What Makes African Martial Arts, African Martial Arts?

[Carlos Thompson]

What is the standard by which we gauge African Martial Arts......Is it the uniform...the training methodology, its lineage...Is it African Martial arts based on an African teaching it. Is it African Martial Arts by virtue of the Name given such as African Karate etc.. I'm truly curious to know how people feel about this.

[Bro. Dr. Ahmses Maat]

Good question Brotha Carlos,

One answer, Afrakan Martial Arts - is an artistic healing and combat method for and by Afrakans. The Afrakan method can originate from Afrakans from Kemet, Zululand, New Deli, Compton, Harlem and anywhere were Afrakans inhabit.

Each method will have its own lineage, uniform, methodology and name.

Personally, I use several methods / concepts throughout the world. I teach Indonesian Pentjak Silat system to the public and teach my very personal developed methods to family. I've traveled to Kemet and with several others decifered several Nubian wrestling movements at the Motherland temple sites. I've added these Kemetic methods along with (NOI) BKF, Kemetic Yoga, Filipino (Moro) Sticks and other incredients to the soup. It's my method called "Montu Arts". Montu is the Ntr (god) of combat of Kemet that I honor. According to Brotha Ashra Kwesi, it interpets as God's Arts. I use the Mdu Ntchr, Drums, Metaphysics, Hypnosis within the body/ animal movements within the instruction.

[Carlos Thompson]

Thank you Brother.....

[Balogun]

Here is an excerpt from my book, "Afrikan Martial Arts: Discovering the Warrior Within", and from an article I wrote for Black Belt Magazine, that addresses this subject:

AFRICAN MARTIAL ARTS:
Ancient Principles for Today’s Warrior
By Balogun Oyabode Abeegunde

Every nation, or “tribe”, in Africa has its own complex and complete martial arts styles. In whatever language they speak, Africans, traditionally, refer to their martial arts simply as “wrestling”. The African concept of wrestling, however, is quite different from the Asian or Western concept of wrestling.
In the African martial arts, to “wrestle” means to put your opponent on his back, belly, or side in order to render him more vulnerable to a finishing technique. This goal can be achieved by any means: strikes, throws, sweeps, joint-locks, or weapon attacks. Thus, if you hit your opponent in the head with a club and he falls from the force of the blow, you have – by African standards – wrestled him.
How did it come to pass that all the martial arts throughout Africa would adopt this concept of wrestling? For the answer, let’s look at a story about the Yoruba prophet and master wrestler, Orunmila: Orunmila, who, among other things, was an undefeatable wrestler, traveled the continent of Africa, teaching and studying spiritual, sociological and martial traditions. Everywhere Orunmila went, he wrestled with – and defeated – the greatest fighters on the continent. Orunmila would pick up a throwing technique in one village; a weapon disarm in another. Orunmila’s opponents would ask him to teach them the techniques he defeated them with and he would teach them, which is in accord with African customs. Eventually, the martial arts of Africa began to possess a similar rhythm and to follow the same underlying strategy of wrestling your opponent by any means.
Furthermore, the martial arts of Africa follow Five Basic Principles, which are the principles that govern traditional African life:

THE FOUR ELEMENTS
In African societies, there are four elements, which are considered the vital materials found in every living creature on Earth. These four elements are:
Earth – The element of Earth represents the stances in the African martial arts. Within the Earth Element are Three Foundations:
• Wood – High, narrow stances. Wood stances are extremely mobile and are used for fast, upright fighting and self-defense.
• Stone – Low, wide stances. Stone stances are extremely stable and are used for grappling and for fighting with a weapon.
• Metal – Low, narrow stances. Metal stances are extremely malleable and are used for grappling and ground-fighting.

Air – The element of Air represents the footwork and movements in the African martial arts. A practitioner of the African martial arts can move like a gentle breeze, a gale wind, or a whirlwind.

Fire – The element of Fire represents the masculine energy and techniques in the African martial arts. Fire techniques are forceful, penetrating and explosive.

Water – The element of Water represents the feminine energy and techniques in the African martial arts. Water techniques are yielding, encircling and deceptively powerful.

POLYRHYTHMIC APPLICATION
Like the African drum, the techniques in the African martial arts are polyrhythmic; meaning a practitioner of the African martial arts seeks to touch his opponent in two or more places at once. An offense and a defense are usually applied simultaneously, or the offense is the defense.

THE UNBROKEN CIRCLE
The principle of The Unbroken Circle is also referred to as “Call and Response”. A practitioner of the African martial arts seeks to blend with, and adapt to, the actions and rhythms of his partner or opponent, creating a never ending circle. A practitioner of the African martial arts does not meet force with force, but rather takes his opponent’s force and uses it against him.

THE WIND HAS ONE NAME
The African martial arts simplify self-defense by dealing not with a specifi

[Kamau R]

There's seems to be an emerging idea that the Afrikan arts can be grouped in three distinct categories:
1. Traditional African Fighting Arts
2. Traditional African Diasporan Fighting Arts
3. Non-Traditional African Fighting Arts
In an interview with Shiai Magazine, Khalil Maasi refers to these three trends as: "1. Traditional/continental (Africa motherland.) 2. Diasporic Synthesis and 3. Neo-African (New) synthesis". Similar to my typology, the first category refers to the traditional systems that exist (or once existed) on the African continent. This would include arts like Laamb, Testa, etc. The second category refers to the emergence of African arts in the Western Hemisphere. Often these arts became hybrids, incorporating elements of multiple traditional systems. Examples include Capoeira, Kalenda, etc. Capoeira is a good example in that it includes head butting, ground attacks and movements, grappling and takedowns, etc. Each of these varied tendencies reflect aspects of traditional arts from different parts of Africa. Although although some Capoeiristas say that the art exists in its traditional form in Angola and Kongo, so this may be a fortunate coincidence. Lastly, number three refers to our application of Kuumba (creativity) in the formulation of our own uniquely African approach to fighting. Often these approaches may be informed by a synthesis of a) the African ethos, b) the social-historical conditions of Africans in contemporary western societies, and c) elements of African, Asian, or other arts. This would include a whole range of systems spanning from Kupigani Ngumi to VSK Ju Jitsu.

Hence something is an African art due to its situatedness in one of the above typologies of African cultural reality.

[Carlos Thompson]

Thank you Brother

[Dr. Germon "Askari" Miller]

But what about the Nubian Fighting Sciences (5500 BCE)? And those warriors during this historical era? Specifically wrestling, grappling, weapons (daggers) archery and hand to hand sciences that were then used against KeMeT during the Nubian invasion and conquest thereof...

[uhuru,sasa]

greeetings queen,where can i learn the NUBIAN FIGHTING SCIENCES?

[Dr. Germon "Askari" Miller]

Greetings Brother:

If you are able to travel - then by all means go straight to the Sudan...Smile
According to the community members who have been kind enough to share their knowledge with me - the martial sciences of Nubia - archery, stick fighting, sword and shield are still very much intact. Stateside, I have been able to glean very valuable techniques (even in archery) from Nubian/Sudanese Elders. Creator willing I will be able to personally increase my training on Nubian soil before the end of 2008. If any additional information is needed please let me know.

Peace
Mama G

[Bro. Dr. Ahmses Maat]

In analyzing the photo I took in Kmt. It shows stick fighting using the alive hand and chopping methods. The sticks are different from that of the rattan sticks used in southeast Asia. Also, we used an armband to hold the stick as an alternative shield.

This picture along with others of this era confirm the origin and standard of all martial arts...

[MWALIMU MKUU JUMA MSHABAZI]

It is sad that we the original as opposed to oriental and occidental peaple "have no national martial art" it was supposed to be YANGUMI but infighting and backbiting an yes agents put a stop to that all other nation's have one or more example's: lima lama,systema,sambo,chulakua,krav maga,san jitsu,ect....!!!!!!!!! yu sool kwan in it's eary year's it means jiu jitsu in korean we srarted it all it's all a stolen legacy see proof at: www.jumamshabazi.webs.com agent'.s stay home at the feet of your master!

[MWALIMU MKUU JUMA MSHABAZI]

ps hapkido was callked yu sool kwan

[Dr. Germon "Askari" Miller]

Welcome Brother..

I see you found the site.....LOL

It's Askari here....LOL For the millionth time... What we represent will be how people see us.... Ditch the belts and gi's.. The legacy of Afrika has enough clothing for us to style and profile..... If belts came from Afrika then show me the "money" Oh I mean picture!

AKERU does not wear belts and gi's... Especially on the tournament circuit... If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck then..... Quack Quack People!!

Commercial Break:
Remember you told me that another "Brother" started AKERU years ago... Please then introduce him to me....

The Afrikan Martial Sciences was birthed stateside by a handful of Pathfinders.... And I have been out here for 35 years and all this "Johnny come lately stuff".... (Oh I mean history and philosophy) needed to have been out in the open. I do not mean red, black and green gi's with Black Power Fists and Afrika patches..... Baba Ishangi is truly disrespected since after all of his efforts to bring the accurate and authentic knowledge he was only invited to very few of the "villages" I see listed on the internet.

I only make a priority of information that assures me I will not be an expendable option in the future. Yes I am one of those "Sisters" who speaks her mind but I can also go to war in the blink of an eye.... (Oya Rules)

Bottom line.... Everyone missed the Vita Saana Combat camp earlier this month... Well do you think we can stop typing long enough to attend the 2nd Annual World Afrikan Martial Sciences Conference in Detroit to be held in October 3-5, 2008 under the direction of Ahati Kilindi....? Can we really support each other??

Or are we just going to keep this "disaspora thing" going for another 400 years!!!???

Peace and Most Respect
Askari Mwalimu Jamala Maisha