Lucha libre has undoubtedly become an iconic aspect of Mexican pop culture. Not only does it captivate fans in famous arenas in Mexico, it’s also big in Japan, and some luchadores are even in the WWE. But coming from a country where around 52 percent of the population lives below the poverty line (according to the World Bank), there’s a sad reality most of us don’t acknowledge when we see luchadores’ colorful masks – many Mexican fans can’t afford a $20 dollar ticket, much less take the whole family to the show.
Never doubt Mexican ingenuity, though. By building makeshift rings in markets, streets, and town squares, a lucha libre group known as Caravana Super Tarín brings live wrestling to marginalized communities far and wide.
Caravana Super Tarín has organized shows in low-income neighborhoods, orphanages, jails, and even garbage landfills for the last five years. It’s a win-win situation; fans get to see live lucha libre, and luchadores who haven’t made it to the big stage get to wrestle regularly. It also offers them exposure to promoters, who are more likely to hire wrestlers with active careers.
Brazilian photographer Alexandre Meneghini captures the essence of this great spectacle in the images below. While lucha libre enjoys wide popularity in the cultural sphere, it remains in the periphery of Mexico City and its society.
