One of the more hotly debated topics about Muay Thai in the modern Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) era is how to preserve Thai boxing’s beautiful and gracious performance art ritual, the Wai Kru ceremony.
While practitioners and teachers alike feel confident that it will not be disappearing anytime soon, maintaining authenticity and accurately that showcase its fascinating historical evolution is extremely important.
Historical & Cultural Significance
Wai Kru is much more than a ceremonial kick boxing ritual, performance art or just paying respect to one’s teacher. It is an important part of Thailand’s cultural and martial history, with origins that are traced back to ancient battlefield where Thai soldiers fought to keep their country from being colonised centuries before it developed into a sport.
In its earliest incarnations, Wai Kru reportedly dates to the first independent Thai Kingdom of Sukhothai (1240–1438).
In Thailand, martial arts (in addition to dance, theatre and performance arts) are regarded as a kind of spiritual activity. Fighters training for competition are expected to show deep gratitude and paying homage to their mentors or gurus, who through successive generations give them an opportunity to learn the art of Muay Thai.
Hence, the Wai Kru is a way of worshipping past instructors and their animist spirit entities that remain on earth.
This devotional reverence that pupils show their teachers manifests itself even today in modern 21st century Thailand via the Wai Kru ceremony.
Ritualistic Performance Art
A Muay Thai fighter performs the Wai Kru…
