For Roth Chenda, who has been practising and competing in Bokator events for the last four years, the fact that all students will learn the sport will be great for boosting female participation.
‘Nowadays just six to seven percent of people practicing Bokator are women, it’s such a small amount. So I really want women in Cambodia to come and practice.’
As with Vathana, health and physical safety were what first attracted her to the martial art, while a desire to carry on Master Kim’s hard work helps to motivate her ongoing training. ‘I want to be a person that can help to keep alive our national pastimes and culture.’
For Master Kim, he has his sights on Bokator gaining UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status. While Cambodian traditional dance and music has been granted the status, Bokator is still waiting.
‘It is the most important thing. We want Bokator for all. It is our heritage, and hopefully this will be recognised by UNESCO, maybe by 2018,’ he explains excitedly. ‘If UNESCO accepts, all of Cambodia’s 10,000 temples will bang their ceremonial drums in praise.’
