Selected Comments of Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, at the closing ceremony of the Cambodian Mixed Martial Arts (CMMA) contests [Selected Translations]
(1) Whether winning or losing, the main goal of the game is respect, love and friendship
I do not have much to say today. For the past three days, you have been taking parts in the contest with full care and management […] I thank the organizing committee […] and the participation of contestants from many sport federations and/or units – a total of 55 units/clubs federations. This year we organized the three days contest (for the first time) on a small field, in which we could take in only over 400 contestants […] next year, hopefully we can host more. It is worth noting that this time we have 35 elders who master in ancient martial arts joining us. We have the applause of the fans who support (this Cambodian mixed martial arts – CMMA – contest). Whether who wins or loses, the goal of this contest is respecting each other, loving and befriending […]
(2) CMMA contests – a dream comes true
This contest is one of my dreams that comes true. I wanted to organize this CMMA (full-contact fighting) match 4 or 5 years already, especially when I was in the army […] but it did not come true. Today, we have worked it out. The biggest goal is to show the diversity of Cambodian martial arts […] a moment ago, I’m excited almost shedding tears […] in less than 10 minutes of performance, I have seen different forms of martial art and performance arts. We have puppetry, Apsara dance combined with martial arts. These are all left by our ancestors for us. There is no need to separate the arts, culture, martial arts. All kinds of art forms, all kinds of martial arts forms are in one bundle […] under the flag of Angkor Wat […]
(3) Cambodian martial arts come back in the country and in the international arena
(This) has shown the richness of our ancestors’ martial arts and ancient culture […] the Ministry of Culture (and Fine Arts) and the sports federations have come up with such creative ideas […] based on the Khmer identity concept. This is why we are developing and conserving our culture and arts altogether […] today, in China’s Hainan, participating in the martial arts exhibition, the Cambodian martial arts Bokator has made presence with some 56 countries. The Minister of Tourism, HE Huot Hak, is there. This has ascertained that our ancestral martial arts not only come back in the country but also in the international arena […]
(4) Research, dissemination, and implementation to conserve and develop CMA
Efforts made to conserve and develop (the Cambodian ancient martial arts must be) carried out based on three jobs. Firstly, the research collections and compilations. I hope there will be more martial arts to discover in the coming years. Along with setting up the mixed martial arts organizing committee, I decided to set up a committee to compile the “Mystery of the Ancient Khmer Martial Arts” book. Secondly, dissemination (of CMA through) contests like this […] in this era of globalization it is easy to copy culture from outside, but we have our culture and civilization to uplift too. We do not prohibit innovation, but we need to compile and promote our national identity in martial arts […] thirdly, the act of implementing it should be carried out in the units of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, police, clubs, and schools. I hope to promote the use of Cambodian martial arts more. I urge that the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, HE Hang Chuon Naron, will promote practicing and using Cambodian martial arts in universities […]
(5) No prohibition to foreign martial arts, but uplifting the Cambodia ones
We do not forbid the training of any foreign martial arts. It is recognized as a development. However, we must continue to promote the Cambodian ancestral martial arts. All of you here are the main characters in the development and preservation of the traditional Cambodian martial arts […] I wish you all good health, success in all your duties and together build a more prosperous Cambodia. Let’s protect, preserve, and develop the Cambodian culture, arts and martial arts. Thank you.
