Adil BOUKIND

Documentary photographer and photojournalist
    
Kalaripayattu, the genesis of martial arts
Location: Montreal, Canada
Nationality: French
Biography: Adil Boukind is an emerging documentary photographer, born in France and based in Montreal. He is currently traveling in South Asia and is available for assignement.  Adil's work focuses on the integration of ancestral practices in the... MORE
Public Story
Kalaripayattu, the genesis of martial arts
Copyright Adil BOUKIND 2024
Date of Work Feb 2019 - Mar 2019
Updated Sep 2022
Location Kerala
Topics feature, news
Considered as the pioneer of all martial arts, Kalaripayattu (kalari meaning school and payattu fight) has gained back its notoriety in the last few years. Despite existing for around 5,000 years, this martial art from the Kerala region, in the south of India, almost disappeared during the British occupation because of its lethal blows.

Nowadays, kalaris are reopening and this type of fight has a revival as a self-defense technique, and because of its benefits for the body. Like another martial art it inspired, Kungfu, which has also suffered repression, Kalaripayattu continues to be taught in the traditional way, at dawn or at dusk, to avoid heat. The fighters should follow strict steps, beginning with physical exercise, then handling of different weapons such as spears, swords, and shields, finishing the session with wounds healing.

During training, blows are not held back so it is not rare to see weapons to break under attacks or people getting harm, sometimes seriously…

Considéré comme le pionnier de tous les arts martiaux, le Kalaripayattu (kalari signifiant école et payattu combat) a retrouvé sa notoriété ces dernières années. Bien qu’il existe depuis environ 5 000 ans, cet art martial originaire de la région du Kerala, au sud de l’Inde, a presque disparu pendant l’occupation britannique en raison de ses techniques mortelles dangereuses pour les soldats britaniques. De nos jours, les kalaris sont en train de rouvrir et ce type de combat a un renouveau en tant que technique d'autodéfense et en raison de ses bienfaits pour le corps.


Comme un autre art martial qu’il a inspiré, le Kungfu, qui a également subi la répression, le Kalaripayattu continue d’être enseigné de la manière traditionnelle, à l’aube ou au crépuscule, pour éviter la chaleur indienne. Les combattants doivent suivre des étapes strictes, en commençant par l’exercice physique, puis en manipulant différentes armes telles dites de guerre telles que des lances, des épées et des boucliers, en terminant l’apprentissages de soins pour traiter les blessures. Pendant l'entraînement, les coups ne sont pas retenus, il n'est donc pas rare de voir des armes se briser sous des attaques ou des blessures, parfois graves…


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Kalaripayattu, the genesis of martial arts by Adil BOUKIND
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