by Vincent Giordano The sport of Lethwei has faced many challenges in the past. The recent 2021 coup following the tragic COVID-19 pandemic has once again put Lethwei into survival mode after a decade of growth and global support. From 1999 through the opening of the country in 2011, I documented and trained in Lethwei….
Lethwei: The Tradition of Child Fighters
by Vincent Giordano
Burmese Lethwei, or Myanmar traditional boxing, is an ancient bare-knuckle fighting art that has survived in Myanmar despite decades of endless violence and governmental control. At times, this control threatened to wipe out Lethwei’s very existence, but the sport survived partly because rural communities throughout the country continually staged Lethwei tournaments during the celebrations and holidays that fill Myanmar’s calendar year. Including bare-knuckle matches as part of each celebration is a firmly embedded and accepted tradition within Myanmar. Central to these celebratory tournaments is the idea that, long ago, young boys engaged in Lethwei matches to display their fighting skill, courage and bravery. It was part of a rite of passage into adulthood.
Lethwei: The Potential of a Weekly Live Broadcast
by Vincent Giordano Each country in Southeast Asia has developed and promoted their indigenous sports in their own unique way. For example, one can learn from Muay Thai what has worked and what has not throughout its long history. Lethwei has been kept alive and is still heavily supported by rural communities. I focused primarily…
Lethwei or Naban? A Visual Look Back
by Vincent Giordano
The origin of this important early film footage begins with the career of Jean Alexandre Louis Promio, who later became known as Alexandre Promio. He was a pioneering French cinematographer, who filmed the footage in July 1896. Promio was an assistant to a French optician when he witnessed the first presentation of the Lumiere brothers cinematographe, a motion-picture apparatus used as both a camera and projector in June 1895. The Lumiere brothers were among the first filmmakers in history, and the burgeoning technology greatly excited and impressed Promio. In March 1896, he left his job to start working with the Lumiere brothers, who were looking to expand their business worldwide. After a short time, Promio — along with M. Perrigot, who taught Promio and others how to use the cinematographe — became responsible for training the first generation of cinematographe operators, who exhibited and showcased this new invention worldwide.
Born to Battle: Myanmar vs. Thailand
by Vincent Giordano The bitter history between Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and Thailand (formerly known as Siam) began on ancient battlefields. This included 24 wars between Ayutthaya (the ancient capital of Thailand that flourished from the 14th-18th centuries) and Myanmar that were fought by the nation’s most powerful armies. In 1767, after a 14-month…
Lethwei: More Than Just a Headbutt
by Vincent Giordano Lethwei is a diverse and durable fighting sport that has evolved over the decades. It has slowly risen from the ashes of military control, which limited its expansion to global notoriety in the wake of the opening of Myanmar. The sport itself has been sold as older and better than the neighboring…
The Old Way: Ancient Fighting Culture
by Vincent Giordano
The ancient bare-knuckle/bound-fists tournaments and fights that were held throughout Southeast Asia was a popular pastime and sport of the people, military and royalty. Every fight became a betting contest, as well as a contest of local pride. The general view is that this type of fighting was nothing more than a brutal blood sport fought to the death. This notion has largely been propagated by various forms of media from popular movies and books as well as all through the internet. Martial artists are often heard calling what they do “the older, deadly form” of a specific fighting art all the time to elevate them above the norm and attach themselves to these ancient traditions.
Burmese Odyssey: An Interview with Vincent Giordano
by Guillermo Xegarra Vincent Giordano’s award-winning documentary trilogy Born Warriors is a fascinating look at the art of Burmese bare-knuckle fighting. It’s an insider’s view of a sport, shot over a decade through the years of brutal military dictatorship, with the hope of promising democratic reform within Myanmar. The documentaries are part of a larger…
Lethwei: An Ancient Tradition Fights On
by Vincent Giordano Burmese Lethwei, also known as Burmese Boxing in the West and Myanmar traditional boxing in Myanmar, is a bare-knuckle fighting sport well known for its traditional fighting technique and durability of its competitors. Fighters wrap their hands with only a thin gauze wrap and tape. There are no gloves used, and head-butts…
Burmese Lethwei: Bare-Knuckle Revival
by Vincent Giordano Burmese Lethwei, also known as Burmese boxing in the West and Myanmar traditional boxing in Myanmar, is a bare-knuckle fighting sport well known for its traditional fighting technique and the durability of its competitors. Fighters wrap their hands with only a thin gauze wrap and tape. There are no gloves used, and…