The Juaka Canyon was a natural gorge, some 30 meters depth and at least 150 meters long, in the planet Ando Prime, approximately 500 kilometers from the capital city Elesa. It included great frozen columns, some of them of more than a dozen meters of height and five meters wide.
The Juaka Canyon was beyond the immigrant miners' self-imposed limits, as they knew that native Talids had claimed it for themselves.
Nevertheless, at some point before 27 BBY, ambitious criminal and sports sponsor Kaeline Ungasan organized his podracing event, the Ungasan Cross Country, so that the course would go through the Canyon. Ungasan and his partner-in-crime Ree believed that the Canyon was rich in Vonium metal, and attached scanning equipment in the racers' pods. Ree managed the illegal operation by bribing Elesa Mining Union representative Geon Justic, but Justic, attempting to get rid of Ree, neglected to warn him of the Talids.
After the race, at least four racers died in the Canyon, including one Dug, one Phuii and two Sullustans. Ree and his team went there to scavenge the debris of their pods, but they were ambushed by Talid sharpshooters in higher position. The Talids believed that the junk belonged to them, following their cultural customs, and they were ready to defend their possessions. The fray was later joined by several people who wanted a piece of Ungasan, including agents of rival crimelords and of Ungasan's corporate employers. All of them had questioned Justic to find out about Ree's whereabouts.