Tiếng ViệtVovinam – Viet Vo Dao is like a flowing underground stream, developing steadily after 85 years of establishment. On the journey to the world, each student plays the role of a “fire giver”, spreading the essence of Vietnamese martial arts to friends across five continents.
“Fire giver” in five continents
Arranging tools carefully, from large screens, lights to connection devices to ensure good transmission… are things that martial artist Mai Thi Kim Thuy is familiar with in order to be ready in advance an online training session for foreign Vovinam students. During the process of promoting and investing in Vovinam in other countries, it is inevitable that there will be times when there are not enough conditions for Vietnamese coaches and experts to come on-site to guide due to factors such as funding and timing or human… At this time, online training is considered the optimal solution.
Mai Thi Kim Thuy martial artist (national Vietnam Vovinam team) said: “Difficulties in teaching online sometimes come from language barriers. In some countries, martial arts students only have basic English communication skills, so sometimes they cannot fully understand specialized terms. Not to mention, the quality of the internet connection is sometimes quite unstable. Through the screen, there are professional movements where mistakes cannot be clearly seen, so the foreign coach has to record a clip and send it to the Vietnamese expert. Next, experts will work online to point out mistakes by re-editing the clips. Therefore, if athletes normally practice about 3 hours/session, online training requires 4-5 hours/session to complete lesson plans and answer questions”.
Martial arts students abroad attend online training classes. Photo: DUNG PHUONG
This is also one of the typical ways that Vovinam Vietnam is implementing to spread its sect to the world. Following in the footsteps of the previous generation, Vovinam’s students always strive to develop the traditional martial arts of the nation, in other words, “Pulling the world closer to Vietnamese martial arts”. There have been many foreign students who have returned to Vietnam to train, as well as a number of domestic Vovinam coaches who have also been invited to distant European, Asian and African countries to training and promote culture of the country and people of Vietnam. The Vietnam Vovinam Federation has opened online instruction sessions for groups and clubs abroad or sent martial artists abroad to “spread the fire”, share techniques, and support students to absorb the quintessence of Vietnamese martial arts. Nguyen Hong Quy, Nguyen Tan Thinh, Huynh Khac Nguyen, Mai Thi Kim Thuy… are typical coaches and athletes participating in popularizing Vovinam martial arts to with international friends.
Since joining the Ho Chi Minh City unit in 2011, Mai Thi Kim Thuy was assisted by the master Nguyen Van Chieu (Chief Administrator of the Vovinam sect at that time) assistant and learned expertise in training foreign students. Up to now, along with competing and performing for promotions, Mai Thi Kim Thuy has also been assigned to train and support many national teams, as: Japan, Romania, France, Italy, India… or to Myanmar, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Singapore… support for a while.
To become a “fire giver”, martial arts masters are required to be equipped with foreign languages, master techniques, as well as know skills in organizing and managing classes, communicating… “For me, the person chosen for the promotion work needs the most love for Vovinam, which must be big enough to overcome all challenges. In addition to proficient technical skills, they must also have certain life skills about living and working in other countries”, Mai Thi Kim Thuy martial artist said.
Vietnamese martial arts are increasingly spreading
Vovinam is the pride of Vietnamese martial arts when recognized around the world, and has been included in competitions in has some of arenas, even having its own World Vovinam tournament. It is a long journey after 85 years of development with many ups and downs along of history.
The clearest evidence is the illustrious career of the late master Nguyen Van Chieu, Chief Administrator of the Vovinam sect, who spent his entire life developing and bringing the discipline to the world. It is also a tribute to those who have played a great role in the domestic and international development of the sect, as: Mr. Le Quoc An, Chairman of the Vietnam Vovinam Federation for the first two terms (2007-2016 period), Permanent Vice President of the World Vovinam Federation for the period 2008-2016; Mr. Mai Huu Tin, President of Vietnam Vovinam Federation, President of World Vovinam Federation… Over time, this martial art spread following the footsteps of its predecessors to all five continents and was practiced by international friends. Previous generations have summarized the goodness and beauties in the techniques, creating the Vovinam martial art that is highly practical in combat. Not only countries in Southeast Asia, the exercise movement is also blooming in European and African countries such as France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Algeria…
The Vietnam Vovinam Federation and the School’s Management Council received the certificate of Intangible Cultural Heritage from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Photo: DUNG PHUONG
Currently, many countries have very strong Vovinam movements and can completely compete with Vietnam such as Algeria and Cambodia. In 2023, Vovinam is honored to become a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, creating a premise to become an Intangible Cultural Heritage of the world. The report of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City on create documents to recognize Vovinam as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage clearly states that Vovinam is a traditional martial art of the Vietnamese people founded by master Nguyen Loc in 1938 at Hanoi. Vovinam is the crystallization of the spirit and techniques of self-defense, fighting to build and defend the country of the Vietnamese people, making a great contribution to the martial arts of Vietnam and the world.
According to Mr. Nguyen Binh Dinh, General Secretary of the Vietnam Vovinam Federation, at many political and cultural events in the country, Vovinam practitioners are selected to perform and promote the quintessence of the nation. The Vovinam team also performed at the State Banquet of the Prime Minister of Vietnam welcoming the Prime Minister of Canada in 2017 and the Prime Minister of Cambodia in 2018; representing Vietnamese martial arts performing for Mr. Kim Jong-un to enjoy in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea…
(Source: Saigon Giai Phong Newspaper)