Contemporary Al-Tahteeb ... an Egyptian martial art whose gaps aspire to be included in the Olympiad
For nearly 5 thousand years, the Egyptians have been practicing Tahtib, a type of dancing sticks fighting, but it has turned into a modern martial art that aspires to become an Olympic sport. "It is a project to bring people together," and it is tantamount to a "cultural revolution," says Adel Paul Boulad, a 69-year-old French-Egyptian martial arts trainer who launched a project of converting logging into contemporary martial art nearly 15 years ago. And tahateeb is a type of rhythmic dance with sticks practiced by men in Upper Egypt wearing their traditional dress, i.e. the jilbab, and it is customary for them to perform this dance at wedding parties as an expression of their joy. Since 2016, Al-Tahteeb has been registered under the UNESCO International Cultural Heritage.
Pollad explains that contemporary logging is "an updated mathematical version of art that is thousands of years old." Bolad prepared a handbook on modern logging as a new sport in 12 shapes, similar to kata in Japanese martial arts.
"It is a sport that has origins and rules that were able to continue throughout the entire history of Egypt," he says.
The "fighting secrets" were never lost, as they were recorded on the walls of Pharaonic and Greek temples and tombs, that is, from 2,700 years to nearly 300 BC.
Some supporters
in 2036 or 2040 could organize the Olympics in Africa, and Egypt would have a chance to run to host it.
But getting approval for logging as an Olympic sport is a huge challenge.
It should be transformed into a popular sport, the formation of coaches and the organization of competitions.
After the contemporary Tahteeb team participated in international festivals, especially the martial arts festival in Paris in 2016, this art has some supporters around the world.
The modern-day al-Tahtib players wear a black uniform with a red three-layer belt inspired by the clothes of ancient Egyptian warriors.
They use bamboo sticks, which are 130 cm long.
Contrary to the inherited Egyptian tradition, contemporary woodworking is available to women.
Bolad hopes that within two or three years he will be able to establish "regional centers" for teaching contemporary logging in various regions of the world, such as Hungary, Canada and Colombia.
More than just folklore
in Cairo, in the upscale Al-Rehab neighborhood (east), the first trainers teach their students in a public park.
One of the trainers, Nasser Rifai (44 years old), explains that the Egyptian "fighting style" inherited from the pharaohs is "a treasure".
"We have to preserve this treasure, and like any kind of art, if it is not practiced, it will disappear," he added.
As for Rifai's "dream", it is to see Al-Tahteeb in the Olympic Games.
Rifai works as a teacher of physical fitness and takes his personal time to work on spreading and introducing contemporary poetry.
Through social networks, Rifai and his assistants were able to gradually attract young people to practice this sport.
Yasmine Anwar (25 years old), a veiled teacher, is participating in the training for the first time.
Yasmine loved this sport.
"I will continue training until I learn to do this sport well," she told France Press, while holding the sticks.
Juba Ayoub Muhammad is also happy after his first training.
"Egyptians should know that the ta`teeb is not just a folkloric dance for weddings," he says. "It is part of Egypt's history."
This enthusiasm encourages Bolad: "I say to the Egyptians, take action, otherwise, Tahteeb will go to the Olympic Games, and if there is no Egyptian team, it will be like many Greek sports that no longer carry the Greek flag."
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