Banshay (, ) is a weapon-based
martial art
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the pres ...
from
Myanmar
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
focusing primarily on the sword, staff and spear. Influenced by both
Indian and
Chinese sources, it is closely related to similar Southeast Asian systems such as Thai
krabi krabong, Cambodian
kbach kun boran and
Malay silat.
Banshay makes extensive use of the
dha (sword)
Dha (; also spelled ''dah'') is the Burmese word for "knife" and "sword" similar term to daab or darb () in Thai language for a single edge sword. The term dha is conventionally used to refer to a wide variety of knives and swords used by many ...
in pairs. Sword-fencing demonstrations and performances often begin with a pre-fight war dance in which the swordsman spins one or two swords very close to the body without cutting themselves.
There are 37 sword
forms. Sword training is conducted with the weapon still sheathed. Traditionally when a master first presents the student with a sword, the scabbard would be fixed on so that the trainee is discouraged from killing opponents. Under extreme conditions when the sword must be unsheathed, the scabbard may be broken with a rock or other object.
Image:defense contre sabre.jpg, Defense with the staff
Image:Panther_danse.jpg, The panther dance
See also
*
Angampora
*
Bataireacht
*
Bōjutsu
() is the martial art of stick fighting using a bō, which is the Japanese word for staff. Staffs have been in use for thousands of years in Asian martial arts like Silambam. Some techniques involve slashing, swinging, and stabbing with the ...
*
Butthan
*
Gatka
*
Jūkendō
*
Kalaripayattu
Kalaripayattu (), also known simply as Kalari, is an Indian martial art that originated on the southwestern coast of India, in what is now Kerala, during the 3rd century BCE.
Etymology
Kalaripayattu is a martial art which developed out of co ...
*
Kendo
is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords ( shinai) as well as protective armor ( bōgu). It began as samurai warriors' customary swordsmanship ex ...
*
Kenjutsu
is an umbrella term for all ('' ko-budō'') schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration. Some modern styles of kendo and iaido that were established in the 20th century also included modern forms o ...
*
Krabi–krabong
*
Kuttu Varisai
*
Mardani khel
*
Silambam
Silambam is an old Indian martial arts, Indian martial art originating in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This style is mentioned in Tamil Sangam literature. The World Silambam Association is the official international body of Silamba ...
*
Silambam Asia
*
Tahtib
*
Thang-ta
*
Varma kalai
*
World Silambam Association
*
Bando
Bando (, ) is a defensive unarmed martial art from Myanmar. Bando is sometimes mistakenly used as a generic word for all Burmese martial arts, but it is only one martial art; Burmese fighting systems collectively are referred to as ''Thaing (bu ...
*
Lethwei
Lethwei (; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) or Burmese boxing is a Full contact fighting, full contact combat sport originating from Myanmar and is considered as one of the most brutal martial arts in the world.}
*
*
*
*
*
* Lethwe ...
*
Naban
*
Kbachkun boraan
Kbach Kun Khmer Boran (, ) is the umbrella term encompassing all Khmer martial arts. Among them, figure Bokator (ancient Khmer battlefield martial art), Kun Khmer (formalised kickboxing), Khmer traditional wrestling, Baok Chambab (Khmer tradition ...
References
*
Burmese martial arts
{{Burma-sport-stub