Mashufaa

      Martial Arts & Africa

Throughout the world, all different people have felt the need to express themselves through song, dance and movement.

The Nile Valley in Africa became the cradle of civilisation, with a culture that had emerged from the south i.e. Ancient Nubia (Ethiopia/Sudan and Tanzania/Uganda.)

With the image that is now shown to us about Africa, it is hard for some people to believe that the first Martial Arts started there. But history has shown that along with advances in agriculture, science and technology, in Nubia and Kemet (Egypt) some of the first and most advanced fighting systems were created. Some of these early systems like Nubian wrestling can be seen in images on the pyramids and show the prototypes of throws, punches and kicks. In these schools, warriors and the aristocracy were taught through a regimented system of discipline. This was later incorporated into the Mystery system and Egyptian Priests learnt this as

part of their spiritual duties, just like Shaolin monks do today.

These fighting systems later went to India, becoming arts like Kalarippyat and Stick fighting and then China, developing into Tai Chi, Kung fu and in Thailand Muay Boran (Thai Boxing). The Japanese adopted the techniques from the Chinese and created a system designed for combat called Ju Jitsu and Judo emerged from this. Other arts were created like Kendo and Wada Ryu. In some cases, these were based upon the personal preferences of particular masters. In Japan and Korea arts like Karate and Tae Kwon Do developed from truncated elements of Ju Jitsu and Kung Fu.

Now there are many different styles of martial arts.  There is Jeet Kune Do, developed under Bruce Lee.  It is an amalgamation of the techniques of Wing Chung mixed with Judo and Kickboxing. There is Ninjitsu, Pent Jak Silat and Escrima, Aikido, Kobudo Aido, Kazimba Yoruba wrestling and there are styles like Capoeira: a style developed from African slaves in Brazil as a means of self-defence. Then there is Kickboxing, developed by Americans soldiers studying Karate.

At Mashufaa we have researched the ancient traditions and the African root of Martial Arts but we have also incorporated what works from other systems. Mashufaa is formal but not rigid and we celebrate those who have trained in different styles.