Colombia is my home, it always has been and it always will me. The connection I have here in Mercedes is so significant to my upbringing. My Grandfather took care of me for most of my life, basically as long as I can remember. My parents were wildlife biologist, a sometimes dangerous job in certain parts of the world, especially in South America. They went out in the Amazon to study river currents and animal behavior but they unfortunately didn't come back, at least not in the way we all wanted them to return. My grandfather moved us to the capital, Popayan, to have some more help from the community he knew there.
At a young age My grandfather started to teach me martial arts, it became my life, but not in a bad way. I loved learning karate, even know I still love it. I can't imagine my life without the skillset I have now. My grandfather has had martial arts in his family for generation, he continued that with me, and it was definitely in my blood. I got my first black belt at only five years old, from there I kept working forward to win with the support of my dojo, Tigrillos del Valle. My grandfather began to teach me the techniques of our culture. Colombian Grima.
This technique is a martial art fighting technique where you fight with machetes. Back in the colonial age of the world the Spanish brought African slaves into Cuba to work for their plantations. These people had a long line of martial acts originating in Africa which they carried on with them. As they works in plantation they kept training to eventually revolt against their oppressors. The fighting style was brought into Colombia in the 18th century where it became a blessing for protection for my ancestors. My grandfather trained me hard, we have a tough love relationship, sometimes too tough. Outside the dojo he would take me to train with my own machete. It wasn't an easy thing to master but after a few cuts and stitches I became a master at it.
All this helped build me into the strong martial artist I am today, and eventually to the most important international karate tournament in the world. The Sekai Taikai.
I am now a 5th degree black belt at only seventeen years old. Training is my priority, to keep advancing and get better I need to train as much as possible. I am determined to win and maybe even make some connections along the way.
-
-
-
Welcome readers!
I hope you read this and continue to read, I will be uploading a lot of these every other day!
- s
YOU ARE READING
International Connections - Axel Kovačević
Fiksi PenggemarShe's been in martial arts since she was little, always staying committed and learning, most important of all....winning. She came from a small village in Colombia called Mercaderes. She learned from her grandfather to be the best of the best. She m...
