Latin America’s parks are being overtaken by teens fighting fierce’aura farming’ battles

Across Latin America, teenagers and college students are engaging in a new form of spectacle known as aura farming battles, where they participate in contests to gain fame and impress audiences. The term "aura farming" refers to the act of cultivating popularity through seemingly effortless displays of coolness, a trend that originated in Indonesia in 2024 following a viral video of an 11-year-old boy. Now, the phenomenon has taken on a life of its own and is spreading through cities in Mexico, Brazil, and Costa Rica.

Aura farming battles are set up like early-2000s dance battles, with a crowd gathering around two participants who take turns showcasing their moves, often farcical in nature. These moves include silly actions such as the worm, squatting and jumping, smashing an egg on one’s forehead, or dabbing while wearing crutches. The object of the battles is to earn the loudest cheers from the audience, with no explicit goal beyond generating attention.

Winners may receive small monetary prizes, but the true appeal lies in the absurdity of the performances.

While some participants have caught the attention of notable figures like musician Rosalía, many in the public seem amused rather than impressed. Comments on social media highlight the bizarre nature of the trend, with users joking about the phrase “your dad used to farm aura.” Despite the phenomena’s novelty, a similar battle occurred in Mexico City in 2008, where members of punk and emo subcultures clashed physically, underscoring the ongoing tension between these cultural factions.