Gatka Video - SIkh Martial Art

**DdlR** · Posted On: 6/22/2006 5:20am

Khalsa,

as in life, so on Bullshido; some young people can't bring themselves to understand anything outside of their very narrow fields of experience and interest. We can only hope that they gain a little more wisdom as they mature.

All of that said, the culture of Bullshido is of robust and "no holds barred" conversation, so you need to have a thick skin if you are presenting an unusual martial art for discussion here.

Good luck, and I look forward to your answers to Locu5's questions.

**eyebeams** · Posted On: 6/22/2006 5:29am

The amount of live training in gatka varies from group to group. Here's a friendly match between a gatka guy and a guy using 17th c. WMA:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...974029&q=gatka

Some sparring and some drilling here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...163399&q=gatka

More drilling and then sparring, this time, from a Uni club in Canada:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGlrYD9PXVM&search=gatka

Gatka competitive fighting and some demos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL00IfG5p6U&search=gatka

Training followed by tournament fighting by kids and adults:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbLizTONwgg&search=gatka

In short: Some of you see people dressed differently than yourselves doing something you never heard of and proceed to be fucking idiots.

**eyebeams** · Posted On: 6/22/2006 5:40am

Despite not being a gatka practitioner, I can answer some of these:

Originally Posted by Locu5

When was the last time Sikhs had to do melee battle?

Traditional Sikh professions have been in the military and law enforcement. Otherwise, anecdotal stories at:

http://www.sikhwomen.com/sikhism/culture_arts/gatka.htm

Is there any schism internally from members who feel the art is getting too soft or getting away from its more war-like roots?

Sort of. See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatka

in:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatka#Modern_Controversy

I've seen a video of the fight; it was low quality and to my eyes, inconclusive, if looking better for the gatka exponent.

I would be interested in learning more.

**Odacon** · Posted On: 6/22/2006 7:16am

When I saw the first video I was thinking "Oh the humanity!". But the sparring videos looked ok, a bit more armor on the head for safety and so the level of contact can increase and it would be well recieved. Oh, and anyone who brings something new to the table here at bullshido is usually given a rough time, don't take it personally.

**Muqatil** · Posted On: 6/22/2006 7:37am

Originally Posted by War Phalange

You've got to be fucking kidding me.

Please, just stick to ramming planes into buildings.

If that was more wide spread among the Arab community, we wouldn't need to be over in Iraq in the first place.

That makes XMA look feasable.

Those dresses make kilts look manly.

If what you do can look like it fits the background music, then it is not a martial art.

Ok, I'm a big grumpy now, but that's only because that was a complete shitfest. In real life, I'm a bit kinder.

Thank you for dangling your ignorance out there for everyone to see. :eusa_clap

Interesting video. I have to respect somone that is willing to expend a lot of time to preserve something that has historical, cultural and religious importance to them.

I did see what looked like a young girl in one video, so I'm assuming that, at least, currently some groups are allowing women to train, correct?

Some of the sword stuff looked a little off to me. As in, the distancing was wrong. It appeared that they are swing for air or the small buckler that was worn on the off hand. This is most likely due to a move towards preservation and demonstration of the art. Is this an accurate assumption or am I missing something?

Thanks for sharing though. Always cool to see something new.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 6/22/2006 8:45am

Originally Posted by Acadian fury

What's with the God dams shields, you would think that something a little bit bigger might work better on not getting hit...I am going to MT class tonight and use an Oreo Cookie to stop the incoming punches

It's a buckler, idiot. Not quite the same goal as a tower shield.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 6/22/2006 8:48am

I thought the first video was nteresting, it reminds me of Cap but with more weapons.

Your rough reception was based on the newbs imitating the old guys that generally only want to se martial application in as live an environment as possible.

As a personal curiosity was the guy that Indiana Jones shoots in "Raiders of the lost Ark" a Sikh?

Welcome!

**T3hJudoChop** · Posted On: 6/22/2006 9:36am

Well, my interest is piqued. What are the rules for competitions?

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 6/22/2006 11:12am

Awesome. It's great to see a traditional part of your culture being preserved, especially given the Sikh diaspora. I look forward to seeing more and learning more about Gatka.

**Fitz** · Posted On: 6/22/2006 11:25am

Originally Posted by WhiteShark

As a personal curiosity was the guy that Indiana Jones shoots in "Raiders of the lost Ark" a Sikh?

No, he was an Egyptian swordsman in North African Muslim style dress, or a close approximation of it at any rate.

No connection to the Sikhs at all.

Capt. Nemo however was a Sikh both in Alan Moore's original "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" and the terribly adaptation to film made from it. Moore added the Sikh elements however the characterization was based upon Jules Verne's own account of Nemo's origins in _The Mysterious Island_ as an Indian Prince involved with in the Sepoy Mutiny how had set out to try and undo the British Empire by any means necessary, ultimately taking to piracy.

The Sikhs have gotten a lot more media attention over the last few years as several biased attacks have taken place against them across the country by people mistaking them for Arab Muslims. Since most Americans are as culturally ignorant and they are nutritionally ignorant this isn't that surprising, but it is still sad.