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The Wai Khru translates to English as "bow to teacher. This is a traditional
prayer ritual practiced not only by Muay Thai fighters, but school children
throughout Thailand as a gesture of respect and reverence for their teachers
and parents. Specifically within Muay Thai, the Wai Khru is accompanied by
the Ram Muay, translated as the "boxing dance." In addition to the Wai Khru
a fighter's teacher can background can be determined according to the
specific moves performed by the fighters during the ritual. In Muay Thai,
the Wai Khru and Ram Muay are performed immediately before the match. In
addition to the actual ritual, the fighters' clothing also is indicative of
their
background, teacher, and the ritual. Particularly, the teacher bestows upon
the fighter before the Wai Khru, a headband called a Makong.
To perform the Wai
Khru, the fighter first assumes the Wai position.
“The Wai is a form of
greeting. In the process, the hands are held up chin high, with the hands
above each other and the fingers turned up. In this way, the fighters
express their respect for the particular venue at which the fight is carried
out.” (Delp, 29) All other moves, of which there are literally hundreds
originate from the Wai.
Additionally, many dances in the Ram Muay originate from the Ramakien, a
Thai version of the Indian Ramayana epic.
Kris Noteboom.
Copyright © 2001 by University of North Texas. All rights reserved.
Revised: 05 Dec 2007 14:55:16 -0600 |
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Muay Thai
Ritual as performance
Sam Sheridan
Chronology
Digital Bibliography
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Wai Khru and Ram Muay
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