Japanese Wrestler Learns Ancient Martial Art in Senegal

2023-06-20

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1
  • In a dirty street passage in the Senegalese city of Thies, Japanese wrestler Shogo Uozumi lay face-down in the sand.
  • 2
  • He had just been thrown into the air by a larger opponent.
  • 3
  • Uozumi then rose to his feet, cleaned himself off and rejoined the group of wrestlers.
  • 4
  • Uozumi competed in Greco-Roman wrestling in Japan at a national level.
  • 5
  • Last year, he left Tokyo for Thies to master a Senegalese wrestling form known as Laamb.
  • 6
  • Now he is sharing his knowledge of the Olympic form of the sport with local wrestlers.
  • 7
  • "Every time I train, I feel myself getting stronger," he said.
  • 8
  • "I feel a lot of joy and growth within me."
  • 9
  • Laamb has its beginnings in ancient war ceremonies.
  • 10
  • It has gone from a traditional activity that takes place after crops are harvested to become Senegal's national sport.
  • 11
  • Laamb mixes physical combat and acrobatics.
  • 12
  • Victory is marked when an opponent's back touches the ground.
  • 13
  • Uozumi discovered the style of wrestling during a trip to Senegal with Japan's aid agency in 2017.
  • 14
  • He was interested by the country's cultural similarities to Japan such as the importance of hospitality.
  • 15
  • Since moving to Senegal in 2022, Uozumi has lived with a community of wrestlers in Thies, Senegal's third largest city.
  • 16
  • He has also set up a school with about 36 students.
  • 17
  • He is helping them prepare for the 2026 Youth Olympics.
  • 18
  • Cheikh Badiane is a Laamb wrestler and one of Uozumi's closest friends.
  • 19
  • "He showed me what it means to commit oneself, to leave one's country without being well-paid, knowing that he would only have enough to live on, to develop our sport," Badiane said.
  • 20
  • "I would help him whatever it cost me."
  • 21
  • Uozumi and Badiane coached wrestlers at a national competition last month in Saint-Louis, Senegal's colonial capital. Hundreds of people came to watch.
  • 22
  • One of Uozumi and Badiane's students went home with the silver medal in her weight class.
  • 23
  • "Senegalese people live together, with their families, their friends, and they all support each other in this way," Uozumi said on returning to Thies.
  • 24
  • "That's my kind of culture."
  • 25
  • I'm Dan Novak.
  • 1
  • In a dirty street passage in the Senegalese city of Thies, Japanese wrestler Shogo Uozumi lay face-down in the sand.
  • 2
  • He had just been thrown into the air by a larger opponent.
  • 3
  • Uozumi then rose to his feet, cleaned himself off and rejoined the group of wrestlers.
  • 4
  • Uozumi competed in Greco-Roman wrestling in Japan at a national level. Last year, he left Tokyo for Thies to master a Senegalese wrestling form known as Laamb. Now he is sharing his knowledge of the Olympic form of the sport with local wrestlers.
  • 5
  • "Every time I train, I feel myself getting stronger," he said. "I feel a lot of joy and growth within me."
  • 6
  • Laamb has its beginnings in ancient war ceremonies. It has gone from a traditional activity that takes place after crops are harvested to become Senegal's national sport. Laamb mixes physical combat and acrobatics. Victory is marked when an opponent's back touches the ground.
  • 7
  • Uozumi discovered the style of wrestling during a trip to Senegal with Japan's aid agency in 2017. He was interested by the country's cultural similarities to Japan such as the importance of hospitality.
  • 8
  • Since moving to Senegal in 2022, Uozumi has lived with a community of wrestlers in Thies, Senegal's third largest city. He has also set up a school with about 36 students. He is helping them prepare for the 2026 Youth Olympics.
  • 9
  • Cheikh Badiane is a Laamb wrestler and one of Uozumi's closest friends.
  • 10
  • "He showed me what it means to commit oneself, to leave one's country without being well-paid, knowing that he would only have enough to live on, to develop our sport," Badiane said.
  • 11
  • "I would help him whatever it cost me."
  • 12
  • Uozumi and Badiane coached wrestlers at a national competition last month in Saint-Louis, Senegal's colonial capital. Hundreds of people came to watch.
  • 13
  • One of Uozumi and Badiane's students went home with the silver medal in her weight class.
  • 14
  • "Senegalese people live together, with their families, their friends, and they all support each other in this way," Uozumi said on returning to Thies. "That's my kind of culture."
  • 15
  • I'm Dan Novak.
  • 16
  • Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by Reuters.
  • 17
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  • 18
  • Words in This Story
  • 19
  • wrestler -n. a sport in which two competitors try to force each other to the ground
  • 20
  • acrobatics - n. a kind of performance that involves skilled movements, jumping and swinging in the air on ropes, bars or rings
  • 21
  • hospitality - n. kind and friendly treatment of visitors and guests
  • 22
  • commit (oneself) - v. to give time, energy and attention to something or someone