Bando

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Tiger's defense

Bando or animal system is the ancient art of self-defense from Burma. The earliest meanings of Bando were "self-discipline, self-development, and self-improvement". Later, it came to mean, "self-protection, or self-defense". Bando includes the empty-hands methods and animal forms: eagle, bull, cobra, panther, monkey. Various bando arts are still very popular in Burma, especially among scholars. There are great number of schools and styles. The main branches are:

• Nan twin thaing (Royal Palace style)
• Pyompya thaing (School of the ”hard-soft way”)
• Neganadai thaing (Snake style)
• Shan thaing, a martial art number the Chinese influence (Shan province is close to the Chinese border).

Phongyi thaing form

Bando's origins are closely linked to Buddhist temples and their teachings. People from India, such as those who preached Buddhism, brought their culture and martial arts to the Himalayas and Southeast Asia. The Chinese from whom the Burmese people were originally descended also influenced Burmese culture. The temples also traditionally functioned as educational centres and even today the Burmese word for school actually means monastery. The Indian and Chinese animal styles were fundamental to the development of bando.

Contents 1 Influence 2 The International Bando Association 3 Bando in the U.S. 4 Training levels 5 Various names 5.1 See also 6 Internal links 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Influence

The Burmese arts have had close to 2000 years of development, and can be traced back as far as the Pyu of the first century BC. Later the Pagan Kingdom became recognized as the first Burmese Empire, and eventually the sport of unarmed combat became known as the "Sport of Kings" through subsequent dynasties/empires. The Pagan migration brought influence from Tibet and China.

The Mongol invasion and subsequent wars with China and Siam contributed greatly to the development of Burma's martial heritage.

The Burmese arts are closely tied to the arts of neighboring countries, such as Thailand (Siam). As noted in Muay Thai history, the story of Nai Khanomtom, who won his freedom by fighting 10 Burmese Lethwei fighters and his victory is celebrated to this day.

During the British occupation of Burma from the middle 19th century to the early part of the 20th century, the indigenous combative arts were suppressed by law. During this time span the native arts had to be practiced in secret, and were kept alive away from the eyes of the British.

Conversely during the occupation of Burma by the Japanese during World War II they encouraged the practice of the Burmese arts of unarmed combat. This led to a revival of interest in the martial arts and subsequently to the rapid spread of knowledge. By 1944, the East Asiatic Youth League – an organization promoting the practice of thaing – had an enrollment of 20,000.

In their enthusiasm for the martial arts, the Japanese went to the extent of participating in some of the bouts for bandoists. It led to some surprising results. Judo, jujutsu, and even aikido exponents pitted their techniques against the bandoists of Burma.

This intermingling of two different cultures and different styles of unarmed combat benefited both the Japanese and Burmese. The two sides saw the weaknesses and the strengths of their respective arts and this led to further development.

Like karate and the other forms of martial arts, there are many styles of bando fighting. Despite the variety, it is possible to trace certain basic similarities in all the schools of bando fighting.

[edit] The International Bando Association

After WWII, Ba Than (Gyi), then director of physical education and athletics for the Union of Burma, tried to unite the techniques from the different bando styles and modernize them by founding a new Hanthawaddy bando system.

The International Bando Association was officially formed on March 9, 1946, in honor of those servicemen who fought and died in the China-Burma-India theater of World War II.

According to Donn Draeger's Asian Fighting Arts first copyrighted in 1969: "In 1933 the Military Athletic Club was formed at Maymyo [sic?] in northern Burma by Gurkha Officers. By the end of the decade the club included Chin, Burmese, Kachin and Karen army officers. G. Bahadur, a Gurkha, was elected the first chairman of the club. Another luminary was Ba Than (Gyi) who was to serve twenty five years as Director of Physical Education of Burma before retiring.

"...the International Bando Association, was established recently by Ba Than (Gyi) in memory of those who died in the China-Burma-India area for the allied cause in World War II. As such, it continues the work of the Military Athletic Club, which lapsed in 1948. It has of course a more international character, and Maung Gyi, its teacher accredited to the United States, is the son of Ba Than (Gyi). Maung Gyi a versatile fighter in his own right, having studied Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Western methods."

[edit] Bando in the U.S.

Ba Than (Gyi)’s son was Maung Gyi. In the early 1960’s, formally began teaching Burmese bando at American University in Washington, D.C. In occident, of all there styles, the most popular and familiar is Hanthawaddy bando system.

The Bando System as taught within the American Bando Association today includes empty hand forms or kata as well as self defense, weapon forms or kata (Banshay), sparring, kickboxing (Lethwei), and grappling (Naban).

The American Bando Association incorporates 9 animal systems including: Bull, Boar, Cobra, Viper, Python, Panther, Tiger, Scorpion & Eagle. A student first learns the Bando basics, and begins to learn the animal systems at higher ranks. The basis for the Bando System is a 9X9 matrix of techniques and principals. The student is encouraged to grasp the underlying principals of the system, as a single technique may only be useful in a specific situation, but the principal the technique is built on, will be useful in many situations.

The American Bando Association Belt Ranking System includes the White, Green, Brown, and Black colored belts. Some schools also include a Yellow belt which is considered as an advanced White belt. A student may not test for his Black Belt until he/she has 5 years in the system. In order to progress to Black Belt, a student must exhibit proficiancy in Empty Hand Forms, Stick Weapons, Edge Weapons, Sparring or Kickboxing, and they must pass a physical fitness test.

[edit] Training levels

All bando schools start off by teaching the basic stances and the footholds – as in many other Asian martial arts. This preliminary stage of training lasts for several months. In some cases the first stage might drag on for years, depending on the instructor or the style of bando being taught.

In the second stage of training, the bando student has to go through a whole arsenal of blocking and parrying techniques. At the end of this stage, the student is fairly well equipped for defending himself against unarmed attackers. But he cannot be regarded as a full-fledged fighter.

The final stage involves the learning of offensive techniques. Before the student learns these techniques, the master makes sure that he will not abuse his knowledge. This cautious attitude towards the learning of the martial arts was probably derived from the Chinese tradition of martial arts instruction. There have been many cases of students abusing their acquired skills to the extent that sometimes the masters are threatened.

Panther's sweeping

[edit] Various names

Animal names are used to denote some of the forms that can be found in Bando. This is probably from the influence of animal styles from China and India. There are forms called Boar, Bull, Cobra, Deer, Eagle, Monkey, Paddle Bird, Panther, Python, Scorpion, Tiger and Viper.

The names indicate the characteristics of the forms. Thus the Python form includes crushing, strangling and gripping moves while the Tiger form applies to maneuvers which involve clawing and ripping. The Deer form has been given that name because it is meant to develop alertness in the bandoist.

Bando fighting generally leaves the initiative to the opponent. It is a style of combat that relies heavily on countering moves. Thus when attacked, the bandoist would first withdraw and then begin the counter-attack.

Bando attacks include much handwork directed at the body. But the bandoist does not neglect using the head, shoulder, elbow, knee, and foot for offensive purposes. Attacking the private parts is also a favorite technique with bandoists.

The techniques of bando fighting are learned mainly through the practice of forms and with partners. The final stage of mastery includes participation in contests, which sometimes end in deaths.

[edit] See also

[edit] Internal links

• Burmese martial arts or Thaing (burmese)
• Naban
• Banshay
• Lethwei
• Bando yoga
• Min Zin
• Pongyi thaing
• Bando kickboxing

[edit] References

• Bando, philosophy, principles et practice, M.Gyi, IST edition, 2000 : ABA online store
• Traditional Burmese Boxing, Zoran Rebac, Ed. Paladin Press, 2003
• Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts, D.F.Draeger, R.W.Smith, Kodansha, 1969

[edit] External links

• French Bando & Lethwei Federation
• American Bando Association & More Info (Greater Hartford Bando Association page)

• Thaing, Advanced Fighting System