Krabi Krabong - Origins

Origins

Krabi krabong was developed by the ancient Siamese military for fighting on the battlefield. It may have been used in conjunction with muay boran but whether the two arts were developed together or independently is uncertain. Archaeological findings and traditional dances bear testament to the myriad of weapons that were once used in Thailand. Some of them are no longer found in the country's martial arts today, such as the kris (dagger), hawk (spear), trisun (trident), daab (straight sword) and vajra. These weapons, their design and the pre-fight war dance in krabi krabong show evidence of Indian derivation combined with Chinese characteristics. South Indian scholars, holymen, settlers and traders were especially influential in the evolution of Thai culture and martial arts. The Tamil stick-fighting style of silambam was of particular importance to the history of numerous Southeast Asian fighting systems. During the colonial period, silambam became more common in Southeast Asia than in India where it was banned by the British rulers.

Elephants were an integral part of warfare in Siam. They would commonly be mounted by higher-ranking warriors like generals or royalty. Krabi krabong was often practiced by the palace mahouts or elephant trainers. From the back of an elephant, archers could shoot arrows at enemies below or, if he was wielding a polearm, engage in hand-to-hand combat with another mounted fighter. After the 16th-century introduction of gun powder, elephants served as tanks with cannons mounted on their backs. The legs were the war-elephant's weak spot, so they had to be guarded by up to four foot soldiers.

Today, reenactments of such battles are staged by performers who are often from families that have been training elephants since the Ayutthayan period. Mahouts in Thailand are often of Khmer descent and still issue their elephants commands in the ancient Khmer dialect of Kalae. It is therefore likely that elephant-training was brought to Thailand from Cambodia and that krabi krabong has some Cambodian influence, probably dating back to Ayutthaya's invasion of Angkor. While modern mahouts no longer practice martial arts, their legacy can still be seen in the attire worn by krabi krabong exponents.

As Indochinese trade extended to Japan, small communities of Japanese people were living and trading around the region. After the Battle Of Sekigahara in 1600, many of those from the losing side of the war came to Siam. Others were pirates or official traders who arrived on the Red Seal Ships. The Japanese fled Ayutthaya after the Burmese invaded in 1767 but they left their influence on the local fighting arts. Many of the techniques, stances, weapons and throws of krabi krabong are similar to those found in jujutsu and various Japanese weapon arts.

In Thailand, as with other countries in Southern and Southeast Asia, monks acted as teachers to their local community. Young boys would be sent to the temples where, aside from learning about Buddhism, they would be taught subjects ranging from languages to astrology. One such establishment was the Buddhaisawan Temple in Ayutthaya where the monks taught sword-fighting to their students. The origin of these monks is unknown but they are believed to have come from the kingdom of Lanna in northern Thailand. The modern Buddhai Swan Sword Fighting Institute was led by Sumai Mesamana until his death in 1998. His son Pramote Mesamana began training in krabi krabong at the age of 6. According to the younger Mesamana, the art was passed down in his family from father to son ever since the Ayutthayan era. Today he runs the Buddhai Sawan Krabi Krabong Association in Lad Prao.