The Fights That Came Before

I'm writing this post to immediately follow its predecessor, and I separate the two because I wanted to distinguish some of my personal feelings about the nature of fighting and this particular combat from what I've observed about this event in my capacity here as a researcher. Just before the fight, I described some of the rituals involved with Muay Thai here in Thailand, and I would now like to examine them again with reference to my own experience, and in light of my original hypothesis for this project.

Some may have actually forgotten this, and so I will explain for you and for those just joining us that my original purpose in making this voyage was to examine martial arts as cultural objects which are expressive of the history and values of the people who created them. In the past, I've made the comparison to language, which, through its evolution in a culture, changes to reflect that culture. For a simple example, linguists and historians often examine how many words there were for a certain idea or phenomenon in a society in order to get an impression of how much that thing was talked about or emphasized. It's a bit simplistic to explain that way of course, but changes like these, collected over time, constitute a dynamic history of a culture that continues to change, and in fact affect the present by the habits made in the past.

I still think that this analogy to language is appropriate, and I would like to draw attention to a certain duality inherent in the phenomenon of both. If we consider martial arts (and, I hope it's evident, I include in the art of Muay Thai all of the traditions and ceremonies which accompany its practice) as a sort of language, then we must consider that Muay Thai, for example, in its conscious implementation by its practitioners, bears features of which not all of its practitioners are conscious. For example, not all of my trainers are religious, certainly not all of the students are, but it is still accepted by them that one does not enter the ring between the ropes when wearing the Mongkon. Similarly, very few Thai boxers still practice Muay Boran, which was the old military art from which the sport of Muay Thai has evolved, and so many fighters are unaware that some techniques that they practice have their roots in the deflection of spears and clubs, Buddhist ideas of which body parts are sacred, or even the accommodation of nearby elephants. This ignorance does not affect their ability to effectively practice Muay Thai, just as one does not have to be an etymologist to speak a language, but it is relevant that in practicing Muay Thai, these fighters are representing a long evolution of which they may be only partially conscious.

This duality is notable on its own, but it becomes particularly interesting when one considers that Muay Thai, as a competitive sport, is constantly changing to meet the needs of ever-varying styles and competitors. Any competitive activity will necessarily be in a constant state of change, as new competitors seek to dislodge old champions with new ideas, but Muay Thai is such an integral part of Thai culture that changes come from other directions as well. King Naresuan in 1584 saw that Muay Thai became required training for every soldier in the Thai army, and practiced it himself. Royal interest and influence in Muay Thai has continued ever since, such as king Prachao Sua, AKA the Tiger King, who supposedly loved Muay Thai so much that he sometimes fought incognito in village contests.

In other words, in addition to the inevitable practical and aesthetic changes made over the course of centuries, the monarchy has directly acted to affect the course of Muay Thai's evolution as well, tying it still more closely to the Thai culture in particular, as opposed to just a sport with its own history. The monarchy has also greatly affected the practical habits of Muay Thai by the organization of several official Muay Thai stadiums, such as the famous Lumpini stadium in Bangkok, which have added requirements and limitations on technique and equipment for competition.

Muay Thai, then, is a means for the preservation of many ancient traditions and beliefs, despite the fact that many practitioners are unconscious of that which they act to preserve. In addition, Muay Thai, as a living form of expression, is constantly changing in practice and in ceremony to affect the shifting beliefs and priorities of the Thai people and government. Thus, the martial art acts at once to maintain the old and incorporate the new, and paradoxically sustains tradition through constant change.

It is somewhat difficult to frame this argument with so few specifics, but perhaps this will be an undertaking to pursue in earnest upon my return. For now, doubtful as I am of the general interest in a catalog of the many techniques of Muay Thai and their cultural/historical significance, I will suffice to say that to me, this venture has already been incredibly enlightening, and I consider it essential to the true study of the art. I consider the difference between studying learning the same techniques in America, and coming to learn Muay Thai here, to be more or less analogous to the difference between being able to pronounce a word, and knowing what that word means.