# Anybody heard of Gatka?



## Cuentada (Nov 5, 2003)

I came across the following website on the northern India (east) martial art of Gatka....it's similar in some ways to FMA. It looks pretty interesting and I've never heard of it before.

http://warriorsaints.com/media/

Any thoughts or comments?

:asian:


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## Cthulhu (Nov 5, 2003)

Very *very* interesting!  I'll have to do some research on Gatka.  If you've got a broadband connection, definitely check out the 29MB video clip.

Thanks for the heads up, Cuentada.

Cthulhu


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## Cuentada (Nov 5, 2003)

No problemo.  

With historical accounts of the Majapahit, Sri Vishayan empires, etc. before the Spaniards came, i sometimes wonder how heavily influenced the FMAs were by these cultures via Indonesia, Sumatra, or Malay....interesting indeed.


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## Black Grass (Nov 5, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Cuentada _
> *I came across the following website on the northern India (east) martial art of Gatka....it's similar in some ways to FMA. It looks pretty interesting and I've never heard of it before.
> 
> http://warriorsaints.com/media/
> ...



Cuentada,

There is a Gatka teacher in the GTA I think (Missisugua). Gatka is a martial art of the Sikh people. I don't it is widely practice in its martial form. I have seen it performed its movements are very different from other forms of martial arts. This is true for allthe indian sub contintent MA I have seen such as  Thang ta and  kaliparattu.

In terms of influence on the FMA I don't beleive there is any. Sihks come from the Punjabi region near Afganistan. The only similarity I see to the FMA is that it is a weapons based system. I one looks at the Sihks religous symbol one can see the weapons (or "Shastar") of the Sihk people. 

Vince
Black Grass


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