Tarung derajat fights for recognition<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Tarung derajat, which began as a young man's attempt to hold
\nhis own in street fights, is gaining increasing recognition as
\none of the country's homegrown martial arts four decades later.<\/p>\n
The three-day 10th national championships will conclude on
\nSunday at the Volleyball Hall Compound in Senayan, Central
\nJakarta, and it was announced earlier this week that efforts will
\nbe made for the sport's inclusion in the biennial Southeast Asian
\n(SEA) Games.<\/p>\n
Head of the national championship organizing committee Badai
\nMeganagara Dradjat, the oldest son of the sport's founder Ahmad
\nDradjat, says his father began to develop the martial art in 1968
\nafter being beaten up in his hometown Bandung.<\/p>\n
\"My father was a very talented soccer player, but he had a
\nvery skinny physique. When his team won a match, the opponent
\noften wouldn't accept defeat and then challenged him to a fight,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"One time, several days after winning a soccer match, he was
\nbadly beaten up by people in the market after his opponents
\nshouted out that he was a thief.\"<\/p>\n
Knowing that he would have to protect himself, Ahmad joined
\nmartial arts clubs, but felt he was given little attention by
\nthem, Badai said.<\/p>\n
He decided to develop his own survival skills.<\/p>\n
\"First, he built up his body into a muscular one to protect
\nhis organs from attack. He also trained himself to jump high to
\nbe able to kick taller opponents.\"<\/p>\n
His hard work led to the creation of particular kicking and
\npunching techniques, which he tried out when challenged to street
\nfights.<\/p>\n
\"My father learned from the street fights. When he lost, he
\ndeveloped new techniques until finally he could win bouts.\"<\/p>\n
As Ahmad started winning fights, his friends became interested
\nin learning the sport. By 1972, it had a name: tarung, meaning
\nfight, and derajat for honor.<\/p>\n
Rules have been developed over the years for the sport, which
\nis often compared to Thai kickboxing and consists of three-round
\nbouts. Fighters wear boxing gloves and attacks are restricted to
\nthe torso from hip to head, with three to four points provided
\nfor a strike to the head.<\/p>\n
Punches to the torso score from one to two points, but
\nfighters are penalized for blows below the hips or excessive
\nretreating during the round. Two penalties for below-the-belt
\nblows result in disqualification, while three penalties for
\nretreating from the fight in a round will lead to a decision in
\nthe opponent's favor.<\/p>\n
In 1997, the sport was accepted into the fold of the National
\nSports Council, and made its debut at the 2004 National Games.
\nThe sport is handled nationwide by the Tarung Derajat Sport
\nFamily (Kodrat), with 23 provincial chapters (Papua, South
\nSulawesi and South Kalimantan are among the regions yet to
\nestablish chapters).<\/p>\n
State Minister of Youth and Sport Affairs Adhyaksa Dault has
\nendorsed a plan for the promotion of the sport in the region for
\nits inclusion in the SEA Games, where it would join the other
\nnational martial art, pencak silat.<\/p>\n
So far, the only overseas branch is the Kodrat chapter in
\nPerak, Malaysia, which was established last year.<\/p>\n
Badai, who has coached in Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, said
\nearlier this year that the risk of promoting the sport abroad was
\nthat Indonesia may eventually lose out in competition to other
\ncountries. It has happened in pencak silat, now dominated by
\nVietnam after Indonesian coaches were hired to train the
\ncountry's athletes.<\/p>\n
\"I think it is better to strengthen our organization at home
\nfirst before establishing branches abroad,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tarung-derajat-fights-for-recognition-1447893297",
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