#myanmar lethwei

[jonkatzatbedlamfarm]

Flower Art: Ode To Georgia O'Keeffe And Beyond. I Wish You A Peaceful Night. I Hope The Flowers Help. I Won't Be Watching

I’m surprised to say this, but I decided to participate in a confrontation that seemed more like Burmese boxing than American politics. Burmese boxing is a full-contact combat sport originating from Myanmar and is regarded as one of the most brutal martial arts in the world. Lethwei fighters are allowed to use stand-up striking techniques such as kicks, knees, elbows, and punches, and using…

[tsivi]

I fucking love frank grillo but can we actually talk about Lethwei, the sport of Myanmar?

I was only told about it once, by my coach to make me laugh so I’d stop crying (we have a weird relationship).

Anyway, from what I recall, yeah, the ninth limb is la cabeza.

But there’s one way to end a fight in Lethwei, knockout. That’s it. Fight just goes till one mf goes night-night. That’s Fucking insane.

Frank Grillo | Fightworld Birmania: Crossroads

+double bonus!

Muay Thai, the art of eight limbs:

vs Lethwei, the art of nine:

[dragoni]

DK Yoo - 15 Styles of Martial Arts

DK Yoo, a true student and Master with epic speed, accuracy, agility and power

Savate

Taichi

Shaolin Kung Fu and Aikido

Sanda, Sanshou, Chinese boxing

Wushu

Systema

Eskrima also known as Arnis or Kali

Wing Chun

Judo

Jeet Kune Do

Kick Boxing and Myanmar Lethwei

Taekwondo

Tong Bei Quan

Taekkyeon

Fencing

You know your training partners are in for major pain when they’re required to wear a motorcycle helmet!

h/t @manwithoutborders - DK Yoo - Speed Jab Lessons - Use your pelvis

[letwheicampmandalay-blog]

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[southeastasianists]

There is blood soaking through the wraps around his hands, and blood staining the white canvas of the ring and blood sluicing from the swollen gash that splits his brow. The unseen orchestra picks up the slap of fist against flesh and whips it to a droning frenzy as the stadium trembles with the fury of the crowd. A full head and shoulders shorter than his opponent, local Lethwei fighter Saw Darwait is struggling to stay on his feet. He locks arms with his foe, his eyes far away, before wrenching his head to the side in a vicious headbutt that tears a groan from the eager audience.

This is the World Lethwei Championship (WLC) Knockout War, and the gloves are off.

WLC, backed by a local property conglomerate and drawing talent from Singapore-based combat sports titan ONE Championship, is on a mission to launch the traditional Myanmar martial art of Lethwei to the fame – or infamy – of Southeast Asian sports such as neighbouring Muay Thai.

And with mixed martial arts fighters from as far afield as Poland and Portugal eager to bloody their knuckles against the best warriors Myanmar has to offer, it’s little surprise that the once-unknown sport is going from strength to strength.

Australian fighter and former kickboxing champion Michael Badato is here in the empty city of Naypyidaw, he says,  for a good time, not a long time. Speaking to Southeast Asia Globe before his match in the sparsely populated capital’s Wunna Theikdi Stadium, the Muay Thai master grins ruefully as he twists tape around his fingers.

“It’s definitely different when you’re fighting bareknuckle,” he said. “The sting of a punch is more shocking, so probably more distance, more combos, more timing – it doesn’t need to be a hard punch, it just has to be a snappy punch.”

Carved into the murals of the ancient temples of Bagan more than a millennium ago, Lethwei – known as the art of nine limbs for allowing its athletes to lash out with their head as well as the elbows, knees, feet and fists that fill out the arsenal of most Southeast Asian martial arts – has long been relegated to Myanmar’s rural hinterlands as the people’s favoured bloodsport. Now, draped in the trappings of a professional martial arts championship, the sport has found its way beneath the unflinching eyes of international audiences around the world.

“The entertainment is different, more bloody,” Badato said. “The sport is very unforgiving. People love to see that. People love to see raw emotions, nothing edited. Fair enough – you’ve got MMA and your kickboxing and Muay Thai, but when you’re up there, when someone makes a mistake, whether it comes from a counterpunch or a kick or just tiredness, they really do feel the pain and suffer. People love to see contact, knockouts. And it sells. UFC and MMA are the biggest and fastest-growing sports in the world… It’s a really bloody sport, and people like to see that.”

Brooklyn-born Chan Reach, now based in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, moved to his parents’ homeland seven years ago with 13 professional MMA fights under his belt to train a new generation of Cambodian champions. Speaking behind the scenes at last month’s championship, he described how Lethwei’s notorious violence had drawn in crowds looking for some primal quality that more polished sports such as kickboxing are lacking.

“Lethwei is in its rawest form,” he said. “It’s like a street fight but with rules and with professional fighters. Before, Lethwei was known only in Myanmar – but now they have WLC; it gives a chance to the local Lethwei fighters to have international competitions and show the world their culture.”

Nou Srey Pov, 22, a Cambodian fighter schooled in the traditional martial art of Kun Khmer and a pupil of Reach’s, became the first woman to win a WLC match, in February. Speaking with Southeast Asia Globe hours before her fight against Shwe Nadi – the daughter of a local Lethwei legend – she said that adapting to the Myanmar fighters’ unorthodox style was a challenge.

“The first time, I wasn’t used to it yet,” she said. “I heard about it, but I didn’t expect it to go the way it went. I won, but I didn’t expect the headbutts and all that stuff. I just pretty much used Cambodian martial arts to negate Lethwei: a lot of elbows, a lot of knees and a lot of punches. And kicks also. So I just used elbows to negate the headbutts.”

That evening, after three rounds of vicious back-and-forth, Srey Pov was again crowned the victor in a unanimous decision from the judges. This, too, is a legacy of WLC’s programme to professionalise the sport: for millennia, Lethwei athletes have been expected to fight to the last man standing.

“In the local show, there’s no point system,” Reach said. “You have the knockout or it’s a draw. But  with the WLC, they do the points system here. For some Myanmar fighters, it’s new to them, but for foreign fighters, it’s what we need. But in terms of it being dangerous – it’s just as dangerous as Muay Thai or Kun Khmer, it’s just the same. The only difference is the headbutts. The headbutts can do a lot of damage – not only to the opponent but to yourself. In terms of long-term damage, I think Lethwei is up there.”

Artur Saladiak, a Polish Muay Thai practitioner living in London, has fought against some of the fiercest fighters Southeast Asia has to offer. That night, he would be fighting for the title of world champion in his weight range – and not without some trepidation.

“I was shocked by how strong they are, how tough they are, and I’ve been preparing to fight all five rounds because I knew that to stop them before the time [runs out, at which point the judges deliver the winner], it would be very hard,” he said. “You have more weapons, and that makes Lethwei a little bit more dangerous.”

Saladiak’s opponent would never see the fifth round. After ten minutes of a match that at times seemed more dance than dogfight, the Polish fighter flung the Kachin-born Saw Ba Oo against the ring ropes and kept him there with a vicious kick to the chest that left Ba Oo winded on the canvas. Keen to observe the ancient protocols of his adopted sport, the newly crowned light-middleweight Lethwei world champion prostrated himself before his fallen foe before launching into a traditional dance of triumph.  

Saw Nga Man, who’s known as “Saw Shark” and hails from a Kachin village famous for its Lethwei lineage, said that fighters such as Saladiak and Badato were bringing much-needed attention to his country’s culture.

“International fighters can fight in Lethwei, so we are very glad to see the kind of fighters that come and fight here,” he said. “Lethwei is now developing and developing, so later we hope that Lethwei can overcome Muay Thai.”

For Saladiak, the ferocity and intensity of Myanmar’s bareknuckle boxing has proven a winning combination.

“This sport is something new, but something that people will like,” he said. “People like violence and people like when blood is coming out of the face of another fighter, and that’s why people will prefer to watch Lethwei in the future.”

[lordmartiya]

I do, and only Muay Boran (Muay Thai's parent art, made for the battlefield) has them all.

Lethwei comes close (it's the closest thing to a rival art, being from the neighbouring Myanmar), but doesn't have the armbands.

Just show the crew going to the occasional kickboxing class or something.

You just reminded me of another thing the show did that irks me as a martial arts buff: they coded Anansi as a Muay Thai practitioner completely by accident. The arm bands? They come from Muay Thai. The insistence on using her ring name? In Thailand a Nak Muay is likely to change their legal name to match. Said ring name being Anansi? You don't choose the ring name in Muay Thai, your teacher gives it to you and you can't change (most of) it, she was given the name by someone who thought they were clever. Her boisterousness? That's how a Nak Muay should be, a boisterous hero.

They coded her completely like a Nak Muay... And I know it was a complete accident, they just put together a lot of cool things that when put together any martial arts buff reads as proof she does Muay Thai.

I don't know enough about martial arts to know if other practices have similar things?

[phoenixlionme]

Asian Martial Arts

I will be doing a set of posts of all of the martial arts from each of the country they all originated from. I can’t be entirely sure how many martial arts there, so I had to google and went to a site called, wayofthemartialarts.com as well as using Wikipedia on the “List of martial arts” page. If I missed any from this country, please add it but BE polite. I don’t tolerate rudeness. Also, some of these martial arts may include a weapon (s).

1. Bangladesh -> Butthan, Lathi Khela, Boli Khela

2. Cambodia -> Bokator, Pradal Serey

3. China -> Ba Fa; Ba Ji Quan Kung Fu; Ba Gua Zhang; Ba Ji; Bak Mei Kung Fu; Bai Mei; Bao Quan Kung Fu; Bei Tui; Chang Quan; Cha Quan; Chin Na; Choy Gar; Choy Li Fut; Chuo Jiao; DiSom; Di Tang Quan; Drunken Money; Drunken Fist; Duan Quan; Eagle Claw; Emei Quan; Fanzi; Feng Shou; Five Ancestors; Five Animals aka Ng Ying; Fujian White Crane; Guzhuangquan; Fu Jow Pai (Tiger Claw Style); Fut Gar (Buddhist Family); Hei Hu Quan (Black Tiger Fist); Hou Quan Kung Fu; Hua Quan; Hung Fut; Hung Ga; Hung Gar; Jow-Ga Kung Fu; Kunlun Quan; Kuntao; Lai Tung Pai; Lama Pai; Lau Gar; Leopard Style; Liu He Ba Fa; Li Gar Quan (Li Family Fist); Long Quan; Luohan Quan (Arhat Fist); Mei Hua Quan (Plum-blossom Fist); Mian Quan (Cotton Fist); Mi Zong; Mizongyi; Mok Gar; Monkey Style; Nan Quan; Northern Praying Mantis Style; Northern Shaolin; Pao Chui; Pi Gua Quan (Chop-Hanging Fist); Pushing hands; San Da (Chinese Kick-boxing); San Soo; Sanshou; Shaolin Kung Fu; Shuai Jiao (Chinese Wrestling); Shui Quan (Water Fist); Snake Style; Southern Dragon Style; Southern Praying Mantis Style; Tai chi; Tan Tui; Tien Shan Pai; Tong Bei Quan; Wing Chun; Wu Dang Quan; Wushu; Xing Yi Quan; Yau Kung Moon; Yi Quan; Yue Jia Quan; Zi Ran Men; Zui Quan

4. India -> Adimurai; Andhra Pradesh; Bal Vidya; Bihar; Dhanurvidya; Gadayuddha; Gatka; Huyen Langlon; Malla Yuddha; Mushtiyuddha; Kalaripayattu; Karnataka; Kashmir; Kerala; Kick-fighting; Maharashtra; Manipur; Nagaland; Niyuddha; Odisha; Pehlwani; Pugilism; Silambam; Vajra-mushti

5. Indonesia -> Caci; Cakalele; Debus; Fitimaen; Kabasaran; Kuntao; Mekare-kare; Pasola; Payuq; Pencak Silat; Silat; Sisemba; Sitobo Lalang Lipa; Tarung Derajat; Tinju

6. Israel -> Kapap; Krav Maga

7. Iran -> Kung Fu To’a

8. Japan ->  Aikidio; Aikijujitsu; Araki Ryu; Bajutsu; Battojutsu; Bojutsu; Bujutsu; Byakuren Kaikan; Daido Juku Kudo; Daito-Ryu Aikijujutsu; Enshin Kaikan; Goju-Ryu Karate; Hanbojutsu; Hojojutsu; Iaido; Iaijutsu; Isshin-Ryu; Itto-Ryu; Jojutsu; Judo; Jujutsu; Jukendo; Juttejutsu; Karate; Keijojutsu; Kendo; Kenjutsu; Kickboxing; Kobudo; Koryu; Kyokushin Karate; Kyudo; Kyujutsu; Kyusho Jitsu; Naginatajutsu; Ninjutsu; Nippon Kempo; Niten Ichi-Ryu; Nunchaku Jutsu; Shindo Jinen-Ryu; Shintaido; Shito-Ryu Karate; Shootfighing; Shooto; Shorinji Kempo; Shorin-Ryu Karate; Shotokan Karate; Sojutsu; Spochan; Sumo; Taido; Taiho Jutsu;  Tanto Jutsu; Tessenjutsu; Wado-Ryu Karate; Yabusame; Yamanni-Ryu; Yoseikan Budo

9. Korea -> Gongkwon Yusul; Gungdo; Gungsol; Haidong Gumdo; Han Mu Do; Hapkido; Hwa Rang Do; Korean swordsmanhsip; Korean spears; Kuk Sool Won; Kumdo; Kyuk Too Ki; Sibpalki; Soo Bahk Do;  Ssireum; Taekkyeon/Taekkyon; Taekwondo; Tang Soo Do aka Soo Bahk Do; Subak; Teukgong Moosool; Wong Hwa Do; Yongmudo

10. Laos -> Muay Lao

11. Malaysia -> Silat

12. Mongolia -> Bokh aka Mongolian wrestling

13. Myanmar (Burmese) -> Aka; Bando; Banshay; Lethwei; Naban; Pongyi thaing

14. Philippines -> Dumog; Eskrima; Kino Mutai; Panantukan; Sikaran; Yaw Yan

15. Sri Lanka -> Angampora

16. Thailand -> Krabi–krabong; Lerdrit; Muay boran; Muay Thai; Silat Pattani

17. Turkey -> Matrak; Oil Wrestling; Sayokan

18. Vietnam -> Cuong Nhu; Nam Hong Son; Qwan Ki Do; Tam Qui Khi-Kong; Võ thuật Bình Định/Bình Định Gia; Nhất Nam; Võ Việt Nam aka Võ Đạo of Phạm Văn Tan; Vovinam

[zee-writes-and-draws]

Truly Important

Summary: A look at some of the more important birthdays that Saw Paing has had, and the one he celebrated right after the tournament.

A/n: It's still July 8th, so I'm on time w/this. Nonetheless, I slept five hours so I apologize for lack of proofreading.

------

The first birthday that Saw Paing truly considers important is his fifth one, the day he gets to start Lethwei training for the very first time. He comes home covered in scratches and bruises and a trickle of blood running down his forehead. His father fusses a little and his ma doesn’t let him up until she bandages every little cut and bruise but nothing can spoil his good mood as Ne Win Paing puts him in a headlock and their little sister congratulates him on the start of his training.

------

Most birthdays to Saw Paing aren’t majorly important beyond the fact that even as a fighter Pa Paing did his best to see every single child on their birthday every year. But some are important because there’s new people in his life, people who aren't’ there, certain benchmarks and events that are important in and of themselves, but are easier to tie to years and dates and celebrations.

Saw Paing’s sixteenth birthday is remembered fondly only because it is one week before he meets his eternal rival for the very first time, a boy named Gaolang Wongsawat.

------

Seventeen. Nothing particularly important. Current youngest brother starts his training that year.

Eighteen. Important solely by the freedom it grants in travelling. Almost all countries recognize eighteen as an age of majority, an age where you can do a lot of things that would be illegal otherwise like go somewhere without an adult’s supervision or rent a car so you have your own transport. Going to places outside of Myanmar and Thailand is the most interesting he’s done in his entire life.

Nineteen. He finally gets a job outside the village. The weapons corporation that hired him is run by an old man and a teenage girl with a vicious streak longer than the destruction radius of the missiles she’s designed. Still, they hired him to safety test things and work to rescue people in afflicted areas, not attack them. It’s Togo Tomari’s brilliant ruthlessness that causes him to end up in the same place as Muteba for a month. Another friendship struck up with someone he’s fought against. A birthday gift of an absolutely gorgeous button-up with twelve patterns and wild color is dropped off at his door that year. Even though the gifter will likely never see it, Saw Paing wears the shirt with pride as often as he can for the next few years.

Twenty. Barely important but it was Gaolang’s eighteenth birthday that year and the time the title ‘God of War’ starts creeping into people’s thoughts about him. Saw Paing cheers his rival on whenever possible.

Twenty-one. Nothing. Little sister asks out crush, dates her for seven months and change before they have to break up because the crush’s family is moving. He and Muteba have each others numbers saved and text between missions.

Twenty-two. He and Ne Win Paing get to fight outside of legal matches for the first time. It’s exhilarating. Their father hugs them both afterwards and tells them how proud he is.

Twenty-three. The first birthday in their family celebrated after Pa Paing passes. It’s somber. Saw Paing would rather have skipped the day entirely if not for how his youngest siblings all seemed determined to follow traditions for at least the illusion of normalcy  and he’s not about to ruin their coping process just because he’s sad. With Ne Win Paing travelling nearly full-time and recovering when he’s home, Saw Paing is the de facto leader of the family and he’s not going to let them down so easily.

That night there’s a card delivered to him by a hassled-looking mail carrier. It’s from Gaolang.

I heard about your father’s death, Saw Paing. My deepest condolences to both you and your family. Take care of yourself. Do what you must to feel more stable.

To anyone else the writing would be cold and impersonal. Saw Paing re-reads it over and over until a drop splashes onto it and the crinkling of paper registers and then he hurriedly folds it and drops it onto the desk in his room so it doesn’t get destroyed.

If in two weeks when they next see each other, Gaolang relents and truly fights Saw Paing for twenty minutes before declaring a defeat form boredom, neither of them acknowledge the change in routine anymore than they acknowledge that Saw Paing’s yelling is more like loud talking and that Gaolang had made an extra plate of his favorite fish seemingly just in case.

------

Twenty-four. Saw Paing meets Sayaka for the very first time that year, a bright and sunshine-sweet teenager who screams out his intro and doesn’t seem to mind that he’s super-loud or that his opponent throws him into the commentators box and nearly crushes her by accident.

When he had apologized she made a joke about it. He made one back. A friendship stronger than any other he’d made was started that day. Sayaka reminds him of his little sisters, friendly and upbeat and ready to take on the world if she has to and come out with a smile, sharp wit and keen mind concealed under a bubbly layer that requires no lying to maintain.

That year his birthday includes a surprise delivery of a completely new set of cookware with a small note attached.

Happy birthday, Saw! Sorry I couldn’t make it, dad scheduled fifty matches for this week alone so I’m not even sleeping, but I hope you like it! See you in May (PS I’m secretly rooting for you!)

That night Saw Paing makes dinner for everyone with said cookware and an unflappable grin on his face.

------

Twenty-five. Nothing.

Twenty-six. His little sister is now formally competing on a near-national level. His brothers, no longer so small but always little in his eyes, work hard to bring in food and water and trade with the local villages and Saw Paing never stops feeling proud of them.

Twenty-seven. More and more fights in the arena. He leaves Tomari’s contracts behind but keeps in touch with Muteba. A chance metal concert allows him to meet Yoshiko, who in turn introduces him to Sawada. Saw Paing mails him several CDs of traditional Burmese music for the other man’s birthday. Gets a collection of ballet remixes in exchange. Listens to the collection every night for weeks and weeks on end until he can whistle half the songs without thinking. Smiles at how many small reminders he has now of the people he cares about.

------

Twenty-eight. The coldest and harshest one yet. Ne Win Paing is not there that year. Everyone’s energy is lower than usual. Saw Paing spends the day mostly taking care of the youngest siblings and visiting the graves of those he’s lost. He can feel the wrongness of this land on his skin, it’s Yoroizuka’s home and that’s better than the alternatives but it is not his home or their home or the home that his family deserved and had grown up in and lost because of Ne Win Paing or maybe because Saw Paing should have noticed sooner, should have caught onto the damage his brother had taken.

Sayaka leaves twenty voicemails and thirty texts, all reassurance and compassion and kindness that Saw Paing is beginning to doubt he deserves. Sawada had arranged for several boxes of their favorite sweets from all over the world to be delivered to his house. Muteba messages him a list of names and places if he needs to fight the emotions out or to talk to a professional specializing in fighters and loss of loved ones and tells him to cherish the rest of his family.

Gaolang visits that evening, sleeplessness evident in his posture and eyebags. It’s rarer and rarer for the two of them to see each other now, between the jobs they both hold and duties they’re bound to. Saw Paing’s first priority will always be his family, just as at the end of the day the Thai God of War is not that but the bodyguard of Prince Rama of Thailand. And yet here they are, sitting next to a firepit just outside a house that was not truly meant for Saw Paing’s family, in a country outside of Gaolang’s own.

“Are you alright?” Gaolang asks him. Saw Paing looks up.

I’ll be fine, he wants to say, thinks instead because even things like talking feel like too much right now. He settles for a nod instead, one that feels too slow and tired to really be him but has to be because who else could he be? Gaolang does not look reassured by this. He sits down next to Saw Paing and talks. That quiet voice, normally at least partially twinged with annoyance and exhaustion, now flows with an undertone of gentle energy. It’s not the fire that Saw Paing usually feels running through his veins. Nor is it Ne Win Paing’s quick fury or Pa Paing’s ruthless confidence.

No, it’s the other kind of energy, the kind that Gaolang always emits though it’s hidden under the day-to-day life’s mundaneness. Gaolang tell him about fights, about what guarding Prince Rama has been like for him, some recipe his parents love and he despises because of how annoyingly spicy it is and how Saw Paing would probably like it. And then he talks about staring into a fire.

“Look,” Gaolang motions at it. “It moves so incredibly, alive and unalive at once.” Saw Paing looks into the fire, watches the moving flames flicker and dance in and out of existence. Next to him, Gaolang smiles.

“It reminds me of you sometimes. The difference is fire burns out. I truly hope you never do.” They sit next to each other, watching for a while until something in Saw Paing’s chest undoes itself, letting some feeling back in. Gaolang notices.

“Tell me about Ne Win Paing,” he asks, shoulder brushing against Saw Paing’s own, warmer than the air around by just enough to be noticeable without feeling too off-balance. And so he does, spilling out every little detail he can remember about his brother and all of the memories that were crafted for as long as he can remember. The sky is light when he finishes, still tired but somehow lighter. That something that had unwound a bit earlier is almost completely gone. He’s still saddened by the loss of one of the greatest people in his life, but things look a little better.

Gaolang leaves then, apologetic but unable to stay. Saw Paing nods at him again to say it’s alright and it must come across sufficiently this time, because Gaolang’s smiling softly as he walks to his car and drives back to his too-loud and too-busy life for such a quiet man and yet a life that couldn’t be anyone else’s.

Saw Paing’s younger siblings are slowly waking up, coming out to check up on him and start their day. He hugs them, feeling his spirit coming back to something normal.

------

Twenty-nine. Still a tad colder than before but mostly better.

Thirty. A year with little occurring beyond the increasing amount of kengan matches and the frequency that he gets to see old friends like Sayaka. The tournament that happens later in the year is undoubtedly something unforgettable that he;ll treasure for the rest of his life. So many new friends made, so many bonds forged and strengthened. He makes it a point to keep correspondence with all of them, even the more quiet ones like Karo and Rei. They clearly need the company if they're quite that quiet.

Thirty-one. He wakes up expecting another birthday that’s rather insignificant. His sisters and brothers in college call and Skype and do whatever else they need to say hello first thing in the morning, yelling through the screen loud enough that he can her the dorm’s complaints through the call. The siblings still at home whether from sentimentality or youth wake him minutes before that by running into his room and wishing a happy birthday to him at the top of their lungs. He’s so proud of their lung training being quite so successful.

He checks his phone after all of the younger siblings hang up out of habit. There’s another twelve messages from various members of the assassin clans he’s befriended, a missed call from Cosmo, a notification about a post from Adam, and an alert of the local post office telling him about several packages that are addressed to him.

On the journey to the post office and back he gets six more calls. As he’s balancing reading a short ‘happy birthday!’ texted to him from Cosmo and a rambly congratulation courtesy of Okubo that is interrupted by an incoming call from either Hanafusa or Yoshizawa, a wonderfully familiar voice calls out.

“Saw! Over here!” Sayaka stands by the edge of the road, looking as red carpet-ready as always, except for the small trolley of boxes and bags she’s keeping from rolling away.

“HEY SAYAKAAAA!!!!!” He yells to her as he runs over. She’s hugging him so there’s no reason not to complete their usual greeting by picking her up and spinning in several circles.

“Happy birthday, Saw!” She laughs as he puts her down. “Sorry I didn’t warn you, but there was a lot of last minute stuff and everyone wanted to send something to you and it was ‘one more thing’ this and ‘oh wait here!’ that, and it’s so great to see you again! Here!” the packages he was holding until two seconds ago are now in Sayaka’s hands, traded for a fancy-looking photo album.

“It’s for you. I wish I could stay, but Retsudo’s been flipping out for six hours and he threatened to send a SAR squad again, but I promise i’ll call this evening, kay? See ya soon, Saw Paing!” She runs to the familiar figures of Takyama and Misasa, waving the whole time they drive away until she’s out of his line of sight. Only tnen does Saw Paing turn his attention to the trolley and the photo album.

Getting everything home requires ignoring messages and calls so his plan to find out what these things are that everyone was so determined to send to him has to wait another hour or so but then he finally has the time to check everything out.

There’s two gorgeous shirts that fit perfectly, bright greens and yellows combining with the soft fabric and reminding him of his old shirt but nicer. This, he knows without even needing to check the card, is a gift that only someone like Muteba would have gotten him. A thick book of various recipes from several different regions in Japan, along with an impressively full binder of leaflet instructions for dishes made in the mountains is sent courtesy of Sekibayashi and Haruo.

A sharp-looking knife that seems to be more familiar with intestines sliding across its blade than vegetables is gifted by the Kures he’d met after Hayami’s rebellion, right next to several ‘free assassination’ coupons Reichii and Fusui must have snuck in as a half-joke and and half-true gift.

Most of the things are actually quite small, just fragile and packaged with an insane amount of cushioning, he realizes. It’s nothing particularly fancy, but they’re all things that will remind him of the senders, be it the scalpel that Hanafusa mailed him with instructions on how to DIY surgery or the old shogi set Kaneda gifts along with a book on most famous shogi strategies played throughout history.

Saw Paing moves everything to where it should be once everything but the photo album has been looked through. The cookbooks go to a specific shelf in the kitchen that no one else can reach. The weapons are hidden in a small box under his bed to avoid any incidents. Muteba’s shirts go onto hangers, Sawada’s fancy candies are set on a plate for eating while looking at this final gift, and then the album is opened.

The first photo makes him smile, a perfect snapshot from one of his earliest fights in the Kengan matches, capturing the moment they had both gone from enemies to friends mid-blow. A date, presumably of when the photo was taken, is written on the border in Sayaka’s neat writing. The second one is of Ne Win Paing from seven years ago. This time, the date is in heavier, blockier writing, not unlike Hollis’s. Saw Paing flips through the album a little more, taking it in. there’s plenty of photos of his various friends, fellow fighters, and even some family from the tournament and before it, but there’s also old photos of his brother and father, and even one of his mother back when she had fought in occasional matches, along with candids of some of the more stoic people. They must have been collected over several months, and not just by Sayaka.

Saw Paing already knows what will happen this evening. Gaolang will come over with some kind of small yet so deeply personal way of also saying happy birthday. Sayaka will call again, most likely throwing a small party in the Katahara house and inviting everyone she can. Rei might stop by and even if he doesn’t, he’ll Skype before the sun sets because he’s a punctual person by both nature and training.

But that’s still hours away, and in the meantime, Saw Paing decides to keep looking at the beautiful snapshots of the past, enjoying the present to it’s fullest.

------

END.

[fightchase]

Look what's about to drop tonight!! Our Podcast with the King of #Lethwei @kingleduc you will not want to miss this podcast. From the beautiful culture of Myanmar to the most brutal combat sport on the planet! #fightchase #seetheworld #adventure #livelife #getoffthecouch #inspire #travel #myanmar #lethwei #kingleduc #kingoflethwei (at Planet Earth) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1sJpzuJqYp/?igshid=j52lwc6re7p4

[comparativetarot]

Knight of Wands. Art by Arrom Zart, from The Southeast Asian Myths & Stories Tarot.

In the ancient text, there is a legend of a race of men who could transform parts of their bodies to that of a Tiger. Bestial and ferocious, these creatures are known as Tharman Chah or Were-tiger. They are the guardians of the wild and normally guard places of dharma and of mystical training. On occasion, a worthy human will come to their settlement and he will be taught the ancient art known as Lethwei, the art of the eight limbs.

From the Pyu empire till now, Lethwei is one of the foremost in Myanmar martial arts.Matches were held for sport. Everyone was equal in the ring whether it is nobility or commoner. The rings were usually sand pits and the boxers fought without any protection and only their hands wrapped in hemp or gauge. Normally there is no draws. A fight went on till a participant was knocked out or incapacitated.

Kyar Ba Nyein, whose nickname is Tiger was a participant in the 1952 Summer Olympics. He was the only Burmese Lethwei boxer who never lost his bout in the games. From the Age of 13, he fought a total of 50 matches and retired at the age of 33.

Later in his maturity, he opened many schools to teach Lethwei and spread the name of Myanmar kickboxing to the world.

[theanticool]

Idk if you've been paying attention to that Dave Leduc a-hole, the self-declared "king of Lethwei," but it looks like Myanmar finally had enough of his BS

I have heard leduc’s name because I remember him fighting Cyrus Washington and seeing that on like the local Verizon One channel at my grandmother’s house in Delaware. Never saw any of this controversy though.

Let me get this straight - This man, who has never beaten anyone good or even his own size at Lethwei, claims to be the king of Lethwei and then insulted Thailand’s most popular fighter on social media (Buakaw), and ended up getting banned from Myanmar as a result. What a dumbass.

[themuaythaiguy]

NOMAD Leduc Retains Lethwei Belt

NOMAD Leduc Retains Lethwei Belt

‘King of Lethwei’ Dispatches American Challenger   Credit: Myanmar Lethwei World Championship Last weekend, in Yangon, Myanmar, Dave “The Nomad” Leduc defended his Lethwei world title against crafty American fighter Cyrus Washington. This was Leduc’s fourth title defense in eight months. Although the fight was declared a draw under Lethwei rules, Dave clearly came out on top by applying pressure,…

[artesmarcialescom]

Dave Leduc en CDMX, ¿qué tan bueno es?

Dave Leduc en CDMX, ¿qué tan bueno es?

POR JEFF SWARTZ MMA ¿Qué tan bueno es Dave Leduc? Esta es una pregunta cuya respuesta todo Myanmar conoce y el resto del mundo está aprendiendo. Dave Leduc es el mejor del mundo en lo que hace. Es el Rey de Lethwei y es el activo más importante que tiene el Campeonato Mundial de Lethwei. Pero, ¿qué tan bueno es realmente? La respuesta es simple: Leduc es un talento único en la vida en el…

[suricateg]

Lethwei is "the art of nine limbs." Muay Thai "the art of eight limbs," so boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, and then... boom. Frank Grillo in Netflix’s “FIGHTWORLD”  S01E03 “Myanmar. Crossroad”  #1 

[letwheicampmandalay-blog]

6-7 PM @ 31st Street camp for 1:1 training we recommend to come 31 street branch in mandalay #lethwei #bootcamp #ArtsOf9Limbs #mandalaylethweicamp #myanmarmartialarts #fitness #weightloss #mandalay #wellness #myanmar #health #fitness #fatloss #fit #crossfit #bareknuckleboxing #Agility #AgilityTraining #Headbutt #strength #flyingknees #martialarts #maximumpower #MandalayTravel #Thingstodoinmandalay #Acitivityimmandalay #travelmyanmar https://www.instagram.com/p/BtDq_4uA2wT/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dqwmwapa8tgy

[noblecrumpet-dorkvision]

Reskinned Monks

I wanted to come up with ways of avoiding the cliché stereotype of the "far east" martial artist. While there's nothing overtly wrong with it, there are so many other ways to theme an unarmed combatant. If you want another way that hasn't been done to death, I've come up with some different ideas to use.

Reskinned Monks

Martial art masters can come in many different packages. You can easily create unique characters that employ a monk's fighting techniques but with a thematic twist. You can rename some of the monk's class features to make interesting spins on their ki abilities.

Brawler. A gladiator, wrestler, or back-alley ruffian that picked up their martial prowess on the streets. A barbaric or roguish version of the monk that fights dirty. Ki points become Mettle points.

Divine Warrior. A person that uses their faith in a higher power or faith in nature to guide their martial style, empowering themselves with divine magic. Essentially a cleric or druid that foregoes spells and armor for combat prowess. Ki points become Spirit points.

Martial Mage. A person with a talent for spellcasting that uses their innate magic to enhance their physical abilities. They don't necessarily cast spells (though a four elements monk could), but their "magic" unarmed strikes are charged with actual arcane magic instead of ki. Ki points become Spell points.

Noble. A gentleman or lady trained in the art of fighting by masters brought in from around the world. There are several martial arts that teach the art of combat with a cane or stick that could work here. Ki points become Bravado points.

Performer. An entertainer that picked up martial arts from their intense training for daring spectacles. A dancer is the most obvious choice but there could be others. Imagine circus performers adept at fighting. Ki points become Drama points.

Savant. A person with psychic talent that uses it to enhance their abilities. They don't necessarily manifest psionic powers but they supernaturally cause their stunning strikes to bewilder foes and their flurry of blows is a temporal manipulation. Ki points become Psi points.

Spy. An infiltrator that had to train to fight even when unarmed and unarmored. Sure, this is essentially a ninja but there have been plenty of non-ninja spies throughout modern and ancient history. Ki points become Cunning points.

Weapon Master. A fighter that has trained with a specific weapon and mastered the discipline and wisdom that comes with the training. Think Soul Calibur characters. Ki points become Mastery points.

Wilderness Hermit. A person who has lived outside of society but has learned martial skills through hunting with simple weapons, defending themselves from monstrous wildlife, and exercising discipline (from rationing food/water and surviving the elements). If you can wrestle a bear with no food in your belly, guess what? You're a monk. Ki points become Tenacity points.

More Martial Arts

While countless examples of martial arts have come from China, Japan, Korea and Thailand, discipline-focused fighting styles have existed throughout history and around the world. If you want to escape the stereotype of the far eastern monk, investigate some of these martial arts.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it will hopefully open your mind to different kinds of monks other than the ones we are most often exposed to in martial arts movies; martial training exists everywhere, and it's certainly not anachronistic for a monk to exist outside of a "Oriental Adventures" setting.

Angampora:  Sri Lanka Bataireacht: Ireland Bokator: Cambodia Bokh: Mongolia Coreeda: Australia Dambe: West Africa Donga: South Africa Glima: Scandinavia Krav Maga: Israel Laamb: Senegal Lethwei: Myanmar Lima Lama: Samoa Lua: Hawaii Luta Livre: Brazil Kalaripayattu: India Mau Rakau: New Zealand Pankration: Greece Sambo: Russia Savate: France Bartitsu: England Tahtib: Egypt Yaw Yan: Philippines