Martial Arts Odyssey: Shan Kung Fu
May 9, 2009
by Antonio Graceffo
A lot of fight fans don’t get very involved with international politics. Hopefully featuring the Kung Fu of the Shan people will help call attention to the genocide in Burma. Inside the war zone of Burma, under protection of the Shan State rebel army, host Antonio Graceffo is one of the first foreigners ever to experience Lai Tai or Shan Kung Fu. The Shan are one of Burma’s many ethnic minorities being subjected to genocide at the hands of heir own government. Meet young Master Kawn Wan, whose parents were murdered by the SPDC Burmese government army. Now, he lives on the Shan State Army base, teaching Lai Tai Kung Fu to the war orphans in the hopes of preserving the Shan culture. One of the Shan army lieutenants ominously told Antonio, “If the world doesn’t come to help us soon, your video will be the last record of our people.”
Antonio Graceffo is the former assistant head of Private Wealth Management for one of the largest private banks in the United States. He is now an adventure and martial arts author, and has lived in Asia for many years, publishing numerous books and several hundred articles in magazines and websites around the world. He has worked as a consultant and writer for shows on the History and Discovery channels and appears on camera in "Digging for the Truth" and "Human Weapon". Antonio is host of the web TV show, "Martial Arts Odyssey." He was embedded with the Shan State rebel army in Burma, documenting human rights abuses, and doing a film and print project to raise awareness of the Shan people. Contact him at antonio@speakingadventure.com.
http://www.speakingadventure.com
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Very impressive Antonio, Im Rod Power teacher of way of martial arts and chinese kickboxing for over 33 years. Im also making a documentary about the K.N.L.A. Karen Army also to try and raise awareness in the world on the atrocities committed by the Burmese Junta…I just got back from the 7th Brigade and the elite 101 base camp that just this month has been taken by S.P.D.C. and D,K.B.A. Army which took most of the cassulties in the assault. The Karen Army made a stategic withdrawal and assures us the army can fight another 60 years. The title of documentary…”Last Line of Defence.” Just as Qin Shiuong the first emperor of China and the great Gengis Khan Tammugin both united the clans of their countries, Burma now needs to make a united stand.