Martial arts master Olivier Barbey, his wife and son practice martial arts techniques in Quy Nhon

“Fate” with Vietnamese martial arts

Olivier Barbey had practiced different martial arts sects in his youth but he didn't satisfy with them and wanted to learn any Asian martial arts schools which were performed by the actor Bruce Lee on the screen.

How did you choose Vietnamese traditional martial arts?

When I was 19 years old, I unexpectedly met martial arts instructor Nguyen Duc Moc, the founder of Son Long Quyen Thuat sect, when he was travelling from France to Switzerland to join a martial arts exchanging programme.

I suddenly felt so familiar with him. At that time he was 70 but he was very nimble when performing martial arts skills. All young martial arts practitioners were defeated. Also, he had an inner strength that could push several tall fat martial arts practitioners down with his finger. I was persuaded and then became his disciple.

The closing ceremony of the 3rd international festival of Vietnamese traditional martial arts was held in front of the provincial Center of Culture on August 4, ending the unforgettable festive days for foreign and domestic martial arts squads on the land of martial arts.

An art performance at the closing ceremony. Photo V.L

Take it to your heart

Different performances with various styles which had been showed during the four-day event were also displayed at closing ceremony, proving the diversification of Vietnamese traditional martial arts.

The workshop on the preservation and development of Vietnam traditional martial arts is an essential activity during the 4-day international festival of Vietnam traditional martial arts 2010.

However, its theme is so broad that its organizer is incapable of facilitating it. They also lack initiatives to guide the workshop to any specific topics on Vietnam traditional martial arts. So, it is unable to state that the workshop is successful.

The workshop doesn’t get many practical ideas from foreign martial arts masters like Olivier Barbey (standing)

Brimful of ideas and wishes

Numerous representatives of domestic and foreign martial arts troupes joined the workshop. Most of them are of the same mind about the fact that Vietnam traditional martial arts still lacks depth and unity.

“Martial arts organizations at home should take the main responsibility for preserving the quintessential heritage of Vietnam traditional arts while the promotion of martial arts abroad needs bilateral cooperation among the martial arts associations, federations and schools at home and overseas,” said Master Nguyen Van Nhan, chairman of Khiem Ho Martial Arts Federation in France.

Khi ông xuất hiện ở Liên hoan võ cổ truyền VN diễn ra tại Bình Định tuần rồi, không ít người đã phải dụi mắt vì ngỡ là mơ. Bởi ai cũng nghĩ “tứ trụ tiền hiền” của làng võ Bình Định đã quy tiên. Mà ông là một trong tứ trụ...

Đại lão võ sư Đào Thanh dạy các em thiếu nhi học võ cổ truyền tại sân vận động huyện An Nhơn - Ảnh: B.T.

Làng võ Bình Định trong thế kỷ 20 có bốn nhân vật được xem là “tứ trụ tiền hiền” gồm: Hương Kiểm Trung, Mười Đậu, Hà Trọng Sơn và Đào Thanh. Họ cùng vai phải lứa với nhau và ba người đầu đã khuất núi từ lâu.

Riêng đại lão võ sư Đào Thanh năm nay đã tròm trèm 90 tuổi. Lâu rồi không ai thấy ông xuất hiện, nên ai cũng nghĩ lão võ sư đã quy tiên. Chính vì vậy khi thấy một cụ già quắc thước, râu tóc bạc phơ đang loay hoay tìm chỗ gửi xe đạp để vào xem Liên hoan võ cổ truyền, võ sư Phạm Đình Phong - phó chủ tịch Liên đoàn Võ cổ truyền VN - cứ dụi mắt mình, không tin rằng đó là lão võ sư Đào Thanh. Khi xác định chính xác đó là vị còn lại của tứ trụ võ Bình Định, ông Phong mừng đến phát khóc.