Made-in-Singapore martial art should get more support

The television production 10 Things You Don’t Know About Singapore was fascinating, especially the episode about our own martial art Singa Fist, which was shown on Mediacorp’s Channel 5 recently.

Most Singaporeans probably do not know Singa Fist exists, and I had almost forgotten about it.

I was in a contingent from my alma mater Maris Stella High School that participated in a 1989 martial arts demonstration in Toa Payoh Stadium showcasing Singa Fist.

This made-in-Singapore martial art seeks to unify the different martial arts practised here.

The spirit that drove this endeavour was a national unity to celebrate the cultures behind Singapore’s various martial arts such as Shaolin kung fu, silat, taekwondo and aikido. Singa Fist could be seen as supporting the development of Total Defence.

Incorporating stand-up fighting styles such as taekwondo and ground fighting styles such as judo, it could even be considered the antecedent of mixed martial arts.

Singa Fist could possibly be to martial arts what Albert Einstein’s unified field theory is to physics.

The 10 practitioners still flying the flag for Singa Fist should be commended for performing a service to the nation by preserving this heritage.

I hope they can be provided with resources and support to revive and expand Singapore’s very own martial art.