Akara
Akara (铪卡旯, lit. “Team Spirit”) is a Kuduk contact team wrestling sport played by two teams of six people and is especially popular in the western tribes of Kuduk. With the exception of some practice matches, there are usually two teams that go against each other in an attempt to capture each other’s flags. Teams are composed of several positions that specialize in certain roles. One such position is the Rusher, who is player that must capture the opponent’s flag for it to be counted as a point. The Rusher typically wears an alternate coloring on their uniform than the rest of the team in order to help them stand out. The Pincer and Striker positions act as the left and right offense of the team. The Mountain and River positions are the left and right defensive positions on a team respectively. Both of these positions have the role of protecting the team’s flag. Finally, there is usually a team captain who is the most experienced member of the group. The team captain creates plans and team compositions for upcoming matches. Captains also wear an alternate uniform color scheme similarly to the Rusher.
 1975 photograph of the Thunderbirds, a famous Akara team | |
| Highest governing body | Akara Championship |
|---|---|
| Created | 1023CE in the Yevak Tribe |
| Registered players | 58,000 (as of 2020) |
| Clubs | 12,000 (as of 2020) |
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | Yes |
| Team members | 6 players per side |
| Mixed gender | Historically only women, Mixed as of 1984 |
| Type | Indoor, Arena |
| Equipment | Team Flag, Team Uniform |
| Venue | Akara Arena |
| Glossary | Glossary of Akara Terms |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Kuduk |
Akara originated from the transition of Kuduk from a typical feudal society to one based mostly on heritage and clans. Playing a match of Akara was a method in which two competing clans would decide who got what. Akara became extremely popular throughout the Yevak Tribe during this time and spread to the Anana, Hey, and parts of the non-unified eastern Great Plains tribes.
Akara is the most popular sport in Kuduk in terms of in-person viewership and occasional broadcasts in Naryan. The most popular forms of the game are professional and casual, with other major levels including high-school and youth Akara. The Akara Championship is the biggest tournament and league in Akara and is headquartered in Koyukuk.