| Focus | Weapons |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Somalia |
| Creator | Ajuuraans |
| Olympic sport | no |
Istunka is an annual martial arts festival held in the town of Afgooye, Somalia during the Somali new year.[1] It traces itself back to the medieval Ajuuraan State and was centralized under Sultan Ahmed Yusuf during the 19th century Gobroon Dynasty. The tournament consists of several teams engaging each other in stick-combat.
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The Istunka tournament was developed in the Ajuuraan period and was celebrated subsequently each year during the Somali new year along side other festivals such as Nowruz. It was not until the Gobroon Dynasty and the reign of Sultan Ahmed Yusuf that the martial art festival became a centralized tournament with separate teams each supported by an assembly of poets, female vocalists and dance groups throughout the duration of the contest.
In the modern era the festival became a popular tourist attraction in Somalia, particularly during the 1970s and 80s. It is still practiced annually in the Afgooye region.