L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

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Re: L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

Post by CEOCambodiaNews »

Khmer Bokator: A Martial Art Adopted from Animals and Plants
Ky Soklim 20/03/2021 11:28 AM

Fighting techniques carved on Angkor temples show human and divine forms

The Khmer bokator martial art has been recognized increasingly on the international stage over the past few decades. However, bokator is believed to have been created before the Angkor Era from the 9th to the 12th century AD.

Bokator, with its roots deep into history, tradition and spiritual belief, has represented itself as a source of pride for Cambodia. It captures the imagination of all classes in society and is in the process of being recognized as UNESCO intangible heritage.

ThmeyThmey senior journalist Ky Soklim conducted a phone interview with martial artist and grandmaster San Kim Sean, founder of the Cambodia Bokator Federation, on his views of the martial art.

Grandmaster San Kim Sean, born in 1945 in Phnom Penh, has worked tirelessly to preserve this particular martial art.

[Interview]
Ky Soklim: To begin with, grandmaster San Kim Sean, you have been involved in this martial art for so many years. When did you first begin learning bokator? What was the driving force behind your passion?

San Kim Sean: Well, I do not know if it was a destiny from my previous life. Since I was a kid, I usually liked to fight playfully with other kids in the village. When I reached the age of 13, I went to study bokator with my adoptive uncle, Khem Leak. While working at the shipyard, he was also a bokator trainer from the district of Moung Ruessei in Pusat province. After noticing my potential, he decided to teach me the martial art of bokator.

Ky Soklim: Was Khem Leak a popular martial artist at that time or was he just a trainer among many other martial artists?

San Kim Sean: He used to tell me about this own biography. He came from a family of martial artists in Pusat province. His grandfather and his father were all martial artists equipped with spiritual beliefs and powers in the old days.

Ky Soklim: Do you know how old is the bokator martial art?

San Kim Sean: From history, we have seen sculptures of this martial art on the gallery of the Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom temples. Normally, the ancestors who carved out these sculptures, apart from just being sculptors, were also martial artists.

If they were not martial artists, they could not have known how the fighting gestures would look like when carved on the stone.

So, it seems that the martial art was created even before the Angkor Period. Based on my observation, the fighting movements of bokator were inspired by animals such as lions, snakes or even wild boars.

In the far past, our ancestors thought a lot about survival. They were living primitively and indigenously. So, their livelihood revolved around the art of fighting. They were influenced by the movements of wild animals. More than that, some of the combat movements were also adopted from the movements of plants and kinds of tree.
Rest of the interview here: https://cambodianess.com/article/khmer- ... and-plants
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Re: L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

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Cambodia's Kun Bokator Promoted
AKP Phnom Penh, August 21, 2021 --
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Cambodia continues to preserve and develop the Khmer ancient martial arts, so-called Bokator or L'bokator, particularly to promote the sport internationally.

The effort was revealed recently by H.E. Vath Chamroeun, Secretary General of Cambodia Bokator Federation, adding that Cambodia is further building the capacity of the trainers both in the sport and in English language.

According to the secretary general to get recognised internationally, it needs to be acknowledged by at least 75 countries, so an extra is needed to first meet the target so as it get its place at the Olympic level.

There are currently only 6 clubs of Kun Bokator training abroad and if the sport competition is annually, it could earn its place internationally in the next 20 years.

Cambodia's ambition is not only to advance the sport within the ASEAN region or for the SEA Games 2023 in Cambodia, but also in the Asian continent in the future, like Karate and Taekwondo, he added.

Cambodia is also planning to establish clubs of Kun Bokator in approximately 20,000 pagodas across the country.
- AKP
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Re: L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

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Ancient Martial Art Sprouts Green Shoots Among New and Old
Ouch Sony
| Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:19 pm
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Chhorn Chanvireak, who goes by Kru Athan, in a photo posted to his Facebook page

Chhorn Chanvireak has trained l’bokator pupils both at a pagoda and via online videos.

In his 30s, Chanvireak is among the few young trainers of the ancient Cambodian martial art, and dreams of taking the craft to the world. In that, he is not alone. As Chanvireak produces clips to post online, an old master’s wife is compiling her late husband’s writings, hoping to see them published as a book; pagodas are opening their gates to the idea of giving the community a space to practice the spirituality-infused martial art; and officials are looking both to getting world-heritage status for l’bokator and pushing a modernized version as an Olympic sport.

L’bokator, an ancient martial art thought to be the oldest still practiced in Cambodia, includes weaponry alongside hand-to-hand combat. The techniques were used in war, but the martial art also dwindled amid the civil conflicts of the 20th century, as trained athletes were considered part of the country’s elite and killed. Post-Khmer Rouge, l’bokator had all but disappeared, with only a few thin strands, in the form of surviving masters, connecting the tradition’s past and present.

Born to a rice-farming family in Svay Rieng province, Chanvireak says he always felt he had a natural talent for l’bokator. His family had practiced the martial art down to his grandfather, but he never got the chance to learn from him, he says.

At the age of 18, Chanvireak began searching for old masters who could train him in l’bokator — which is also written as bokator or labokator. But they were hard to find, and even the few he came across were typically reluctant to teach, he says.

Chanvireak says he soaked up as much as he could from short sessions during that time, when he was a university student living at a Phnom Penh pagoda. He quickly picked up the martial art — especially its spiritual elements — and now has two training schools in the capital, including at Wat Than pagoda.

“This martial art is my life. I will continue to disseminate till the day of my death,” he says.
Full article: https://vodenglish.news/ancient-martial ... w-and-old/
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Re: L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

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Bokator Athlete Yuos Sanchana Strikes Gold
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Bokator exponent Yuos Sanchana has won a gold medal in the bare hands female single category of the International Martial Arts Contest in South Korea and another gold medal in the team mixed-gender group category.
BY: Phoung Vantha and Zul Rorvy November 19, 2021 10:01 AM

National team celebrates international success

PHNOM PENH--Bokator exponent Yuos Sanchana has won a gold medal in the bare hands female single category of the International Martial Arts Contest in South Korea and another gold medal in the team mixed-gender group category.

They were the 21-year-old's first major achievements in the six years she has been practicing bokator, she said.

She took up the sport in 2015 because of her love of bokator and because she wanted to help promote the martial art, which is her ancestral heritage.

The athlete, from Kandal province, has striven relentlessly to fulfill her dream, despite a series of injuries.

Cambodian martial artists picked up three gold medals, two silver and one bronze at the 2021 International Martial Arts Contest on October 31.

Sanchana said that as a woman she faced more challenges than a man. She has taken part at the national level since 2018, specializing in bare women's weapons, women's singles, and other levels.

In the bare hand single female category, she won the gold medal while Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Hue May won the silver.

In the team mixed-gender group category, she and Phirum Monirothn, Kim Tith Sovathanak, Run Salith, Ponleu Pech Morakot, Prum Penh Pisal, Chhean Vanrith and Ouk Ritheany won the gold medal.

The medal success for the fourth-year accounting student is the result of her own redoubled efforts along with planning, strategy and clear training, especially the study of her past weaknesses and failures.

"My coach and I have done our best to present bokator very thoroughly and especially want the whole world to know about bokator," she said.
https://cambodianess.com/article/bokato ... rikes-gold
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Re: L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

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“Warriors” Song MV to Be Screened Officially Before Khmer New Year
AKP Phnom Penh, April 09, 2022 --
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MV of the “Warriors” song performed for the first time at the official inauguration ceremony of Morodok Techo National Stadium was scheduled to be screened on all local audio-visual media outlets on April 9.
Mr. Seng Chamnan, Director General of Ream Production Co., Ltd., underlined that the composition of the song was inspired by the Khmer martial art Kun Bokator.
The “Warriors” song was composed to further promote Kun Bokator to the world, said the director general, stressing that the MV will present unique footage of the Khmer martial art.

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It also serves as a message for the Cambodian youth to better understand and appreciate Cambodia's traditional culture, he added.
The MV is produced successfully under the collaboration from the Cambodia SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC) and the APSARA National Authority, according to Mr. Ou Dara, Deputy Secretary General of Cambodia Kun Bokator Federation, and Manager of the MV production.
- AKP
Article in Khmer by Heng Nalin
Article in English by Lim Nary
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Re: L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

Post by CEOCambodiaNews »

Previously...
Bokator Unesco Listing Delayed
18 June 2018
post256142.html?hilit=UNESCO#p256142

UPDATE 29/11/2022
Kun Lbokator Inscribed on Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
AKP Phnom Penh, November 29, 2022 --
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Kun Lbokator, Cambodia’s traditional martial art, has just been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.

The decision was made tonight (Cambodia time) during the 17th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Rabat, Morocco.
Image
H.E. Mrs. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, represented Cambodia at the session. Speaking on the occasion, she thanked the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the inscription and dedicated this achievement to all the Cambodian people, especially the Kun Lbokator masters.
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Kun Lbokator is a martial art dating back to the first century. It aims to develop the mental and physical strength and discipline of its practitioners through self-defence techniques and a philosophy of non-violence. The training of Kun Lbokator is not only about physical techniques and skills, but also about mental disciplines on how to respect nature and behave with decorum in society.
By C. Nika
AKP

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Re: L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

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Cambodia News, (Phnom Penh): The General Director of Natural Beauty Company, Ms. Srey Oun, who spends her own money to train and promote Khmer women's bokator, answered her critics on social media who asked why they had never seen her practice martial arts, and yet suddenly she became the country's most well-known martial artist.
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Re: L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

Post by Darkcel »

Is it like WWE but ancient? Why are they wearing jewelry?
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Re: L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

Post by Jerry Atrick »

Darkcel wrote: Sat Dec 10, 2022 10:49 pm Is it like WWE but ancient? Why are they wearing jewelry?

There does appear to be more emphasis on the presentation than the substance of the art
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Re: L 'Bokator - Angkorian martial art. Worth preserving ?

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‘Surviving Bokator’ enjoys historic screening at Cambodia’s grand Angkor Wat temple
Showbiz & MMAUFC
December 24, 2022
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The documentary Surviving Bokator recently became the first non-fiction international film to screen at Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple almost 11 years after it first premiered to the public.
Surviving Bokator joined Angelina Jolie’s First They Killed My Father as the only two films ever to be screened at the Angkor Wat temple.

Documenting the real life cultural struggle to revive Cambodia’s martial art of Kun l’Bokator, Surviving Bokator examines key figures involved, including gatekeeper Grandmaster San Kim Sean, himself a survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide era. The film as racked up many awards at various international film festivals over the years before returning home to Cambodia in November after previous COVID-19 delays.

An estimated 2,000 people attended the festival and screening, which included appearances from His Excellency Sophearith Siyonn, Director General of Cultural Technique, Ministry of Culture.

Surviving Bokator director Mark Bochsler and the film’s star Tharoth “Little Frog” Sam were also present during the festivities.

“It is a tremendous honour to be participating with Cambodians at this landmark moment in Kun L’Bokator’s revival history,” Bochsler said in a press release.

The Crossfire spoke extensively with Bochsler and Sam when they visited Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 2018 to promote the film’s appearance at the Hamilton Film Festival. Sam noted the increase of motivation and positive change of culture, particularly towards women and the younger generation, that Surviving Bokator has helped to affect.

“It (Bokator) makes us strong – mental and physical,” Tharoth said in 2018. She’s seen the evolution of how women in sport are regarded first hand. In the beginning, most people were against female involvement in the sport. “Our culture is … women stay at home. Some people were mocking me, male and female … Now they say, ‘We are so proud of you as a woman.’”

“The young generation seems to be drawn to the cultural elements in the film, which gives them a better sense of their parent’s culture, and many are coming of age now,” Bochsler said to The Crossfire in 2018. “They’re getting a better sense of what is it like to be Cambodian.

“Is it just the dancing or the pictures of Angkor Wat that they see. But now they have something else to latch on to. For the parents, it’s also about national pride, but also understanding.”
@kenaiandrews
https://www.mmacrossfire.com/2022/12/24 ... at-temple/

For the film Suviving Bokator, see also: post230748.html#p230748
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