Asia

Today bōjutsu is usually associated either with Okinawan kobudō or with Japanese koryū budō. Japanese bōjutsu is one of the core elements of classical martial training.

Bokator is the general name for all Khmer martial arts: Kbach Kun Boran

Khmer - ក្បាច់គុនបូរាណ, which include:

1) Atmani Yuth – forms of fight with bare hands


In which you can distinguish:
- Kun Khmer (គុនខ្មែរ) – boxing
- Baok Chambab (បោកចំបាប់) - wrestling
The Atmani yuth boxing comes from Kun Daï. Kun Khmer, which means that Khmer art is a modern name meaning Khmer boxing, which will replace pradal serey.

2) Ani Yuth –forms of fight with weapons


In which you can distinguish:
- Kbach Kun Dambong veign (ក្បាច់គុណដំបងវែង) – long stick fight


- L’Bokkatao (ល្បុក្កតោ) – fight with use of Kun Khel

- fight with the sword, short stick etc.

Currently in Cambodia there are many Bokator schools of martial arts and Kun Khmer, and their largest concentration is in Phnom Penh and several in Siem Reap.

A common misunderstanding is that the Bokator refers to all Khmer martial arts, while in reality, he represents only one particular style. The competitor uses diverse punches of elbow and knee blows, shin kicks, dodges and ground floor fighting.
During the fight, Bokator champion still wears the clothes of ancient Khmer armies. The krama (scarf) is wrapped around the waist, moreover, a blue and red silk cord called "sangvar" is tied around the head and biceps. In the past, it was thought that cords had power and were put on to increase strength, although now they are only ceremonial.

It should also be noted that the term Bokator is the master San Kim Sean’s choice (also the Cambodian sport ministery’s and the Cambodia Olympic Comitee‘s choice) to designate all traditional Khmer martial arts Kbach Kun boran Khmer (weapon techniques, supplies, etc.) except boxing (Kun Khmer) in commercial will and simplification. Because there are many martial arts in Cambodia, to simplify all this and facilitate expansion, the term Bokator (even Kun Bokator) was chosen.

The art contains 341 parts, which, like many other Asian martial arts, are based on observation of life in nature. For example, there are styles of horses, birds, eagles and cranes, each includes several techniques. Due to the visual similarity, the Bokator is often mistakenly described as a variant of modern kickboxing. Many forms are based on traditional animal styles, as well as simple practical fighting techniques. “Pradal serey” is a more condensed combat system that uses some basic techniques (white krama) to hit by using the elbow or knee and is without any animal styles.

Krama shows the advancement level of the warrior. The first level is white, followed by green, blue, red, brown and finally black. After completing the initial training, competitors wear black krama for at least another ten years. After the black krama there are also "dan", which in Khmer is called Tchouan, and a special krama, including a gold and a diamond. To reach the golden krama, you must be a real champion and do something great for the Bokator. This is certainly a time consuming and perhaps life-long undertaking: in the very part of martial arts without weapons, there are from 8,000 to 10,000 different techniques, of which only 1,000 need to be learned to reach the black krama. The practice includes the use of weapons, forms (tvear), animal techniques, standing combat, ground fighting and wrestling. Each of the first six contains tvear and the need to overmaster:
• Attack techniques, eg: feet, elbows, knees.
• Defense techniques.
• Animal movement techniques (Sath) and combat techniques (Maekun Veybok).
• A kun kru (ritual dance before the fight).

Each level has its own difficulties, the higher the level, the more content. The duck and horse technique are white krama techniques necessary to obtain a green krama. The same applies to the techniques of Preah Noryeille (Vishnu), these are blue krama techniques to obtain a red krama.

All hard parts of the body are used in the Bokator: fists, feet, arms, head, knees, and elbows.

In Cambodia, there are regular competitions such as SEA GAMES in Phnom Penh.
The competitors compete in two categories:

- techniques

There are technical competitions in which the practitioner presents his tvear (kata,form), with bare hands or with a weapon (short stick, long stick or khel). The judges pay attention to the aesthetics of the movements and the quality of the exercises.
 
- fight

The fight takes place in a circle, in 5-minute rounds, and the players are accompanied by music (different from muay thai and kun khmer). All strokes are allowed except for strikes on the ground, neck, back and genitals. The referee quickly stops the fight when the players are on the ground if one is not moving. Of course, bites and sticking fingers in the eyes are also prohibited.
Fighters dance between each phase of the fight. There is an old legend which says that warriors who fought against animals performed a dance to enchant them and better neutralize.

Two teams of riders on horseback take part in the game. In unofficial games, there is no predetermined number of players, whereby additional players can join in the playing team. The task of the players of each team is to pick up a body of a goat with cut off head which lies in the middle of the field on marked circle (nowadays instead of the body of a previously killed animal, a loaded bag made of lambskin or calf is used), transported around the field and dropped to "Goal", which are marked by circles on the earth. The task of the opponents is to take "the ball" away from the opponents, transport it around the field and throw it into the circle of rivals.Sometimes in order to make the game difficult, the previously prepared bag is soaked for several days in ice water, making it heavier and harder to maintain.
There are hardly any rules in the game. It is allowed to beat a horse or rider, kept (often in teeth) with small whips (knouts), pushing and knocking off a horse. There are no reminders or penalties. In the game, players must demonstrate exceptional physical fitness, dexterity and cunning.
A buzkashi player is called a Chapandaz; it is mainly believed in Afghanistan that a skillful Chapandaz is usually in his forties. This is based on the fact that the nature of the game requires its player to undergo severe physical practice and observation. Similarly horses used in buzkashi also undergo severe training and due attention. A player does not necessarily own the horse. Horses are usually owned by landlords and highly rich people wealthy enough to look after and provide for training facilities for such horses. However a master Chapandaz can choose to select any horse and the owner of the horse usually wants his horse to be ridden by a master Chapandaz as a winning horse also brings pride to the owner. The horses are more valuable in a game of Buzkashi than the player himself. In some cases, a horse may be trained for up to 5 years before playing its first game., They can protect the rider with their own body, when this falls during the fight.

Buzkashi in Afghanistan
Buzkashi is played in Afghanistan in two types:
Team play :
Most famous team from each province will be selected for these competitions and on the field their will be 6 horses from each side on the competition day the game is played for 3 period of 25 minutes.
Group play :
In this type their will be more than 50 horses on the field, and every body will score for their own and take the prize, the owner of horses will gave some money or anything precious for player to encourage them.
Field in Afghanistan has 2 circle for putting the selected animal, and one circle for taking and also a flag on another side of the playing field.
Players must take the animal form circle and go to flag and after turning around the flag then back to the putting circle and put the animal.
Buzkashi is played on winter time on cold weather usually on Friday and on Monday’s small players play on field.
The biggest event of Buzkashi every year held in Mazar e sharif center of Balkh province by the name of ( Mila e gol e sorkh ) which means the red flower party in last days of March, in this event teams come from all over of Afghanistan and try to be the winner.

For official games (eg for tournaments in Kabul), the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee has established the following rules and provided penalties:

-The pitch has shape of square, each side is 400 meters long.
-Each team consists of 10 riders.
-Only 5 players can play in each half.
-Half takes 45 minutes.
-The break between takes 15 minutes.
-A judge is watching over the game.
The different types of Buzkashi: Tudabarai & Qarajai
In Tudabarai, in order to score, the rider must obtain possession of the carcass and then carry it away from the starting circle in any direction. The rider must stay free and clear of the other riders.

In Qarajai, the task is much more complex. The player must carry the calf around a marker, and then return the carcass to the team’s designated scoring circle.

This is one of the oldest Manipur martial arts that in modern times has evolved into a competitive art. Contestants use a stick (known as "Cheibi") encased in leather and about two and a half feet long in combination with a leather shield (with three foot diameter) to represent an actual sword and shield. The competition takes place on a flat circular surface approximately twenty one feet in diameter. Within the circle are two lines each approximately three feet long and six feet apart. The winner is the person who scores the most points by skillfully striking his opponent. In ancient practice, actual swords and spears were permitted.

Two competing teams of players (called "tagymes") participate on a flat grass field 200 meters long and 120 meters wide. Each team consists of five (rarely six) riders and one in reserve. A team of five players has two defensive players and three attackers. For six players, each team has two people in the back, one in the middle and three strikers. Chovqan is umpire by three referees (main referee and two side referees), usually chosen from among the most experienced players. At the opposite ends of the field, two 3 m wide goals are placed, a half-meter drawn line of the penalty area has 6 m long . Players use specific wooden hammers (chovqans) prepared from elm, pomegranate, mulberry, dogwood or hornbeam. During the game, players try to strike a small (leather or wooden) ball into the opponent's goal with a hammer. The game starts from the center of the pitch or from where the goal was scored. The duration of the game is two halves of 15 minutes with a 10-minute break.
Chovqan competitions are usually accompanied by music performed on folk instruments such as zurna (in the form of a pipe), saz, nagara and def (a kind of drums). This instrumental folk music, called janghi, is played at the beginning and end of the game, and sometimes - after scoring each goal. Janghi musicians are actually folk musicians who are quite numerous in Azerbaijan. Accompanying music, an atmosphere of joy and Christmas (a time when competitions often take place) contribute to the popularization of Chovqan.

Chovqan players and trainers are mostly local farmers who only practice Chovqan as an amateur activity. To participate in the competition, each player must have sufficient skills. Sometimes trainers are also responsible for creating teams. The sport requires a lot of experience and physical strength. It is not easy to sit in the saddle, grab the bridle, lean and try to hit the ball at the same time. The player must feel his unity with the horse to gain full control over the situation. There is no age limit for Chovqan players, as long as they have a good health condition. Chovqan players traditionally wear a large Astrakhan ("shepherd") hat, chukha (outerwear worn on the shoulders), arkhalyg (long tight coat with a short waist and gathered on the belt), belt, special pants, socks and shoes (charygs). In summer, players wear lighter clothes (silk shirts with national ornaments, pants made of delicate materials and light shoes). During the competition, Chovqan players can choose traditional clothes of the same color to show their team affiliation.

Knowledge of Chovqan, its detailed rules, skills and techniques are transmitted by experienced players ("trainers") for beginners verbally, through training conducted among players in local farms and riding facilities. Every future competitor must already be good enough in horse riding before starting training in Chovqan (riding skills are usually passed on to farmers' families). Coaches teach beginners how to play in a team, how to maneuver during the game, better hold the stick, hit, move forward and hold the ball, how to better control the horse and ensure a proper balance of physical strength of both the player and the horse. Since the rider's success also depends on the horse's health, fitness and speed, Chovqan training also includes learning how to care for horses and how to improve riding skills: how to make him move quickly and stop before the ball, how to efficiently turn left and right, how fast return to the starting position.

Chovqan has evolved and developed in close connection with the breeding of Karabakh horses because Karabakh horses are considered physically best suited to Chovqan. The Karabakh breed of horses is distinguished by a compact silhouette, medium height and agility. These horses are not very tall (about 144-154 cm), well-muscled and have strong and short legs. Due to the height of Karabakh horses, Chovqan players can use a stick which is 125-130 cm long. A taller horse would cause his rider to use a longer one, which would technically complicate the game (which is also avoided for safety reasons). Using longer sticks would mean a departure from the traditional Chovqan principles.
The competition takes place in empty grassy fields, and players take care of the horses to avoid injury to animals and degradation of the environment as a whole. The duration of the game (two halves of 15 minutes each) is ideal to avoid excessive horse fatigue.

Each snake boat belongs to a village along the banks of the river Pampa. Every year the boats are oiled mainly with fish oil, coconut shell, and carbon, mixed with eggs to keep the wood strong and the boat slippery in the water. The village carpenter carries out annual repairs and people take pride in their boat, which is named after and represents their village.

Constructed according to specifications taken from the Sthapathya Veda, an ancient treatise for the building of wooden boats, these boats vary from 100 to 138 feet in length. With the rear portion rising to a height of about 20 feet, and a long tapering front portion, it resembles a snake with its hood raised. Hulls are built of planks precisely 83 feet in length and six inches wide. The boats are a good example of ancient vishwakarma' prowess in naval architecture.

Traditionally a boat will be commanded by a village leader (kaarnavan or karanaadhan) with first adanayampu, and under him there will be three main paddlers who control the movement of the boat with a 12-foot-long (3.7 m) main rudder-oar (adanayampu). Sitting two to a row along the length of the boat, there will be 64 paddlers, representing 64 art forms (or on occasion 128 paddlers). They row in rhythm of the vanchipattu ('boat song'). There will be around 25 singers in a row at the middle between the paddlers. In the middle of the second half of the boat is a platform for eight people to stand from where the cantor will lead the song. They represent the Ashtadikpalakas (Devas or gods who guard the eight directions).

There are several sizes of boat, and there are often teams of over 100 people. The majority of teammates are paddlers, starting off in single file at the narrow bow of the boat, then double file near the front and the stern. The paddlers in the middle are separated by the central fire platform, which would hold a cannon during battle. Today, a couple men stand on the fire platform, beating it with poles, and surrounded by others singing the Vanchippattu, traditional folk songs about paddling, life and the gods. The beat of the poles and rhythm of the Vanchippattu keep the paddlers in time, while it is at the tail where the bot keeps going in the right direction. The boats are commandeered by a chief, who occupies the highest position on the tail, flanked by a team of Amarackars (helmsmen) who steer the boat to victory.

Da-ga is a bit like modern baseball. Some people call it “grandfather” of baseball. It has different names around the world:
Lippa (Italy), Billarda (Spain), Pandolo (Slovenia), Klipa, Kiczka or Sztekiel (Poland) etc.

The Playing Field
For regulation games, the length of the field should be 50 meters long. The important lines are the base line and the sidelines. The overall surface is compacted or paved but not necessarily completely flat. You can also play on grassy surface, but then you may need a moveable firm base to place the Ga-ga for hitting.

The Equipment
• Base - Originally it was a stony flat surface but for modern competitions they use a firm flat rectangle made from metal materials. It is placed on the baseline which is the line in the narrower part of the field.
• Bat/Stick– is a 55 cm long piece of wood with rounded ends.
• Ga – it is made from wood. On both of the edges it is shaped into a cone.
• Face protection – a protective shield for the face, which is usually made of plastic. All defence players should use this protection.
• Gloves – for protection of the defence players hands;
• Uniform – players of each team have their own uniform, although it is not required.

Teams
The game is played between two competing teams. Each team plays with three players.
In a game of Da-ga there is also a referee. He must not interfere, unless a team has something to object or the play is too slow. In that case he solves the conflict on the base of the rules or simply warns the players to speed up the game. There are even yellow and red cards to punish bad words or insulting other team players.

Playing the Game

Goal of the game
The goal of the game is to score as much points as possible by hitting the “ga” towards the end of the playfield. The team that has more points at the end of the game is the winner.

Game segments
The game is played in rounds. In each round, both teams take part in attacking and defending. The toss of a coin before the start decides which team will start first on the offensive side and which in the defence.
Only the attacking team has player active on the playing field while the other team-mates are watching. On the other side, the whole defending team is active on the field. When the first player completes his turn, he is replaced with the next player from the attacking team. When all the offensive players have finished, the teams switch places – the defending team becomes the offensive team and the offensive team goes to the defence. The game then continues until all of the new offensive team's players have finished playing. Then it’s the end of the first round.
In the second round everything repeats. The only difference is that the first attacking team now starts in defence.

Flow of the Game
Every active player completes his active role if not prematurely struck out, in the following phases of the game:

Phase One – Active game of the first player
The first step is to toss the ga into the game or “service”. The defence team spreads out in the wide area of the field. No defence player, however, can be closer than 12-stick lengths from the base. The active player places himself maximum 1 stick far from the base. He holds the ga in his hand. When the game starts, the active player:
- hits the base with the stick,
- then he shouts “Da-ga, Da-ga zero” so everyone on the field can hear,
- with his hand, he throws the ga straight up into the air and he hits it with the stick into the playing filed,
- if the ga doesn’t land in the field, he has two more attempts.

Phase Two – Catching the ga
The defending players tries to catch the ga in the air. If they succeed the active player has ended his turn. Otherwise the ga is stopped on the ground by defending players, or it stops somewhere in the field by itself.

Phase Three – Targeting the Base
From the point where the ga was stopped, one of the defence players tries to throw the ga to strike the base. The active player can defend the base only with the stick. If the ga anyway hits the base, the active player is struck out and he ends his turn. Otherwise the game continues.

Phase Four – Striking the ga
The active player that has not been struck out continues the game. The active player places the ga near the base (1 stick in length). The defence team players take their positions in the playing field and no closer than 12-stick lengths from the base. When everyone is ready, the active player places himself near the ga. With one hit, on the edge, the ga lifts in the air and with the second hit he sends the ga towards the end line. If the defending player doesn’t catch the ga in the air, the active player repeats the last step two more times.

Phase Five – Counting Points
The points are counted only if the active player has finished everything without the ga being caught in the air by the defending players.
The attacking team measures, by eye, the distance between the base and the ga. One of the players than loudly says the distance in the unit of stick.
If the defending team agrees with the distance the players scored as much points as the distance was. Otherwise they measure it using the stick from the ga to the base. If the attacking team said a bigger number then the measured, they lost all the points. If they said a correct or a smaller number, the points are doubled.

Second game and subsequent games of the first active player.
Other players that follow the first, play in the same way as mentioned before.
When everyone completes their turns, and the teams are changed, the second round starts. The rules are the same and each player has to attack once more. The end of the second round is the end of the game. The team with more points wins.
In the case of a draw, each of team members has one chance to hit the ga from the base. The winning team is the one that strikes the ga further out than the other team. If both teams strike the ga beyond the end line, the ga striking continues until one team wins by striking the ga further out into the confines of the playing field.

Concluding the game
At a tournament, the game is normally played in two groups. The first and the second team of each group passes to the finals where the first team plays with the second one of the other group. The winners then play the final game for the 1st place at the tournament.