Young People Join Aura Farming
Hundreds of young people gathered this Saturday in Plaza Mitre, in Mar del Plata, to take part in the so-called ‘aura farming’, a trend in digital culture that stepped off the screens and turned public space into a stage for competition, humour and socialising.
The call had circulated beforehand on social media. Upon arriving at the square, participants organised themselves into groups and staged a distinctive ‘aura battle’, in which they performed repetitive dances, acrobatics, intimidating gestures, poses and slow walks in front of other young people.
On site, Federico, one of the participants, said it is a way to display skills and charisma in front of an opponent.
“As a way of showing your charisma in a battle, doing six seven and the tricks you know how to do. (…) The word ‘to farm’ comes from video games, from farming items, and aura, I do not know, like, aura is to do with the spiritual and all that, and yeah,” he explained.
The performances were accompanied by spectators who cheered on the competitors.
“For me, aura is creating with what you know,” said participant Teo Sycz.
For Hernan Sycz, father of Teo Sycz, the activity represents an opportunity for young people to share their interests away from social media.
“I am with my son and he came to farm aura, the new trend, and he, well, he trains, does different activities, martial arts and, well, he came here,” he said.
The dynamic, based on observing, imitating, improvising and reacting to others, allows participants to turn an internet-born trend into an in-person activity.
Aura Battle Turns Violent
The day proceeded normally until the final minutes, when the situation turned violent. A group of adults burst into the square and threw bottles and stones at the minors taking part in the competition.
“We came here because they are kids and we did not like that people threw stones at them,” recounted Jack, a spectator.
“We need to take care of the kids and let them go out to the square and have fun and socialise, and make sure no one comes to hurt them,” added Martin Moyano.
After the incident, no injuries were recorded and the crowd dispersed once the event ended. No police interventions or arrests were reported either.
Trend Gains Global Attention
The concept of ‘aura’ is used in internet parlance to describe someone’s presence, charisma, or ability to project an image considered striking or ‘cool’. ‘To farm’, meanwhile, comes from video game culture and refers to repeating certain actions to accumulate resources or points. In this case, the reward is symbolic: gaining ‘aura’ in front of others.
The expression began to circulate on TikTok at the start of 2024. The trend reached an international audience in 2025, when videos of the Indonesian boy Rayyan Arkan Dikha, dancing on the bow of a boat during the traditional Pacu Jalur competition, went vira
l and became globally associated with ‘aura farming’ (cultivating charisma).
Article by Viory
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