The General Assembly of the Ju Jitsu African Union in Addis Ababa, 23rd October granted me the 4th Dan for my Ju Jitsu activities in Africa. Mr. P. Theodoropoulos awarded me the Certificate at the Martial Art event of the International Ju Jitsu Camp in Addis Ababa on 25th October 2009. The JJAFU Assembly listed seven regional zones according to the divisions adopted by ANOCA (Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa). The Assembly decided to vote seven presidents for the respective zones (Tunisia, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Dem. Rep. Congo, Ethiopia, Angola, Mauritius).

Ju Jitsu – Martial Art Philosophy and Basic Techniques (in Amharic) is published in Ethiopia. The Book is published by me and hope that this will be useful for Ethiopia and motivate the Ethiopian abroad regarding sport.

The book delivers in Amharic language a collection of practical and realistic tactics as well as philosophy of Ju Jitsu, which originated in Japan. Ju Jitsu combines throwing, strikes and joint manipulation and locks techniques thus it’s considered as a source of many systems. The book shows the principle of Ju Jitsu that with out questioning sex, age, and health condition that any individual in a way interested and capable can use it.

The book uses Amharic, Japanese and English terminologies to teach the most important techniques and presents an array of Ju Jitsu techniques, tactics, with 830 photos. The Self-Defense tips offer insight into how to defend oneself a day to day basis. Moreover the book shows practical methods for making sure how to defend oneself by using the self defence psychology, conflict management and understanding the law. The book discusses also the methods of sport science (conditionals skills, developing training plans, etc). The Ju Jitsu techniques are demonstrated by me and his students from the Humboldt University in Germany and the practical self defence predominantly in Ethiopia.

It is dedicated to those who have not got a chance to train martial arts and to the glories Ethiopian Athletes as well as to the women who are victim of a sexual assault.

The Ethiopian Ju Jitsu Association has now launched a home page. This home page is the first Martial Art home page in Ethiopia and will be used as Martial Art portal, in as much there is no Ethiopian Martial Arts home page exists.

It is my great pleasure and my honour to announce to you the foundation of the Ethiopian Ju Jitsu Association. It has been founded on 25th January 2008 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The founding members also called all Martial Art interested in Ethiopia to join the newly-formed association.

I have been appointed as President of the Supervisory and Executive Board. Instructor Abdi Kedir has been also appointed as Vice President and Mr. Adane Yeneneh as Secretary General. The newly founded Association elected Instructor Jamal Ahemed, as President of the executive committees and Semegn Teka as Vice President. The executive Board has four members and the executive committees (operative association) have 12 functionaries.

The next step will be the membership in AJJU and JJIF. We thank you very much to all of those that support us and continue to motivate us regarding to spread this fascinating Martial Art and to found an association. Your messages are greatly appreciated.

Our greatest thanks go to Dr. Paul G Hoglund, President of JJIF, Mr. Colince Tatsa Tchinda, President of JJAFU and Mr. Herbert Frese, President of DJJV.

The Special thank goes to our Board Vice President, International Instructor Abdi Keder, African Representative for International Martial Arts Games and President the Ethiopia-United Taekwon-do Association.

We are in very early stage and appreciate your possible support.

First Ethiopian Ju Jitsu Martial Art kick off Seminar

The First Ethiopian Ju Jitsu Martial Art kick off Seminar has been completed with success. The seminar has been supported particularly by Instructor Abdi, African Representative in the International Martial Arts Games and President of the Ethiopia-United Taekwon-do Association, Instructor Jamal and the Sport Commission. The young and energized participants came from different Martial Art schools. Despite no Tatamis, the training has taken place on the hard floor of the basket ball hall. The three days seminar was focused on the following selected Ju Jitsu Basic techniques: History and development of Ju Jitsu; Institutions of Ju Jitsu (JJIF, JJAFU, DJJV), Principle of Martial Arts, ethics, joint manipulation and lock techniques (Kensts-Waza), Throwing techniques (Nage Waza), Strike techniques (Atemi-Waza), Ground techniques (Katame-Waza), Ju Jitsu as self-defence and help in need technique, Fixing, Transporting, Controlling and Basic Stick techniques.

The sport program of the Ethiopian Television will have a report on it.

In traditional African wrestling there are holds designed to break the arm, neck, leg and collar bone, there are also takadown techniques and chokes. Martial arts in Africa existed thousands of years before JuJitsu, as evidenced by drawings of martial arts on the walls of Beni Hasan in Egypt!

In Africa we have our own martial systems that have existed for thousands of years. In Nigeria there is a fighting system called Dambe which consists of kicking, punching, headbutting and knees. In Senegal there is Borey it consists of punching, kicking, headbutts, grappling and joint locks. Gwindulumutu is a headbutt style of combat from Kongo, and Musangwa is from South Africa consisting of punching, headbutting, earslaps and knees. The list is endless but this is just the tip of the ice berg.

Richard Khamesse,
A researcher on ancient and contemporary traditional African martial arts.