malembo, zapateado, or the prado,
all through the night.