Danmyete

02-20-2006, 04:26 PM

Thanks for the reply and welcome.

Here's my reply:

I have a major distrust of the Western approach to corroborating subjects through so-called textual sources (as major sources of research material given the level of erroneous ideas birthed thru this methodology). This approach begs a certain degree of trust that, frankly, given the West's rather twisted approach to recording Western and non-Western "history" and culture, I cannot give unreservedly.

What is called "Breakdancing" here has a form of performance play which is identical to that of the Peuhl ritual warrior's acrobatic dancing. Breakdancing does not derive from Capoeira, which IS also African derived, nor from Chinese Ti-Tang ground fighting skills. It is IDENTICAL in structure to men's ritual warriors performative dances of this type. Examples can be found in the Ivory Coast, Senegambia, Kenya, et al.

The vast majority of people "denying" African history has more to do with white supremist agendas/interests, etc., then to any legitimate reason to do so. It is as though expressing the idea that Africans have their own histories, cultures and traditions, which are worthy of respect, is some how an affront to white histories, cultures and traditions.

What do you mean by "most African traditions are oral?" The French deliberately destroyed the African script, from older African writing traditions, known as the Bamum script of the Cameroon. The Bassa script was discouraged by the "Colonial" usurpers of Sierra Leone. The Nsibidi script of Nigeria/Cameroon is the origins of the African derived Abakua script in Cuba. It is a gross distortion by Western propaganda to paint such an erroneous picture of traditional African societies.

"Eddie" referenced the idea of whether or not Capoeira was African. What is interesting is that no one ever assumes the opposite until "proven otherwise." That it was created by persons of African descent is one bit of evidence that should be looked at before assumptions to the contrary are ever mentioned. He also mentioned a Tae Kwon Do instructor who noted Ladja's supposed "similarity" to Tae Kyon. Why mention this, since, clearly, beyond a superficial manner, the two are not related at all? One is African, the other is Korean. Since there were no known Koreans sent to Martinique, nor Africans known to have been sent to Korea (who may have practiced such African derived martial skills), why enter into a discussion with such a premise? What is the motive?

If you are saying that the type of ducking and weaving used by contemporary boxers, made famous by AFRICAN-American boxer mohammed Ali, was a pre-African-American developement, please point these out. I have read Terry Brown's "English Martial Arts." I have seen nothing in the text which supports the idea that, beyond rudimentary leaning back while barring a blow to the stomach, the intricate bobbing and weaving used by African-Amercian boxers derives from Marcus-of-Queensbury boxing. Africans in the U.S. had several African MAs, such as Knocking and Kicking and the high-bred art called "Cutting," which fused the evasive footwork from the African derived Omkandeka palm striking sub art of (read: Ongolo/N'Golo/Nzanga/Sanga/Capoeira/Ladja/Danmye/Nsusa/Knockin' 'n Kickin'/Broma/Mani-Bombousa) African martial traditions with English boxing.

Mohammed Ali/Mike Tyson/Joe Frazier/Ken Norton/Thomas Hearns/Sugar Ray Leonard, et al., was as African as Doc Fai Wong is (and Bruce Lee considered himself) Chinese. Top contenders for this designation would be Azumah Nelson as well. Black does not define an Ancestry, but only approximates African melanin content, since I have never seen a white, yellow nor black person in all actuality.

The Portuquese commented on the African evasive skills known in Ki-Kongo as Sanguar, as practiced by the KIMBARE (warrior specialists given additional martial training). This ability enabled them to twist and turn out of harms way of projectile and cutting/thrusting weaponry. This was documented as early as 1570. In fact, the female Nzingha (ruler of the Kongo nation during the time of its war with Portugal), for which the name has now become synomomous, was said to have been able to defeat no less than 25 warriors at any given time with Nzanga martial art, and to have still been able to do so in her seventies; she even apologies, in when of the accounts, to the Portuguese giving the account, for not being able to do so as quickly as in her youth (for brief accounts of this and Sanguar, see Thomas Thortans texts on the "African" slave trade.

The French attempted to ban the Practice of Ladja/Danmye, as the Portuguese attempted with the Ongolo/Capoeira. See Dr. T.J. Desch Obi's works on these and other aspects of indigenous, traditional African combatives.

Mickey

02-20-2006, 04:38 PM

Greetings,

The Katherine Dunham dance choreography is called "L'ag Ya," first performed in 1938. Ag Ya being the fighting method practiced in Martinique:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/freetodance/biographies/dunham.html

danmyete,

I really enjoy what you have shared so far. Please be careful when you are looking to distinguish African from Asian combatives. The African martial arts perspective is that of a continuum from the most ancient times, radiating outward in waves.

mickey

Дата добавления: 2015-07-15