Martial Arts by Country Trivia Quiz

Answer: Brazil

Capoeira dates from the days of slavery in Brazil in the sixteenth century. Its roots lie in Africa, from where the Portuguese explorers brought their captives to Brazil. The enslaved Africans developed capoeira as a means of escape, but disguised its true purpose by setting their movements to music and making it look like a dance.

When slavery was abolished, the government banned capoeira, fearing it would be a rallying point for rebellion and it wasn't until the 1930s that the ban was lifted. Capoeira is now a recognised martial art combining music, self-defence and graceful acrobatics.

Answer: Brazil

Huka-huka is a form of wrestling which is particularly associated with the region of Mato Grosso in the west of Brazil. It is a part of the funeral rites of the indigenous people called the Xingu. The ritual is called Quarap or Kuarup and is a celebration of rebirth and the life and death which has preceded it.

The fight itself begins with two opponents, resting on their knees, who turn in a clockwise direction while trying to grapple their opposite number and force them to the ground. Both men and women can take part in the fight, although not against each other.

Answer: Brazil

Luta Livre is another form of wrestling, dating from the early to mid twentieth century. The fights are freestyle, with the name actually translating as 'fight' and 'free'. It is often described as being very similar to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, abbreviated to BJJ, a version of the original jiu-jitsu from Japan. Luta Livre is primarily fought on the ground with the aim of forcing the opponent to submit.

It is promoted as a good method of self-defence when under attack.

Answer: India

Gatka is a martial art from the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan and is especially associated with the Sikhs. According to the website of the National Gatka Association, the system dates from at least the fourteenth century and was taught by the original gurus of the Sikh religion. Other sources refer to it being thousands of years old.

The fight involves the use of wooden sticks, meant to simulate swords, and the name of gatka refers to these weapons. The martial art is meant to be used for self-defence and as a means of unifying the body and soul, known as miri piri, so has a spiritual element as well. There is an element of sword dancing to the martial art which should never be used as a means of attack.

Answer: India

There are references to the Indian art of silambam as far back as the fourth century. The name refers to the specific type of bamboo used for the staffs which are an important part of the methodology. This particular martial art is associated with Tamil Nadu and may have originated as a means of fighting off wild animals.

Although the staff is the primary weapon used, silambam can also involve a sickle (aruval), whip (savuku), a knife called a kattari and a curved sword named a vaal. Like other traditional Asian martial arts, the British banned the practice of silambam, insisting on military training with firearms. This particular martial art was recognised by the United Nations in 2019.

Answer: India

Adimurai is a martial art originating from Tamil Nadu, which is the most southerly state of India. The region it comes from is Kanyakumari, located right on the southern edge of the country. The name comes from the Tamil language and means 'hit procedure' or a similar translation. Northern regions of Sri Lanka also use this martial art for self defence. Sources say that the art was developed by itinerant yogis to fight off bandits, and there are references to it dating from as far back as 400 BC. Techniques include kicking, punching and blocking attacks from the opponent.

Answer: Japan

Also known as ninpo, ninjutso has its origins in warfare, specifically as practised by the ninjas, much loved by video game creators. Although listed as a martial art, some sources describe ninjutso as being a blend of various techniques arising from the need to survive during turbulent times.

The methodology includes espionage, disguise and escape rather than combat, so it is very different from the other martial arts listed.

Answer: Japan

This Japanese fencing style uses wooden swords which are inspired by the real swords used by the samurai. By the eighteenth century the swords were made from bamboo and protective clothing was allowed to reduce the possibility of injury. The International Kendo Association was founded in 1970, bringing kendo to a wider audience. Matches take place with competitors wearing traditional clothing and judges overseeing the bout and recording the hits which score points.

Answer: Japan

Karate also has strong links to China, but it was primarily developed in the fifteenth century on the Japanese island of Okinawa. The island was part of the Ryukyu Kingdom, but was annexed by Japan in the seventeenth century with the inhabitants forbidden to carry weapons. Karate became one of the martial arts developed for unarmed combat using native tactics combined with some of the traditional ones learned from the Chinese.

One of the best known of the martial arts, thanks to films and television, karate involves striking the opponent and can be used for offence as well as self-defence.

Answer: Korea

Also spelled as tae kwon do, this Korean martial art has become better known following its inclusion in the Seoul Olympics of 1988, when it was a demonstration sport. It later became an official event in 2000 when the games were held in Sydney.

The history of the sport is quite recent, from the mid-1940s. Kicking and punching are the two main forms of attack with blocking the defence mechanism. The name translates in English as 'strike with foot' (tae), 'strike with hand' (kwon) and 'the way' (do).

Answer: Korea

Kuk Sool Won is a combination of various martial arts techniques devised by Kuk Sa Nim and dating from 1958. It takes elements of virtually every martial art from Asia plus techniques to condition the body. The name is actually trademarked.

Included are both hand and leg actions, plus grappling, various joint locking manoeuvres, defensive and offensive acrobatic movements and a range of flexibility and conditioning techniques. If those aren't enough, the system includes movements based on animals, the use of weapons and healing methods such as acupressure and meditation.

Answer: Korea

Hapkido, or hap ki do, is a mixture of various techniques which was developed in the first half of the twentieth century. It is used for self-defence and incorporates elements of taekkyon, judo and aikido. The purpose is to use movement to overcome brute force. The style is Korean, and is credited to a teacher and a group of his students.

Among the techniques are kicking, joint locks and grappling. Punching is also allowed, with practitioners switching seamlessly from one form of defence to another. The name is translated as 'the way of harmony' or 'the way of co-ordinating energy'.