Ultimate swordfighting - GATKA

Radu Transylvanicus · 6th February 2006, 02:28 PM

I developed an amazing reverence to the art I knew nothing before accidentaly bumping into it last year, the Sikh martial art of GATKA. I would refrain on commenting it since I am no expert but I invite you to watch this video involving some of the most amazing weapon play I know, so animate and real. You get to see action with talwars, katars, khandas, firangis, khandjars, maces, spears, shields and others. Its a unique occasion for most of us to ever see this arms to real use. I suspect many edged weapons that ended in Forumites hands might originate here.
Most part of the video has been tapped in southern California at a Sikh fest and in perfect legal and political peacefulness. No one I hope would interprete this in any offensive way, its pure tradition and sport. Sikhs are nor Muslims nor Hindus and somehow in today's society they always are confused with one or the other.
So click on the "BHAI CHARNAJIT JIT THANGSAL WALE" section, sit back and relax... With a little patience the "NIHANG SINGH" section will show you some amazing martial equestrian prowess at least similar to the Cossack...
Here is the link:
http://www.gatka.us/video.html

drdavid · 6th February 2006, 10:05 PM

Radu
there is some wild stuff on this, especially the work with the long metal ribbon (I am sure someone will know the name for this but it does not look like the most practical weapon in the armoury) and the small shield and sword play.

fearn · 6th February 2006, 11:04 PM

The long metal ribbon is probably a urumi/uremi--basically, think bandsaw blade with sword hilt, although it's sharpened, not toothed.

F

Titus Pullo · 7th February 2006, 05:16 AM

Great videos! There are a lot of Sikhs in Thailand, and I went to school with a lot of them, but I never really get to know how they actually fight. Thanks! I heard they use a weapon call chakra like in "Xena the warrior princess"...in Thai we call it chak, which basiucally mean round saws, like the ones you use to cut woods...and in Thai painting they look exactly like that.

Titus Pullo · 7th February 2006, 08:53 AM

Ouch! Watch out all you Celts!

I heard some South American Indians tribes use bullet ants to test the of courage of teens who are being intiated into manhood! They basically put the ants to sleep and then hold the end of the ants' buts, where the stinger is, inside a mitten made of weaving plant fiber together. Now, the reason they called them bullet ants is because being stung by one of these is describe by many people as being shot by a gun. It will put you in the hospital, and these kids are supposed to put there hand in the mitten for 5 minutes with 50 or more of the ants' stinging them. These aren't fully mature kids either! In Thailand's history there are several chapters that tells of how villagers, who were overwhelmingly outnumbered by the invading Burmese army, that fought the Burmese until there were none left alive! They didn't want the children to be captured by them so they poisoned them, then go out to the battle. There must be, at the most, a couple thousand villagers against 20, 000 to 30, 000 Burmese soldiers! All fought the brave fight, the men, women, and even old people! Yes, Thai people got balls! [laugh!]

Rick · 7th February 2006, 03:46 PM

Hi Titus , have you seen The legend of Suriyothai yet ?

LabanTayo · 24th November 2006, 03:09 PM

I have been admiring Gatka and its practioners for a while now. I really respect the fact that they kept their traditions and art form pure. Especially when it comes to sparring. As with most martial arts, including Filipino, when the sparring gear is on, the art goes right out the door. I really appreciate that they are still using art and form when fighting. Thats what make the martial arts beautiful. The Gatka people are just like Kalaripayit, in that, they keep those crazy weapons alive by passing down to the generations the real art form of it.
Kudos to all of them!!!!

katana · 24th November 2006, 05:09 PM

More Gatka... on this thread

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ed=1#post37205

Yustas · 24th November 2006, 05:47 PM

Unfortunately, i cannot agree with Ariel on this case.
Staring from Scythians and sarmats, who whooped Goth’s and roman's backs,(Atilla and company ) through Rus Kyivienne (Київська Русь) with knyaz Svyatoslav the Conqueror who defeataed Khozars kaganat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sviatoslav_I_of_Kiev
( By the way, he had old warriors iroquese style haircut-чуб, оселедець) to Cossacks republic. All of this was happening on current Ukraine's territory. Great warriors, with great military traditions have place in Easter Europen history.Talking about cossacks. I think everyone knows about Ukrainian cossack dance-"hopak" with all incredible jumps, kicks and turns.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopak
This was the way to keep training and movements alive under Tsar's regime, when all Ukrainian was prohibited. Same story continued in USSR times, when communists where trying to make all people same and all different nations to become russins.
Thanks God this evil empire collapsed and free countries started to rediscover they national heritage. There is a loot great books in Ukraine about Slavic fighting styles, there are great people in the history (Ivan Piddubnyi) Unfortunately they are not that hugely promoted in Western world. For example, why American's take Capoeira, or Philipino or Islamic martial art's seriously, but disrespect Ukrainian, Russian, or Bellorussian styles?
Just because we do not have this huge PR and advertising?
If anyone want to see a little more-here is different video with English translation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huKyHxHi-04

P.S. Sorry for my grammar and enthusiasm.

katana · 24th November 2006, 05:53 PM

[/QUOTE]P.S. Sorry for my grammar and enthusiasm.[/QUOTE]

YOU should NEVER apologise for Enthusiasm

ariel · 24th November 2006, 07:31 PM

I do not doubt the fighting abilities of Ukrainian Cossacks (Zaporozhskaya Sech), and fully appreciate the originality of the Ukrainian culture including "hopak". However, the facts are incontrovertible: there was never a specialized Slavic martial arts system in the sense of Japanese, Chinese, Filippine, or Indian. Ivan Poddubny was a superb professional wrestler, a World Champion, and Ukrainians are right to be proud of him. However, he was a Greco-Roman wrestler, and not a practitioner of a (mythical) "Ukrainian" style.
One can ask a question why the martial arts systems employing legs and feet for striking all come from Asia ( with the possible exception of Capoeira), but that would be another discussion. Even French boxing owes its origins to Asian techniques brought from the Far East.
Enthusiasm is good, but one should stay within the realm of factual knowledge. Each culture has something unique and no culture should claim universal coverage. This is the beauty and the greatness of the human race. Germany produced the best composers in the world, but never had a major painter. Good enough for me.

tsubame1 · 24th November 2006, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yustas

Unfortunately they are not that hugely promoted in Western world. For example, why American's take Capoeira, or Philipino or Islamic martial art's seriously, but disrespect Ukrainian, Russian, or Bellorussian styles?
Just because we do not have this huge PR and advertising?

Seeing at how japanese Koryu are butchered, considering how many new
styles pop-ups everywhere, putting into a pinch of ninja craps and
all the business related stuffs, I feel that you're not so unlucky in having
few advertising.

Business ruins traditions.

Rivkin · 24th November 2006, 11:25 PM

I am not against loving one's country. However putting scythians, sarmatians, Svyatoslav and Attile into one cauldron has nothing to do with love. Concerning language - I understand ukranian well enough (I would guess that Ariel even speaks it. Or you speak belorrussian ?).
I am sorry if I was too harsh in my writings, but I had too much experience with RNE. The people decided that they don't want viking-ruled slavs obtaining their Kiev statehood in the second half of first millenium, they want "Arian" history stemming from scythians, Attila and god knows what, all put together. "Arian" boxing, "Russian" wrestling, "ancient slavic warrior" traditions. When asked how they know any of these authentic, they would blame jewish government for destroying any information about true "russian" fighting schools and refer to some gurus, who "inherited" this knowledge of ancient rus. How these guru "inherited" the knowledge and why there are no manuals ever printed until XXth century on all these super-historic stuff, these were the questions they never asked.
There are a lot of interesting things about cossacks and their warfare. There is a lot of interesting about ukranian history. But what fighting techiques unite Poddubny and Attila, remains a mistery to me.

6th February 2006, 02:28 PM	#1
Radu Transylvanicus Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 2008-2010 Bali, 1998-2008 USA Posts: 271	Ultimate swordfighting - GATKA I developed an amazing reverence to the art I knew nothing before accidentaly bumping into it last year, the Sikh martial art of GATKA. I would refrain on commenting it since I am no expert but I invite you to watch this video involving some of the most amazing weapon play I know, so animate and real. You get to see action with talwars, katars, khandas, firangis, khandjars, maces, spears, shields and others. Its a unique occasion for most of us to ever see this arms to real use. I suspect many edged weapons that ended in Forumites hands might originate here. Most part of the video has been tapped in southern California at a Sikh fest and in perfect legal and political peacefulness. No one I hope would interprete this in any offensive way, its pure tradition and sport. Sikhs are nor Muslims nor Hindus and somehow in today's society they always are confused with one or the other. So click on the "BHAI CHARNAJIT JIT THANGSAL WALE" section, sit back and relax... With a little patience the "NIHANG SINGH" section will show you some amazing martial equestrian prowess at least similar to the Cossack... Here is the link: http://www.gatka.us/video.html

24th November 2006, 05:47 PM	#9
Yustas Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 40	Cannot agree Unfortunately, i cannot agree with Ariel on this case. Staring from Scythians and sarmats, who whooped Goth’s and roman's backs,(Atilla and company ) through Rus Kyivienne (Київська Русь) with knyaz Svyatoslav the Conqueror who defeataed Khozars kaganat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sviatoslav_I_of_Kiev ( By the way, he had old warriors iroquese style haircut-чуб, оселедець) to Cossacks republic. All of this was happening on current Ukraine's territory. Great warriors, with great military traditions have place in Easter Europen history.Talking about cossacks. I think everyone knows about Ukrainian cossack dance-"hopak" with all incredible jumps, kicks and turns. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopak This was the way to keep training and movements alive under Tsar's regime, when all Ukrainian was prohibited. Same story continued in USSR times, when communists where trying to make all people same and all different nations to become russins. Thanks God this evil empire collapsed and free countries started to rediscover they national heritage. There is a loot great books in Ukraine about Slavic fighting styles, there are great people in the history (Ivan Piddubnyi) Unfortunately they are not that hugely promoted in Western world. For example, why American's take Capoeira, or Philipino or Islamic martial art's seriously, but disrespect Ukrainian, Russian, or Bellorussian styles? Just because we do not have this huge PR and advertising? If anyone want to see a little more-here is different video with English translation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huKyHxHi-04 P.S. Sorry for my grammar and enthusiasm.

6th February 2006, 10:05 PM	#2
drdavid Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 371	Radu there is some wild stuff on this, especially the work with the long metal ribbon (I am sure someone will know the name for this but it does not look like the most practical weapon in the armoury) and the small shield and sword play.

6th February 2006, 11:04 PM	#3
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	The long metal ribbon is probably a urumi/uremi--basically, think bandsaw blade with sword hilt, although it's sharpened, not toothed. F

7th February 2006, 05:16 AM	#4
Titus Pullo Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 123	Great videos! There are a lot of Sikhs in Thailand, and I went to school with a lot of them, but I never really get to know how they actually fight. Thanks! I heard they use a weapon call chakra like in "Xena the warrior princess"...in Thai we call it chak, which basiucally mean round saws, like the ones you use to cut woods...and in Thai painting they look exactly like that.

7th February 2006, 08:53 AM	#5
Titus Pullo Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 123	Ouch! Watch out all you Celts! I heard some South American Indians tribes use bullet ants to test the of courage of teens who are being intiated into manhood! They basically put the ants to sleep and then hold the end of the ants' buts, where the stinger is, inside a mitten made of weaving plant fiber together. Now, the reason they called them bullet ants is because being stung by one of these is describe by many people as being shot by a gun. It will put you in the hospital, and these kids are supposed to put there hand in the mitten for 5 minutes with 50 or more of the ants' stinging them. These aren't fully mature kids either! In Thailand's history there are several chapters that tells of how villagers, who were overwhelmingly outnumbered by the invading Burmese army, that fought the Burmese until there were none left alive! They didn't want the children to be captured by them so they poisoned them, then go out to the battle. There must be, at the most, a couple thousand villagers against 20, 000 to 30, 000 Burmese soldiers! All fought the brave fight, the men, women, and even old people! Yes, Thai people got balls! [laugh!]

7th February 2006, 03:46 PM	#6
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	Hi Titus , have you seen The legend of Suriyothai yet ?

24th November 2006, 03:09 PM	#7
LabanTayo Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kansas City Posts: 177	I have been admiring Gatka and its practioners for a while now. I really respect the fact that they kept their traditions and art form pure. Especially when it comes to sparring. As with most martial arts, including Filipino, when the sparring gear is on, the art goes right out the door. I really appreciate that they are still using art and form when fighting. Thats what make the martial arts beautiful. The Gatka people are just like Kalaripayit, in that, they keep those crazy weapons alive by passing down to the generations the real art form of it. Kudos to all of them!!!!

24th November 2006, 05:09 PM	#8
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	More Gatka... on this thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ed=1#post37205

24th November 2006, 05:53 PM	#10
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	[/QUOTE]P.S. Sorry for my grammar and enthusiasm.[/QUOTE] YOU should NEVER apologise for Enthusiasm

24th November 2006, 07:31 PM	#11
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I do not doubt the fighting abilities of Ukrainian Cossacks (Zaporozhskaya Sech), and fully appreciate the originality of the Ukrainian culture including "hopak". However, the facts are incontrovertible: there was never a specialized Slavic martial arts system in the sense of Japanese, Chinese, Filippine, or Indian. Ivan Poddubny was a superb professional wrestler, a World Champion, and Ukrainians are right to be proud of him. However, he was a Greco-Roman wrestler, and not a practitioner of a (mythical) "Ukrainian" style. One can ask a question why the martial arts systems employing legs and feet for striking all come from Asia ( with the possible exception of Capoeira), but that would be another discussion. Even French boxing owes its origins to Asian techniques brought from the Far East. Enthusiasm is good, but one should stay within the realm of factual knowledge. Each culture has something unique and no culture should claim universal coverage. This is the beauty and the greatness of the human race. Germany produced the best composers in the world, but never had a major painter. Good enough for me.

24th November 2006, 11:25 PM	#13
Rivkin Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 655	I am not against loving one's country. However putting scythians, sarmatians, Svyatoslav and Attile into one cauldron has nothing to do with love. Concerning language - I understand ukranian well enough (I would guess that Ariel even speaks it. Or you speak belorrussian ?). I am sorry if I was too harsh in my writings, but I had too much experience with RNE. The people decided that they don't want viking-ruled slavs obtaining their Kiev statehood in the second half of first millenium, they want "Arian" history stemming from scythians, Attila and god knows what, all put together. "Arian" boxing, "Russian" wrestling, "ancient slavic warrior" traditions. When asked how they know any of these authentic, they would blame jewish government for destroying any information about true "russian" fighting schools and refer to some gurus, who "inherited" this knowledge of ancient rus. How these guru "inherited" the knowledge and why there are no manuals ever printed until XXth century on all these super-historic stuff, these were the questions they never asked. There are a lot of interesting things about cossacks and their warfare. There is a lot of interesting about ukranian history. But what fighting techiques unite Poddubny and Attila, remains a mistery to me.