Martial arts to hit SA schools
CHIN Woo martial arts, created by Chinese master Huo Yuanjia in the early 1900s, will soon be taught at schools in South Africa.
Chin Woo involves a range of boxing and combat skills from different martial art schools. It was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage item in 2014.
Hilda Kekana, director of the Tshwane South District of the Gauteng Department of Education, said they have invited masters with the Shanghai Chin Woo Athletic Federation to teach martial arts at elementary and middle schools in Tshwane.
South African students are expected to begin practicing Chin Woo martial arts before the end of 2018, said Kekana.
“Children will definitely benefit from the martial arts, which can help them be physically fit, disciplined and focused,” she said.
The director led a delegation of 14 principals from elementary and middle schools in Tshwane to the federation in Hongkou District yesterday. Their schools will become the first batch to teach the martial art to their students.
The federation has also established a South African branch to teach the schools’ coaches and teachers, he said.
The delegation watched boxing practice, along with various martial art forms such as swordsmanship and freestyle combat. Ten children from a local kindergarten also demonstrated boxing exercises to the delegation.
“Their bodies are quite flexible and beautiful when practicing the martial arts — I would very much like to promote this among students,” said Caroline Nel, the principal of the Glen High School in Tshwane.
Kagiso Moloto, principal at Kgabo Primary School, said the school would begin teaching martial arts from the end of the year, but also Mandarin and Chinese culture.