Cambodian Youth Revive Ancient Khmer Martial Art Yutkromkhorm

In Krong Areyksat, Cambodia, a group of 20 young students, including law student Oeun Bunthav, are dedicated to learning and preserving the ancient Khmer combat martial art of Yutkromkhorm. This martial art, which translates to 'the art of war' in Khmer, was largely forgotten after many of its masters were killed by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979.

Yutkromkhorm was born out of the numerous wars fought by the ancient Khmer empire and comprises three elements: the art of war, magic spells, and military strategy. The martial art includes techniques such as knockout blows with fists, high-powered precision kicks, and rapid elbow and knee strikes, incorporating stick, sword, and spear fighting.

In the early 2000s, some old Yutkromkhorm masters emerged from the shadows and began to showcase the martial art. It was introduced to the Cambodian military and some universities, but remained largely unknown to the public. Now, with the efforts of young students like Bunthav and Mao Rida, Yutkromkhorm is slowly being revived.

The preservation of cultural heritage is essential for a nation's identity and sense of community. If ancient martial arts like Yutkromkhorm are lost, future generations may not be able to connect with their cultural roots.

The students, who wear headbands and arm ties, train in an open-air club in Krong Areyksat. Under the guidance of 25-year-old master Nak Rinda, they are learning to launch knockout blows, high-powered precision kicks, and rapid elbow and knee strikes. Stick, sword, and spear fighting are also part of the article curriculum.

Bunthav, who has been practicing Yutkromkhorm for only two months, has already seen improvements in his stress levels and overall health. 'I will try my best to train with it so that I can know about it clearly and try to preserve this martial art for the next generations,' he said.

Mao Rida, an 18-year-old student, initially wanted to train for self-protection. *'At first I wanted to be trained with it for my self-protection because I am a girl, so that nobody could harm me... Since I have learned that it is an old Khmer martial art, so I would like to be trained to be a good practitioner to help preserve this culture, she explained.

The revival of Yutkromkhorm is significant for Cambodia, as it helps to preserve the nation's cultural heritage and showcases its rich martial art tradition. 'In the ancient time, they did not have modern weapons like nowadays... In the ancient time people used this martial art such as punches, elbows, kicks, knees, swords, spears and arrows to protect our nation from invading enemies,' said master Nak Rinda.

Young practitioners continue their training, learning not only self-defense techniques but also contributing to the preservation of an important part of their cultural history. The dedication of students like Bunthav and Rida ensures that Yutkromkhorm will not be forgotten and will be passed on to future generations.

Key Takeaways

• Young Cambodians are reviving Yutkromkhorm, an ancient Khmer combat martial art.
• Yutkromkhorm was largely forgotten after the Khmer Rouge killed many of its masters.
• The martial art includes techniques like knockout blows, kicks, and stick/sword fighting.
• Students are learning Yutkromkhorm to preserve cultural heritage and connect with their roots.
• The revival of Yutkromkhorm showcases Cambodia's rich martial art tradition.