Inkanakuy
Inkanakuy (based on Peruvian holiday Takanakuy) is a major Inkling holiday occurring at the end of the year. It is a fighting festival where Inklings take to the streets in a city-wide brawl.
The purpose of Inkanakuy is to blow off steam and settle grudges, seen as a way to go into the new year without any baggage. If there's somebody you've got a beef with, you can issue them a challenge, and once you've brawled and gotten that good dopamine flowing, it becomes a lot easier to make up with them.
Inkanakuy traditionally starts sunrise on December 25th, the only time of the year where Inklings willingly get up that early. A publicly significant figure like the Squid Sisters are often the ones to emcee the event, playing music and broadcasting live to highlight the fights happening in the center of the city. Though the fighting can on on throughout the day, most Inklings are done by the afternoon and afterwards will retire to celebrate with their friends and family.
Costumes are a big part of the occasion. Inklings dress to reflect their home or ancestral counties, wearing symbolic colors and wrapping their tentacles in bandannas. Leather biker and riding gear and skull motifs are popular with younger Inklings trying to seem as intimidating as possible. Fighters may wear balaclavas or masks, with the toughest fighters wearing lamprey masks, intentionally making themselves a target. Traditionally bad, stereotypical Octarian masks are popular. Turf wars happening during Inkanakuy tend to be a lot more aggressive.
As with turf wars, Inklings 14 and up can participate, though those joining in for the first time will usually be accompanied by a parent or older sibling to make sure they aren't overwhelmed. Non-Inklings are allowed to join in too, though it's rare since most of them simply don't want to fights the squids. For the most part fights are kept within the same age range, though young Inklings will sometimes challenge adults, such as teachers or other authority figures. To turn down a challenge is seen as cowardly and not in the spirit of the holiday, even if you think you'll easily win or lose. However, it's also not in the spirit of the holiday to badly hurt your opponent, and fights that get too rough will usually be broken up by the crowd. Brawls are meant to be hand to hand, but most Inklings will fight however they like.
But what about Squidmas? you ask. Squidmas, like Halloween, is a human tradition adopted by Inklings because they thought it sounded fun. It has none of the spiritual significance of Christmas, but Inklings do exchange gifts and get together with their families. Father Squidmas is an enigmatic figure who brings gifts but will also give you a good fight if challenged. His is another popular costume during Inkanakuy. Older Inklings will dress as him and allow little kids to challenge and 'defeat' him in public places like shopping malls.
